Elsie Maud Wakefield facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Elsie Maud Wakefield
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Elsie Maud Wakefield c.1920
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| Born | 3 July 1886 |
| Died | 17 June 1972 (aged 85) |
| Nationality | British |
| Known for | Contributions to taxonomic mycology and plant pathology |
| Awards | Linnean Society, Fellow, 1911; Mycological Society, President, 1929; Mycological Society, Secretary 1918-1936; Mycological Society, Honorary Member, 1941; OBE, 1950 |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Mycology |
| Author abbrev. (botany) | Wakef. |
Elsie Maud Wakefield (born July 3, 1886 – died June 17, 1972) was a brilliant English scientist. She was a mycologist, meaning she studied fungi like mushrooms and molds. She was also a plant pathologist, which means she studied plant diseases. Elsie Wakefield helped us understand a lot about fungi and how to keep plants healthy.
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Early Life and Education
Elsie Maud Wakefield was born in Birmingham, England. Her father was a science teacher, which might have sparked her interest in science early on.
She went to Swansea High School for Girls. After that, she studied at Somerville College, Oxford, a famous university. She earned a top degree in botany, which is the study of plants. This showed she was a very talented student.
A Career Studying Fungi
After finishing her studies, Elsie received a special scholarship. This allowed her to work with Professor Karl von Tubeuf in Munich, Germany. There, she studied how larger fungi grow. She even published her first scientific paper in German!
In 1910, Elsie returned to England. She became an assistant to George Massee at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Kew Gardens is a very important place for plant science. George Massee was in charge of studying fungi and other simple plants. When he retired in 1915, Elsie took over his important role. She became the head of mycology at Kew Gardens!
Exploring Fungi Around the World
In 1920, Elsie received another scholarship. This time, it allowed her to travel to the West Indies for six months. She worked there as a mycologist, studying tropical fungi.
She continued her work at Kew Gardens until she retired in 1951. Elsie studied both British and tropical fungi. She was especially interested in certain types of fungi called corticioid and tomentelloid species. She became an expert in a large group of fungi called Basidiomycota. People all over the world knew her for her knowledge of Aphyllophorales, another group of fungi.
Besides studying fungi, Elsie also published many papers on plant diseases. In 1944, another scientist named R.W.G. Dennis joined her as an assistant. He took over her position when she retired.
Recognized for Her Work
Elsie Wakefield was highly respected in her field. In 1929, she was chosen to be the President of the British Mycological Society. This is a big honor for someone who studies fungi.
In 1950, she received the OBE award. This award is given by the British government to people who have done great things.
During her career, Elsie Wakefield wrote almost 100 scientific papers about fungi and plant diseases. She also wrote two popular guidebooks. These books helped people identify larger British fungi. She discovered and described many new species of fungi, both from Britain and other countries.
To honor her important work, several fungi were named after her. These include the fungal groups Wakefieldia and Wakefieldiomyces. Also, many specific fungal species have her name, like Aleurodiscus wakefieldiae and Crepidotus wakefieldiae. This shows how much her contributions were valued by other scientists.
