Helen Sharsmith facts for kids
Helen Katherine Myers Sharsmith (born August 26, 1905, died November 10, 1982) was an important American biologist. She spent her life studying plants, especially wildflowers in California.
About Helen Sharsmith
Helen Sharsmith was born in 1905 in Oakland, California. She loved learning and went to the University of California, Berkeley. She earned two degrees there in 1927 and 1928. After college, she worked as a teacher for high school and junior college students.
She met her husband, Carl Sharsmith, in Yosemite National Park. They were both taking a class about nature. Helen and Carl later got married. They both went back to the University of California, Berkeley to earn their highest degrees, called doctorates. Helen got hers in 1940.
While studying for her degree, Helen worked as a research assistant at the University of California. She also taught biology. Later, she worked as a biology assistant at the Carnegie Institution of Washington. She then became a senior botanist at Berkeley, where she retired in 1969.
Helen Sharsmith wrote important books about plants. Her main research became a book called Flora of the Mount Hamilton Range of California (1945). This book was based on a lot of outdoor research she did. She also wrote Spring Wildflowers of the San Francisco Bay Region (1965).
The Sharsmiths had two children. Their son, John, was named after the famous naturalist John Muir. Their daughter, Linnea, was named after the scientist Carl Linnaeus.
Helen Sharsmith passed away in 1982 in Alameda County, California.
Plants Named After Helen Sharsmith
Many plants have been named after Helen Sharsmith or her husband to honor their work. This is a way to remember their important contributions to science.
- Sharsmith's stickseed (Hackelia sharsmithii) — This plant was named for her husband. However, Helen and Carl Sharsmith discovered it together near Mirror Lake after climbing Mount Whitney.
- Sharsmith's Onion (Allium sharsmithiae) — This type of onion is found only in the Mount Hamilton area of the Diablo Range. This area is in the southeastern San Francisco Bay Area.
- Sharsmith's harebell (Campanula sharsmithiae) — Also known as the Mt. Hamilton Bellflower, this flower is also found only in the Mount Hamilton area of the Diablo Range.
- Sharsmith's draba (Draba sharsmithii) — This small plant is found only in the southern Sierra Crest near Mount Whitney.
