Lucy Moore (botanist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lucy Moore
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Moore in 1959
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| Born |
Lucy Beatrice Moore
14 July 1906 Warkworth, New Zealand
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| Died | 9 June 1987 (aged 80) Orewa, New Zealand
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| Alma mater | Auckland University College |
| Known for | Flora of New Zealand |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Botany |
| Institutions | New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) |
Lucy Beatrice Moore (14 July 1906 – 9 June 1987) was an important New Zealand scientist. She was a botanist, which means she studied plants. She was also an ecologist, meaning she studied how living things interact with their environment.
Contents
Life and Work of Lucy Moore
Early Life and Schooling
Lucy Beatrice Moore was born in Warkworth, New Zealand, on 14 July 1906. Her father, Harry Blomfield Moore, was a local librarian. He was also very interested in nature.
Lucy went to primary school in Warkworth. Later, she moved to Auckland to attend Epsom Girls' Grammar School. She was a very bright student. She won several national scholarships during her time there.
In 1925, Lucy started studying at Auckland University College. She earned her Master of Science (MSc) degree in 1929. Her main study was about a plant called Dactylanthus. This plant is a "root parasite," meaning it gets its food from the roots of other plants.
Starting Her Career
After finishing her studies, Lucy found it hard to get a job as a botanist. Even though her research was highly praised by famous botanists like Dr Leonard Cockayne, she didn't get positions at other universities.
From 1929 to 1938, she worked as a demonstrator in zoology at the University of Auckland. A demonstrator helps students in practical classes. During this time, she also received the Duffus Lubecki Scholarship for several years. This scholarship allowed her to do scientific research alongside her teaching work.
Exploring New Zealand's Plants
Lucy went on many field trips to study New Zealand's native plants. She often traveled with her close friend and fellow botanist, Lucy Cranwell. They explored remote areas of the country.
One important trip was to Mt Moehau on the Coromandel Peninsula. They also visited Maungapohatu in the Urewera country. Together, they wrote important papers about the plants found in these high-peak areas. They also studied the plants on the Hen and Chicken Islands.
In 1935, Lucy and Lucy Cranwell took a 10-month trip to Britain and Europe. They attended important meetings for botanists in London and Amsterdam. Lucy Moore also worked briefly at marine biology stations.
When they returned to New Zealand, they continued their field work. They also did research on animals. They wrote an important paper in 1938 about the different zones of sea life found on the Poor Knights Islands.
Working for the Government
In 1938, Lucy got a job in the botany division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR). She was in charge of studying lower plants and also worked on weeds. This led to an important paper in 1942 about the hard fern Paesia.
During the Second World War, Lucy worked on a special project. She found a way to get agar from seaweed. Agar is a jelly-like substance used to grow bacteria in labs. Before this, Japan was the main supplier of agar. Lucy's work helped New Zealand become self-sufficient during the war.
Lucy continued to be an algologist, which means she was an expert in seaweeds. In 1963, she worked with artist Nancy M. Adams to create a popular book called Plants of the New Zealand Coast.
After the war, Lucy changed her research focus. She began studying the tussock-lands of Molesworth in Marlborough. She published papers on plants like Raoulia and different types of grasses.
The Flora of New Zealand Project
In 1953, Lucy started working with Dr Harry Allan on a huge project called Flora of New Zealand. This project aimed to describe all the native plants of New Zealand. Lucy helped revise the descriptions of many plant groups, including Colobanthus, Myosotis, Ourisia, Plantago, Pomaderris, and Veronica (also known as Hebe).
When Dr Allan passed away in 1957, Lucy took over the main responsibility for the project. She worked with Dr Elizabeth Edgar to produce Volume II of the series. In 1960, Lucy moved to the DSIR's botany division in Lincoln. This move happened as work began on the second volume.
This work also led Lucy to write separate papers on plants like asteliads, Bulbinella, Libertia, and orchids. Volume II of Flora of New Zealand was published in 1970 and was highly praised for its detailed research.
Retirement and Legacy
Lucy retired in 1971, but she stayed active in her field until 1980. In 1976, her final report on grassland ecology, The changing vegetation of Molesworth station, New Zealand, 1944 to 1971, was published. In 1978, she created The Oxford Book of New Zealand Plants with J. B. Irwin, who was the botanical illustrator.
Lucy returned to Warkworth in 1980. She continued to share her knowledge. In 1985, she gave a lecture to the Auckland Botanical Society, looking back at her early work with Lucy Cranwell. In 1986, she gave another lecture, which was the first ever Lucy Cranwell Lecture.
Lucy Moore passed away on 9 June 1987, in Orewa.
Published Works
Besides the books mentioned, Lucy Moore wrote many scientific papers. These papers covered a wide range of topics. She wrote about marine and land ecology, how to classify flowering plants, seaweeds, and even the history of botany in New Zealand.
Awards and Recognition
Lucy Moore received many honours for her important work:
- In 1945, she became a fellow of the Linnean Society of London. This is a very old and respected society for natural history.
- In 1959, she was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by the Queen.
- In 1963, the University of Canterbury gave her a DSc degree for her research on Hebe plants.
- She became a fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand in 1947. In 1965, she received their Hutton Medal.
- In 1974, she was given the Sir Ernest Marsden Medal for Service to Science by the New Zealand Association of Scientists.
Lucy also created the Allan Mere Award to honour Harry Allan. This award is now given by the New Zealand Botanical Society to outstanding botanists in New Zealand.
The New Zealand native grass species Festuca luciarum is named after Lucy Moore and her friend Lucy Cranwell.
In 2017, Lucy Moore was chosen as one of the Royal Society Te Apārangi's "150 women in 150 words". This celebrated the contributions of women to knowledge in New Zealand.
Images for kids
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Moore at work in 1959
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Lucy Moore Memorial Park
See also
In Spanish: Lucy Beatrice Moore para niños
