Margaret Williamson Rea facts for kids

Margaret Williamson Rea (born in 1875, died in 1954) was an important Irish botanist. A botanist is a scientist who studies plants. Margaret spent her life learning about different types of plants and fungi, and she made many discoveries.

About Margaret Rea's Life

Margaret Williamson Rea was born in Belfast, Ireland, in 1875. She was the oldest daughter of Robert and Eleanor Rea. From a young age, she was interested in the natural world around her.

Margaret's Education and Studies

Margaret went to Queen's University Belfast (QUB) to study science. She earned her first degree, a B.Sc., in 1919. She then continued her studies and received her M.Sc. (Master of Science) degree in 1921.

During her studies, Margaret focused on interesting plant topics. Her master's thesis, which is a big research paper, was about Stomata and Hydathodes in Campanula rotundifolia L., and their Relations to Environment. This means she studied tiny pores on plant leaves (stomata) and special water-releasing structures (hydathodes) on a plant called Campanula rotundifolia, also known as the harebell or Scottish bluebell. She looked at how these parts of the plant changed depending on their environment. Professor R. H. Yapp suggested this important research topic to her.

Margaret's Research and Discoveries

Margaret Rea wrote several scientific papers that were published in important journals like New Phytologist and Protoplasma. She often worked with other scientists. For example, she wrote some papers with Professor James Small, who was also a botanist at QUB. She also worked with Margarita D. Stelfox, another notable scientist.

Margaret was especially good at collecting and describing Mycetozoa. These are tiny, often colorful, organisms that are sometimes called "slime molds." They are not quite plants or animals, but they are fascinating to study! Margaret recorded many of her findings about Mycetozoa in the Irish Naturalists' Journal.

Where Margaret's Work is Kept

Today, some of the plant and slime mold specimens that Margaret Rea collected are kept in special collections. You can find some of them at the National University of Ireland, Galway. Others are part of the Stelfox Collection at the Ulster Museum. These collections help scientists today learn from her work.

Involvement in Scientific Clubs

Margaret was also active in scientific clubs. She joined the Belfast Naturalists' Field Club in 1907. This club was for people who loved to explore nature and learn about it. In 1918 and 1919, she was one of the club's secretaries, working alongside Dr. J. K. Charlesworth.

In 1920, Margaret also became a member of the British Mycological Society. This society is for people who study fungi, including the slime molds she was so interested in.

Margaret Williamson Rea passed away suddenly in a hospital on April 17, 1954. Her work helped us understand more about the natural world, especially plants and slime molds in Ireland.