Margaretta Riley facts for kids
Margaretta Riley, born Margaretta Hopper (May 4, 1804 – July 16, 1899), was an English botanist. She was especially interested in ferns and was the first British woman to be known as a pteridologist, which is someone who studies ferns.
Her Life Story
Margaretta Riley was born in Castle Gate, Nottingham, England, on May 4, 1804. Her parents were Richard and Margaretta Hopper. In 1826, she married John Riley. He worked for the Montague family in Papplewick, a town north of Nottingham. Margaretta lived in Papplewick for the rest of her life.
Margaretta and her husband, John, worked together to study ferns. They were both pteridologists. They also joined the Botanical Society of London. John became a member in 1838, and Margaretta joined a year later in 1839.
Sadly, Margaretta stopped her work on plants in 1846. This was after her husband passed away, and she became a widow.
Her Lasting Impact
Margaretta Riley's work was remembered long after her time. A crater on the planet Venus was named "Riley" in her honor.
Her Published Works
Margaretta Riley wrote several important papers about ferns. Some of her publications include:
- On the British Genus Cystea (1839)
- On growing ferns from seed, with suggestions upon their cultivations and preparing the speciments (1839)
- Polypodium, Dryopteris and calcareum (1841)
