Mary Leebody facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mary Leebody
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| Born | 1847 Portaferry, County Down, Ireland
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| Died | 19 September 1911 (aged 64) |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Botany |
| Influences | Robert Lloyd Praeger, Matilda Cullen Knowles |
Mary Leebody (1847–1911) was an important Irish botanist. She was known for her amazing work studying the plants, or flora, of County Londonderry and County Donegal in Ireland.
Contents
Mary Leebody's Life Story
Mary Leebody was born in Portaferry, County Down, around 1847. Sometimes she is called Mary Elizabeth Leebody, and other times Mary Isabella Leebody. In 1867, she married a mathematician named Professor John Robinson Leebody. He taught at Foyle College in Derry. Mary lived the rest of her life in Derry. She passed away there on September 19, 1911, at the age of 64.
Exploring Plants: Mary's Botanical Work
Mary Leebody was known as a very careful and hardworking field botanist. This means she spent a lot of time outdoors, exploring and studying plants in their natural homes. Her main focus was on the plants found in County Antrim, County Londonderry, and County Donegal.
Active Years and Collaborations
Mary was most active in her plant studies between 1893 and 1904. She was friends with another famous botanist, Robert Lloyd Praeger. Mary was also an active member of the Belfast Naturalists' Field Club. This club was a group of people who loved to explore nature. Even though Praeger suggested starting a similar club in Derry, Mary didn't take up the idea.
During the 1890s, Mary worked with Praeger and Matilda Cullen Knowles. She helped them by finding and collecting plant samples. These samples were used for Praeger's important book, The Flora of the North-east of Ireland, which was published in 1895.
Discovering New Plant Records
Mary Leebody is famous for finding several plants that had not been recorded in Ireland before. In 1893, she discovered an American orchid called Spiranthes romanzoffiana. This discovery marked the beginning of her published work.
She also published records of other interesting plants she found. These included Dryas octopetala on Muckish mountain, Teesdalia nudicaulis near Lough Neagh, and Malaxis on Slieve Snaght. Her discoveries helped scientists learn more about the different types of plants growing in Ireland.
