Library Archives Collection

Arnott, Howard

The Howard J. Arnott Collection consists of a log book documenting his botanical collections (nos. 1-604 (April 1955-July 2006), another log book recording his work with Yucca seedlings (1954-1962), photographic data and microphotographs. These accompany his glass slide collection located in the BRIT Herbarium.

Lundell, Cyrus Longworth

Cyrus Longworth Lundell (1907 – 1994) founded and headed the Institute of Technology and Plant Industry at Southern Methodist University and then was Head Botanist and Director of the Texas Research Foundation. He led scientific expeditions to Mexico and Central America and specialized in Mayan archaeology and the environmental background of the Mayan civilization. He published more than 200 scientific and popular papers.

Mahler, William Fred

William Fred Mahler (1930 – 2013) was the Curator of the herbarium at Southern Methodist University and a member of the faculty for 17 years. He then served as Director of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas, becoming Director Emeritus in 1992. He is the author of numerous books and articles and the recipient of awards for his work on the native flora of Texas.

Schallert, Paul

Paul Otto Schallert was a physician and amateur botanist who amassed a collection of some 50,000 plant specimens from southern and western states, including specimens from some early collectors. The collection was mostly of native species, but it also contained cultivated plants from Europe and Asia. This archive consists of Schallert’s correspondence between 1934 and 1957 with collectors from around the world, including Dr. Otto Degener.

Shinners, Lloyd Herbert

Lloyd Herbert Shinners (1918 – 1971) was a professor and Director of the Herbarium at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, for 25 years. He was the first editor of The Southwestern Naturalist and the founder, editor, and publisher of Sida, Contributions to Botany. He was the author of 276 papers and contributed 558 new names and combinations to plant classification. His masterwork was Spring Flora of the Dallas-Fort Worth Area, Texas.

Stanford, Geoffrey Brian

Geoffrey Brian Stanford, M.D. (1916 – 2000), had a long and varied career. He was an instructor in radiography, a TV and film producer of medical documentaries, and a biomedical research scientist. He was also a city planner specializing in high-density housing and an instructor in architecture and avionics. He had been a land planner for the Shahinshah of Iran. He was an expert in resource and recovery planning and President of Agro-City Planning Consultants Inc. In 1976 he founded the Greenhills Environmental Center, which in 1987 became the Dallas Nature Center.

Stone, Benjamin Clemens

Benjamin Clemens Stone (1933 – 1994) was Professor of Biology at the College of Guam, where he wrote The Flora of Guam and founded the magazine Micronesia. He was Lecturer and then Reader in Botany at the University of Malaya for many years and became expert not only in the taxonomy of the Malaysian flora but also in evolutionary biology, ecology, cytology, and plant geography. In 1984 he became Chairman of the Department of Botany at the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Science. In 1990 he joined the Flora of the Philippines Project in Hawaii and at the Botanical Research Institute of Texas. He was the author or editor of more than 300 articles and books. His major work dealt with four tropical plant families: Araliaceae, Myrsinaceae, Pandanaceae, and Rutaceae.

Texas Organization for Endangered Species

The Texas Organization for Endangered Species (TOES) was formed in 1972 to study the plight of vanishing plants and animals in Texas. The archive consists of records of its meetings and newsletters and lists of endangered, threatened, and “watched” species from 1973-1988.

Wesby, Marie

The Marie C. Wesby Collection consists of A Treasury of Texas Plants, a collection of watercolor paintings of Texas plants by Marie Campanella Wesby (1912- 1999) and The Wesby Collection of Newfoundland wildflower watercolor sketchbooks and wildflower color slides. Marie and her husband Vernon were charter members of the Native Plant Society of Texas.

Whitehouse, Eula

Eula Whitehouse (1892 – 1974) had many talents. She was a registered nurse and teacher of nurses. She was a skilled artist. She had a Ph.D. in botany and was Curator of the Cryptogramic Herbarium at Southern Methodist University. After retirement, her interest turned to ornithology, and she was instrumental in founding the Dallas Audubon Society. She was the author and illustrator of Texas Wildflowers and Texas Wildflowers in Natural Colors.