Organisation(s)
WIS (main), BKL, BM, CAS, COL, DPU (currently NY), DUKE, F, GH, ITIC, L, MEDEL, MICH, MO, MSC, MT, NEBC, NY, TRT, US, WS
Associate(s)
Calvert, Henry Hunter (1816-1882) (co-collector)
Eaton, Richard Jefferson (1890-1976) (co-collector)
Fosberg, Francis Raymond (Ray) (1908-1993) (co-collector)
Johnston, Ivan Murray (1898-1960) (co-collector)
McLaughlin, Willard Thomas (1904-) (co-collector)
Pettengill, R. (co-collector)
Sperry, Theodore Melrose (1907-1995) (co-collector)
Svenson, Henry Knute (Knut) (1897-1986) (co-collector)
Wadmond, Samuel Christensen (1871-) (co-collector)
Winkler, Henry (fl. 1929) (co-collector)
Biography
American botanist at the University of Wisconsin. Well known for his inspiring teaching, Norman C. Fassett studied the flora of Wisconsin in general and was particularly interested in aquatic plants. From a Boston manufacturing family, he was born in Ware, Massachusetts and later moved to Leominster where he was schooled. Fassett studied at Harvard University, gaining his BSc in 1922, an MA in 1923 and a PhD in 1925. During this period he also worked as a teaching assistant in botany at Harvard and in mycology at Radcliffe College.
After receiving his doctorate Fassett was named an instructor in botany at the University of Wisconsin and he remained at this institution for the rest of his life, rising to become a full professor and herbarium curator in 1944. From his research into the local flora Fassett published over 100 scientific papers and books. Some of the most important were publications on the aquatic plants of North America, the grasses of Wisconsin, the legumes of Wisconsin and (along with several other authors) the ferns and fern allies of Wisconsin. His work on aquatic plants even extended beyond the borders of the USA and Fassett took part in an expedition to Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua in search of specimens from this group. He also travelled to Colombia during the Second World War in search of quinine as part of the US Chinchona Mission. Fassett also belonged to many botanical and general scientific societies, including the American Society of Plant Taxonomists which he founded and served as secretary between 1936 and 1944. He was also the president of this society at the time of his death, having suffered for many years from the effects of an undiagnosed brain tumour. A few months before he passed away a major operation relieved his symptoms somewhat and allowed Fassett to complete some of the projects which he had left unfinished. At the end of his life his herbarium (donated to the herbarium of the University of Wisconsin) numbered some 28,000 specimens.
Sources:
E. Anderson and R.M. Tyron Jr., 1955, "Norman Carter Fassett", Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club, 82(3): 248-250
E.F. Bean et al., 1954, "Norman Carter Fassett", Castanea, 19(4): 122-125.
References
Brummitt, R.K. & Powell, C.E., Authors Pl. Names (1992): 195; Lanjouw, J. & Stafleu, F.A., Index Herb. Coll. E-H (1957): 191; Vegter, H.I., Index Herb. Coll. T-Z (1988): 1101;
