Biography

American botanist at the New York Botanical Garden. A herbarium curator and field researcher, John Kunkel Small was interested in the flora of the Southern States. Originally from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, he studied at Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster and graduated in 1892 before entering Columbia College for his postgraduate studies. Conducting research into the Oxalidaceae family and into the genus Polygonum L., it was for his monograph of this genus that Small was awarded his PhD in 1895. At this time he became interested in the flora of the South and published a small series of works entitled "Studies in the botany of the south-eastern United States".

Between 1895 and 1898 he worked for the herbarium at the university, moving with it to its new site at the New York Botanical Garden in 1898. It was made clear to him, however, that his job was to curate the specimens not to conduct research and for this reason most of the work required for Small's Flora of the Southern States (1903, 1913) was conducted in his spare time.

Between 1907 and 1932 he served as head curator of the botanical garden's collection and over the years his interest was focussed on the flora of Florida and westwards into Texas. Journeying there on many field trips, by 1933 he was able to publish an impressive Manual of the Southeastern Flora. This work contained the description and illustration of over 5,500 species and drew on his extensive knowledge of plants in the wild. In 1932 Small became chief research curator and took an interest in pteridophytes (publishing Ferns of the Southeastern United States in 1938) as well as in the flora of the south-central states, leaving behind him an extensive manuscript for a flora of this region which was taken on by George R. Cooley after his death.

Sources:
E.L. Core, 1938, "John Kunkel Small", Castanea, 3(2): 27-28
H.B. Humphrey, 1961, The Makers of North American Botany: 232-234
E.T. Wherry, 1957, "Reminiscences of John K. Small", Castanea, 22(3): 126-129.

Biography

American botanist at the New York Botanical Garden. A herbarium curator and field researcher, John Kunkel Small was interested in the flora of the Southern States. Originally from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, he studied at Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster and graduated in 1892 before entering Columbia College for his postgraduate studies. Conducting research into the Oxalidaceae family and into the genus Polygonum L., it was for his monograph of this genus that Small was awarded his PhD in 1895. At this time he became interested in the flora of the South and published a small series of works entitled "Studies in the botany of the south-eastern United States".

Between 1895 and 1898 he worked for the herbarium at the university, moving with it to its new site at the New York Botanical Garden in 1898. It was made clear to him, however, that his job was to curate the specimens not to conduct research and for this reason most of the work required for Small's Flora of the Southern States (1903, 1913) was conducted in his spare time.

Between 1907 and 1932 he served as head curator of the botanical garden's collection and over the years his interest was focussed on the flora of Florida and westwards into Texas. Journeying there on many field trips, by 1933 he was able to publish an impressive Manual of the Southeastern Flora. This work contained the description and illustration of over 5,500 species and drew on his extensive knowledge of plants in the wild. In 1932 Small became chief research curator and took an interest in pteridophytes (publishing Ferns of the Southeastern United States in 1938) as well as in the flora of the south-central states, leaving behind him an extensive manuscript for a flora of this region which was taken on by George R. Cooley after his death.

Sources:
E.L. Core, 1938, "John Kunkel Small", Castanea, 3(2): 27-28
H.B. Humphrey, 1961, The Makers of North American Botany: 232-234
E.T. Wherry, 1957, "Reminiscences of John K. Small", Castanea, 22(3): 126-129.

Biography

American botanist at the New York Botanical Garden. A herbarium curator and field researcher, John Kunkel Small was interested in the flora of the Southern States. Originally from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, he studied at Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster and graduated in 1892 before entering Columbia College for his postgraduate studies. Conducting research into the Oxalidaceae family and into the genus Polygonum L., it was for his monograph of this genus that Small was awarded his PhD in 1895. At this time he became interested in the flora of the South and published a small series of works entitled "Studies in the botany of the south-eastern United States".

Between 1895 and 1898 he worked for the herbarium at the university, moving with it to its new site at the New York Botanical Garden in 1898. It was made clear to him, however, that his job was to curate the specimens not to conduct research and for this reason most of the work required for Small's Flora of the Southern States (1903, 1913) was conducted in his spare time.

Between 1907 and 1932 he served as head curator of the botanical garden's collection and over the years his interest was focussed on the flora of Florida and westwards into Texas. Journeying there on many field trips, by 1933 he was able to publish an impressive Manual of the Southeastern Flora. This work contained the description and illustration of over 5,500 species and drew on his extensive knowledge of plants in the wild. In 1932 Small became chief research curator and took an interest in pteridophytes (publishing Ferns of the Southeastern United States in 1938) as well as in the flora of the south-central states, leaving behind him an extensive manuscript for a flora of this region which was taken on by George R. Cooley after his death.

Sources:
E.L. Core, 1938, "John Kunkel Small", Castanea, 3(2): 27-28
H.B. Humphrey, 1961, The Makers of North American Botany: 232-234
E.T. Wherry, 1957, "Reminiscences of John K. Small", Castanea, 22(3): 126-129.