Biography

Vivi Täckholm (née Laurent) was a Swedish-born botanist and author who worked in Egypt for most of her life.

After graduating in botany from the University of Stockholm in 1921, she spent a period in the United States and married botany professor Gunnar Täckholm in 1926. The Täckholms immediately moved to Egypt together, where they began work on a Flora of Egypt. The joint project was never to be completed, however, with Gunnar passing away in 1933.

Vivi continued her research into the Egyptian flora, and in addition published a number of popular works. During the Second World War, while living in Sweden, she worked at the ladies' magazine Husmodern.

Returning to Egypt after the war, Täckholm resumed her work on the Egyptian flora and was appointed professor of botany at Cairo University. She also published a flower dictionary and a book on houseplant cultivation in this period, and in the 1950s undertook a series of collecting expeditions, notably visiting the Kharga and Dakhla Oases (1952), the wadis dissecting the Galala Mountains (1954) and the South Sinai Mountains (1956).

In conjunction with her Egyptian colleague Mohamed Drar, Täckholm published four volumes of the Flora of Egypt (1941-1966). A fifth and final volume was never completed. In addition to her botanical work Täckholm authored several children's books, travelogues and observations on life in Egypt.

Sources:
B. Arnborg, 2008, Professor Vivi - den sagolika botanisten
F.N. Hepper, 1991, Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 78(1): 82
I. Ridbäck, 1994, Vivi Täckholm - botanist och kulturinstitution.

Biography

Vivi Täckholm (née Laurent) was a Swedish-born botanist and author who worked in Egypt for most of her life.

After graduating in botany from the University of Stockholm in 1921, she spent a period in the United States and married botany professor Gunnar Täckholm in 1926. The Täckholms immediately moved to Egypt together, where they began work on a Flora of Egypt. The joint project was never to be completed, however, with Gunnar passing away in 1933.

Vivi continued her research into the Egyptian flora, and in addition published a number of popular works. During the Second World War, while living in Sweden, she worked at the ladies' magazine Husmodern.

Returning to Egypt after the war, Täckholm resumed her work on the Egyptian flora and was appointed professor of botany at Cairo University. She also published a flower dictionary and a book on houseplant cultivation in this period, and in the 1950s undertook a series of collecting expeditions, notably visiting the Kharga and Dakhla Oases (1952), the wadis dissecting the Galala Mountains (1954) and the South Sinai Mountains (1956).

In conjunction with her Egyptian colleague Mohamed Drar, Täckholm published four volumes of the Flora of Egypt (1941-1966). A fifth and final volume was never completed. In addition to her botanical work Täckholm authored several children's books, travelogues and observations on life in Egypt.

Sources:
B. Arnborg, 2008, Professor Vivi - den sagolika botanisten
F.N. Hepper, 1991, Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 78(1): 82
I. Ridbäck, 1994, Vivi Täckholm - botanist och kulturinstitution.

Biography

Vivi Täckholm (née Laurent) was a Swedish-born botanist and author who worked in Egypt for most of her life.

After graduating in botany from the University of Stockholm in 1921, she spent a period in the United States and married botany professor Gunnar Täckholm in 1926. The Täckholms immediately moved to Egypt together, where they began work on a Flora of Egypt. The joint project was never to be completed, however, with Gunnar passing away in 1933.

Vivi continued her research into the Egyptian flora, and in addition published a number of popular works. During the Second World War, while living in Sweden, she worked at the ladies' magazine Husmodern.

Returning to Egypt after the war, Täckholm resumed her work on the Egyptian flora and was appointed professor of botany at Cairo University. She also published a flower dictionary and a book on houseplant cultivation in this period, and in the 1950s undertook a series of collecting expeditions, notably visiting the Kharga and Dakhla Oases (1952), the wadis dissecting the Galala Mountains (1954) and the South Sinai Mountains (1956).

In conjunction with her Egyptian colleague Mohamed Drar, Täckholm published four volumes of the Flora of Egypt (1941-1966). A fifth and final volume was never completed. In addition to her botanical work Täckholm authored several children's books, travelogues and observations on life in Egypt.

Sources:
B. Arnborg, 2008, Professor Vivi - den sagolika botanisten
F.N. Hepper, 1991, Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 78(1): 82
I. Ridbäck, 1994, Vivi Täckholm - botanist och kulturinstitution.