Biography

Australian botanist and plant pathologist. Desmond Herbert was born at Diamond Creek, Melbourne (christened Andrew Desmond, he reversed the order of his given names). Following his studies at the University of Melbourne (BSc 1918, MSc 1920) he began his career in Western Australia, where he was appointed a botanical assistant to the Explosives Section of the Western Australian Mines Department in 1919. He later became Economic Botanist and Plant Pathologist for the state, and lectured at the University of Western Australia.

During his sojourn in Western Australia he made several collecting expeditions in the south-west of the state and in 1921 published the book The Poisonous Plants of Western Australia. In the same year he moved to the Philippines to take up the post of Professor of Plant Physiology at the University of the Philippines. He married his assistant, Vera McNeilance, in 1922, with whom he had four children. Herbert did not remain very long on the islands, however, but joined the botany department at the University of Queensland in 1924 as a lecturer. He was promoted to Professor of Botany in 1948 and later Dean of the Faculty of Science. He retired from the university in 1965.

Herbert's research focus was centred on plant pathology and biogeography, though he published on a wide range of botanical subjects. He served for periods as president of the Queensland Naturalists' Club (1926), of the Royal Society, the Horticultural Society and the Orchid Society of the state, and was a Freemason. In 1935 he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Queensland and in 1966 was appointed CMG Despite being red-green colour-blind he was a keen gardener and often judged horticultural competitions. He died in Brisbane.

Sources:
H.T. Clifford, 1996, "Herbert, Andrew Desmond (1898-1976)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, 14: 438
N. Hall, 1978, Botanists of the Eucalypts: 67.

Biography

Australian botanist and plant pathologist. Desmond Herbert was born at Diamond Creek, Melbourne (christened Andrew Desmond, he reversed the order of his given names). Following his studies at the University of Melbourne (BSc 1918, MSc 1920) he began his career in Western Australia, where he was appointed a botanical assistant to the Explosives Section of the Western Australian Mines Department in 1919. He later became Economic Botanist and Plant Pathologist for the state, and lectured at the University of Western Australia.

During his sojourn in Western Australia he made several collecting expeditions in the south-west of the state and in 1921 published the book The Poisonous Plants of Western Australia. In the same year he moved to the Philippines to take up the post of Professor of Plant Physiology at the University of the Philippines. He married his assistant, Vera McNeilance, in 1922, with whom he had four children. Herbert did not remain very long on the islands, however, but joined the botany department at the University of Queensland in 1924 as a lecturer. He was promoted to Professor of Botany in 1948 and later Dean of the Faculty of Science. He retired from the university in 1965.

Herbert's research focus was centred on plant pathology and biogeography, though he published on a wide range of botanical subjects. He served for periods as president of the Queensland Naturalists' Club (1926), of the Royal Society, the Horticultural Society and the Orchid Society of the state, and was a Freemason. In 1935 he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Queensland and in 1966 was appointed CMG Despite being red-green colour-blind he was a keen gardener and often judged horticultural competitions. He died in Brisbane.

Sources:
H.T. Clifford, 1996, "Herbert, Andrew Desmond (1898-1976)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, 14: 438
N. Hall, 1978, Botanists of the Eucalypts: 67.