John McConnell Black

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John McConnell Black (28 April 1855 - 2 December 1951) was a Scottish botanist who emigrated to Australia in 1877 and eventually documented and illustrated thousands of flora in South Australia in the early 20th century. His publications assisted many botanists and scientists in the decades that followed. He was the younger brother of theatre and hotel manager Helen Carte.

Black began working as a journalist and linguist with an interest in Australian Aboriginal languages. After a tour of South America and Europe following his mother's death in 1903, Black focused on systematic botany. In 1909 he published The Naturalised Flora of South Australia. His The Flora of South Australia was published in four parts in 1922-29, and described 2430 species, both indigenous and naturalized. It was indispensable to botanists and to those concerned with the vegetation of the arid regions of contiguous States. He began a revised edition of his book in 1939 and worked steadily for twelve years, publishing part 1 in 1943 and part 2 in 1948. Part 3 was nearing completion at his death.

He was awarded the Clarke Medal by the Royal Society of New South Wales in 1946.

[edit] References

1. ^ Brummitt, R. K.; C. E. Powell (1992). Authors of Plant Names. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. ISBN 1-84246-085-4. 

[edit] External links

• "Black, John McConnell" article in the Australian Dictionary of Biography