| Harold Norman Moldenke | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1909 Watchung, NJ |
| Died | January 7, 1996 Corvallis, Oregon |
| Nationality | USA |
| Fields | Botany, Taxonomy, Plant collector[1] |
Harold Norman Moldenke, also known as simply Moldenke[2] (1909-1996) was an American botanist/taxonomist. His expertise is largely in the study of Verbenaceae, Avicenniaceae, Stilbaceae, Dicrastylidaceae, Symphoremaceae, Nyctanthaceae and Eriocaulaceae.[3]
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Moldenke was born in Watchung, NJ in 1909, and earned a bachelor's degree from Susquehanna University in 1929.[3] Moldenke's career started at the New York Botanical Garden, a place he maintained a close relationship with (donating many educational materials to its library).[3] There, he worked as a Research Fellow and part-time assistant in 1929.[3] He taught a course in Systematic Botany for gardeners there as well.[3] For 16 years, he worked as the assistant and associate curator under Henry A. Gleason.[3] When Moldenke served in the Civilian Public Service, Soil Conservation Service and as a hospital attendant in Warren, Pennsylvania, he wrote a number of papers on Amazonian curare-producing plants with B.A. Krukoff. These were entitled Plants Strategic to the War Effort.[3] His herbarium is accommodated in the Moldenke Room at the Plant Resources Center.[3]
In 1941, Moldenke, along with the collaboration of his wife, created the book Plants of the Bible after 12 years of research.[3] Later, Moldenke took a job in botanical and ecological education as director of the now-named Trailside Nature and Science Center in Mountainside, New Jersey.[3] He was also a professor of botany at the now-named Kean University in Union, New Jersey, and taught enrichment courses at Westfield and Livingston Adult Schools in New Jersey.[3] In 1967, Moldenke left Trailside and accepted a professorship at the now-named William Paterson College.[3] In 1984, he sold the most of his herbarium, papers and books to the University of Texas.[3] Moldenke died at Corvallis, Oregon on January 7, 1996.[3]
In 1969, Moldenke was named an Honorary Life Member of the Torrey Botanical Club. In 1970, he was made Honorary Curator of New York Botanical Garden.[3]