The UNC Herbarium seeks more information (particularly
a photographic portrait) on H. A. or Tyreeca Davis.
Please email Carol Ann McCormick mccormick@unc.edu
The University of North
Carolina Herbarium has databased approximately 2 dozen specimens
collected by Hannibal Albert Davis and his spouse, Tyreeca Davis.
No doubt more will be found as databasing continues. The Davises
usually signed their specimens "Mr. and Mrs. H.A. Davis."
Hannibal Albert Davis was
born in Marshall County, West Virginia. He earned both A. B.
and M.A. degrees in mathematics from West Virginia University.
Upon completion of Ph.D. in mathematics from Cornell University
in 1928, he joined the mathematics faculty West Virginia University
in Morgantown, WV, and served as that department's head from
1948-1960. Upon retirement, the Davises moved to Freeport, Florida
(ca. 1982).
Davis' botanical interests
included Rubus and Viola. Rubus leggii
was named by H. A. and Tyreeca Davis in William Clarence Legg's
honor (Davis, H.A. and Tyreeca Davis. 1953. The genus Rubus
in West Virginia. CASTANEA 18(1): 1-31). "This species
is dedicated to the memory of the late William C. Legg, naturalist
of Mount Lookout, Nicholas County, West Virginia, whom we accompanied
on several pleasant and profitable field trips" (p. 27-28).
The Harvard Herbaria Database
lists CM (Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, USA) as a major repository for Davis' herbarium
specimens, though it seems likely that WVA (West Virginia University
in Morgantown, WV, USA) would have many as well.
Dr. Wayne Davis and Dr.
Elizabeth Davis Swiger established the H.A. and Tyreeca Davis
Herbarium Endowment at WVA in honor and memory of their parents.
Anonymous (1988) Davis Herbarium
Goes to Carnegie Museum. CASTANEA 53: 83.
The private herbarium of
Hannibal A. and Tyrecca E. Davis has been given to the Carnegie
Museum in Pittsburgh. This consists of a 10,000 sheet general
collection with emphasis on West Virginia, and 10,000 sheets
of Rubus, mostly from eastern North America. The Rubus
material is the basis for the Davis' (with A. M. Fuller) revision
of the North American Eubati (Castanea 1967,
32: 20-37; 1968, 33:50-76; 1969, 34: 157-179; 1969, 34: 235-266;
1970, 35: 176-194; 1982, 47: 216-219). Although it contains
no types, this is the most valuable collection extant to use
in identifying an unknown specimen. For each species the Davises
had a "working type", usually from the type locality
or nearby, which they had carefully compared to the type specimen.
For many species names the type is too poor to be recognizable:
too immature; floricanes only; primocanes only; parcifronds
or novirames; a mixture of more than one species, or other such
problems. With considerable effort, often observing at different
stages of development and sometimes growing the plants, they
were able to prepare good material that they were confident
represented the species described.
The Davises visited most
of the type localities for North American Rubus names, and their
collection contains representatives for nearly all names.
All the Davises' working
materials regarding Rubus (notes made when examining
types, manuscripts, correspondence, annotated reprints, etc.)
have also been deposited at the Herbarium of the Carnegie Museum.
Partial list of publications:
Davis, H.A. and Tyreeca
Davis (1953) The genus Rubus in West Virginia. CASTANEA
18(1): 1-31.
Core, Earl L. and H.A. Davis
(1953) New plant records for West Virginia. CASTANEA 18(1):
31.
Davis, H.A., Albert M. Fuller,
and Tyreeca Davis (1982) Some comments on Rubus. CASTANEA
47(2): 216-219.
