Isobel Agnes Arbuthnot

Isobel Agnes Arbuthnot
Born1870
Belfast, Ireland
Died1963
Newlands, Cape Provence, South Africa
NationalityIrish

Isobel Agnes Arbuthnot (1870–1963) was an Irish-born botanist and botanical collector based in South Africa.[1]

Biography

Arbuthnot was born in Belfast in 1870 and went to Cape Colony in 1888 for her health where she took a position as companion to the wife of Harry Bolus. There she also worked as a botanical collector and the botanical assistant on Bolus's expeditions. From 1918 until 1939 she worked in the Bolus Herbarium before moving to the Compton Herbarium, located in the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden.[2][3][4][5][6][7] She finally retired in 1945.[8]

She married Alex Arbuthnot and worked on the family's dairy farm. In addition to her botanical activities, she was active in the community as chair of the Nambrok School Committee, chair of the Sale District School Committee and, with fellow dairy farmers, she started a Macalister Dairy Ladies Group. In the meantime, she managed the family and the 400–500 cow dairy farm. Also active in politics, in 2006, Isobel received an honorary life membership for her distinguished service to the National Party of Australia.[8]

She died in Newlands, Cape Provence, South Africa in 1963.[4]

The plant Lampranthus arbuthnotiae, a succulent, is named after her.[4]

References

  1. ^ "Harvard University Herbaria & Libraries". kiki.huh.harvard.edu.
  2. ^ Gunn, Mary; Codd, L. E. W. (1 June 1981). Botanical Exploration Southern Africa. CRC Press. ISBN 978-0-86961-129-6.
  3. ^ "Edit History: Bolus, Harry (1834-1911) on JSTOR". plants.jstor.org.
  4. ^ a b c Ogilvie, Marilyn Bailey; Harvey, Joy Dorothy (2000). The Biographical Dictionary of Women in Science: L-Z. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-0-415-92040-7.
  5. ^ Desmond, Ray (1994). Dictionary of British and Irish botanists and horticulturists : including plant collectors, flower painters, and garden designers (Rev. and completely updated ed.). London: Taylor & Francis. ISBN 0850668433.
  6. ^ Ogilvie, Marilyn; Harvey, Joy (16 December 2003). The Biographical Dictionary of Women in Science: Pioneering Lives From Ancient Times to the Mid-20th Century. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-135-96343-9.
  7. ^ "Compton Herbarium - SANBI". 8 March 2018. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  8. ^ a b "A brilliant career, Isobel Arbuthnot: 'Farmer and Leader'". ABC News. 11 May 2017. Retrieved 7 December 2023.