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 3 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.
