Journal of the RNZIH
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In Memory of Ella O. Campbell, DNZM, FRIH Renowned botanist Dame Ella member of the Manawatu Orchid At her funeral service, held in Campbell died in Palmerston North Society. She was multi-lingual, and Palmerston North on 29 July, friend on 24 July at the age of 93. She was once delivered a speech in German and colleague Associate Professor Massey University’s first woman staff at the 300th anniversary of the Berlin David Fountain spoke of Dame Ella’s member and the only woman staff Botanical gardens. She remained on work and well-known idiosyncrasies, member for many years. She joined the teaching staff of the University including her absolute focus on “her Massey in March 1945, lecturing until her “retirement” in 1976, but beloved bryophytes”. To his horticulture and agriculture students continued to work as a research knowledge, she never possessed a about plant morphology and associate for more than two decades, television set and rarely listened to anatomy. Her primary interest was publishing a substantial volume of the radio. Dame Ella was also a the study of liverworts. Her vast work before finally retiring at age 90. scholar of mosses and wetland collection of the species is held at She was awarded a DSc from the plants, evidence of which springs the University’s herbarium, named University of Otago and a Fellowship freshly from the pages of that lovely the Dame Ella Campbell Herbarium of the Royal New Zealand Institute DSIR book Botany of the Manawatu in a ceremony earlier this year, of Horticulture in 1976. She became District New Zealand by A.E. Esler attended by Dame Ella. a Dame Companion of the New (1978): “In 1940 the Equisetum [E. Zealand Order of Merit in 1997, as arvense, field horsetail] was Dame Ella travelled widely overseas “a pioneer in the field of university inadvertently brought into nursery in pursuit of liverworts. She also botanic research,” and received the land in Palmerston North with sand became an internationally accredited Massey Medal in 1992. from Wanganui and rapidly orchid judge, and was a long-time established itself. It grew vegetatively extremely well and was regarded as an ornamental plant until I identified it in 1949 and warned of its aggressive and persistent nature. The Equisetum, although kept under control, has never been completely eradicated” (p.185). Reprinted with permission from Massey News Issue 13, with additions by J. Clemens Dame Ella Campbell 2 New Zealand Garden Journal, 2003, Vol.6 (1).