Brian Grieve
Encyclopedia
Professor Brian John Grieve (15 August 1907–5 September 1997) was an Australian botanist best known for his multi-volume book series How to know Western Australian wildflowers
.
Born in Allans Flat
, Victoria
, he was educated at Williamstown High School, then matriculated to the University of Melbourne
. He graduated with First Class Honours in Botany
in 1929, and the following year was awarded an M.Sc.. He then won an 1851 Exhibition Scholarship
that enabled him to undertake Doctoral
studies at the University of London
.
Grieve returned to Victoria in 1931, taking up a lecturing position at the University of Melbourne. He remained there until 1947, except for a period in 1938 and 1939 when he studied mycology
at the University of Cambridge
, and a brief time serving in the Royal Australian Naval Reserve
early in World War II
. During World War II his university research included an investigation into fungal contamination of field glasses in New Guinea
.
In 1947, Grieve moved to Western Australia
to become head of the University of Western Australia
's Botany Department. In 1957 he became the Department's Foundation Professor. His research interests were broad, taking in general botany, anatomy
, physiology
, genetics
, biosystematics, ecology
, mycology
and systematics
. Later, he began to specialise in the physiology of Australia
's native plants, especially their water relationships.
Grieve was a long-time member of the Royal Society of Western Australia
, joining in 1948, and twice serving as President. He was made an Honorary Life Member in 1975, and was awarded the Society's Medal in 1979. He also served on the Kings Park Board from 1959 to 1978.
In the public's eye, he is best known for his contributions to the How to Know Western Australian Wildflowers project, a series of books on systematic identification of the flora of Western Australia
begun by William Blackall
, and continued by Grieve after Blackall's death in 1941. Interestingly, despite working on the project for over fifty years, he never published a formal taxonomic paper, and so does not have a formal botanical author abbreviation.
How to know Western Australian wildflowers
How to know Western Australian wildflowers is a series of books that provide illustrated keys to the vascular flora of the southern half of Western Australia....
.
Born in Allans Flat
Allans Flat, Victoria
Allans Flat is a small town in Victoria, Australia. It is located along Osbornes Flat Road, north-east of Yackandandah. The areas around the town were mined for gold between the 1850s and 1904 though without sufficient population for a Post Office until 26 October 1876.The town was surveyed and...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, he was educated at Williamstown High School, then matriculated to the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
. He graduated with First Class Honours in Botany
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
in 1929, and the following year was awarded an M.Sc.. He then won an 1851 Exhibition Scholarship
1851 Research Fellowship
The 1851 Research Fellowship is a UK scheme conducted by the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 to annually award a three-year research scholarship to approximately eight "young scientists or engineers of exceptional promise"...
that enabled him to undertake Doctoral
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
studies at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
.
Grieve returned to Victoria in 1931, taking up a lecturing position at the University of Melbourne. He remained there until 1947, except for a period in 1938 and 1939 when he studied mycology
Mycology
Mycology is the branch of biology concerned with the study of fungi, including their genetic and biochemical properties, their taxonomy and their use to humans as a source for tinder, medicinals , food and entheogens, as well as their dangers, such as poisoning or...
at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, and a brief time serving in the Royal Australian Naval Reserve
Royal Australian Naval Reserve
The Royal Australian Naval Reserve is the volunteer reserve force of the Royal Australian Navy in Australia.The current Royal Australian Naval Reserve was formed in June 1973 by merging the former RANR and the Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve....
early in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. During World War II his university research included an investigation into fungal contamination of field glasses in New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
.
In 1947, Grieve moved to Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
to become head of the University of Western Australia
University of Western Australia
The University of Western Australia was established by an Act of the Western Australian Parliament in February 1911, and began teaching students for the first time in 1913. It is the oldest university in the state of Western Australia and the only university in the state to be a member of the...
's Botany Department. In 1957 he became the Department's Foundation Professor. His research interests were broad, taking in general botany, anatomy
Anatomy
Anatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that is the consideration of the structure of living things. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy , and plant anatomy...
, physiology
Physiology
Physiology is the science of the function of living systems. This includes how organisms, organ systems, organs, cells, and bio-molecules carry out the chemical or physical functions that exist in a living system. The highest honor awarded in physiology is the Nobel Prize in Physiology or...
, genetics
Genetics
Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
, biosystematics, ecology
Ecology
Ecology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
, mycology
Mycology
Mycology is the branch of biology concerned with the study of fungi, including their genetic and biochemical properties, their taxonomy and their use to humans as a source for tinder, medicinals , food and entheogens, as well as their dangers, such as poisoning or...
and systematics
Systematics
Biological systematics is the study of the diversification of terrestrial life, both past and present, and the relationships among living things through time. Relationships are visualized as evolutionary trees...
. Later, he began to specialise in the physiology of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
's native plants, especially their water relationships.
Grieve was a long-time member of the Royal Society of Western Australia
Royal Society of Western Australia
The Royal Society of Western Australia promotes science in Western Australia.The RSWA was founded in 1914. It publishes the Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia, and has awarded the Medal of the Royal Society of Western Australia on an occasional basis since 1924.-External links:**...
, joining in 1948, and twice serving as President. He was made an Honorary Life Member in 1975, and was awarded the Society's Medal in 1979. He also served on the Kings Park Board from 1959 to 1978.
In the public's eye, he is best known for his contributions to the How to Know Western Australian Wildflowers project, a series of books on systematic identification of the flora of Western Australia
Flora of Western Australia
The flora of Western Australia comprises 9,437 published native vascular plant species of 1,543 genera within 226 families; there are also 1,171 naturalised alien or invasive plant species more commonly known as weeds...
begun by William Blackall
William Blackall
William E. Blackall was a Western Australia medical doctor who made a substantial contribution to that state's botany.Born in Folkestone, Kent, England, he emigrated to Perth in 1905. His occupation was in medicine, but he is now best known for his amateur botany...
, and continued by Grieve after Blackall's death in 1941. Interestingly, despite working on the project for over fifty years, he never published a formal taxonomic paper, and so does not have a formal botanical author abbreviation.
Further reading
- Western Australian Wildflower Society Newsletter, August 1992, pp.12-16
- Emeritus professor Brian John Grieve, 1907-1997, Leader, 6 October 1997, p.6