Edgar T. Wherry
Encyclopedia
Edgar Theodore Wherry was an American mineralogist, soil scientist and botanist. He had a deep interest in ferns
and Sarracenia
.
Wherry earned his bachelors degree in chemistry
in 1906 from the University of Pennsylvania. He received his doctorate in mineralogy
in 1909 from the same university. From 1908 to 1912, he taught at Lehigh University
. He lived in Washington, D.C.
from 1912 to 1930, part of this time working as an assistant curator of mineralogy for the U. S. National Museum, and also for the Bureau of Chemistry of the United States Department of Agriculture
. He taught botany at the University of Pennsylvania
from 1930 to 1955, when he retired. He wrote many papers in mineralogy through those years.
He became interested in ferns at age 30, and did much work in that field the rest of his life. He was president of the American Fern Society
from 1934 to 1939. He wrote three key guides to the ferns of eastern North America
. The first was Guide to Eastern Ferns in 1937, followed by a greatly updated The Fern Guide in 1961, and lastly The Southern Fern Guide in 1964. He was in the forefront of taxonomic work on ferns, and his field guides provided far more current taxonomy than other guides of the day. He donated all royalties from the fern field guides to the American Fern Society.
The "Edgar T. Wherry Award" was established in 1989 by the Botanical Society of America
for the best paper presented each year in the pteridological section.
Fern
A fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants...
and Sarracenia
Sarracenia
Sarracenia is a genus comprising 8 to 11 species of North American pitcher plants. The genus belongs to the family Sarraceniaceae, which also contain the closely allied genera Darlingtonia and Heliamphora....
.
Wherry earned his bachelors degree in chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
in 1906 from the University of Pennsylvania. He received his doctorate in mineralogy
Mineralogy
Mineralogy is the study of chemistry, crystal structure, and physical properties of minerals. Specific studies within mineralogy include the processes of mineral origin and formation, classification of minerals, their geographical distribution, as well as their utilization.-History:Early writing...
in 1909 from the same university. From 1908 to 1912, he taught at Lehigh University
Lehigh University
Lehigh University is a private, co-educational university located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of the United States. It was established in 1865 by Asa Packer as a four-year technical school, but has grown to include studies in a wide variety of disciplines...
. He lived in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
from 1912 to 1930, part of this time working as an assistant curator of mineralogy for the U. S. National Museum, and also for the Bureau of Chemistry of the United States Department of Agriculture
United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
. He taught botany at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
from 1930 to 1955, when he retired. He wrote many papers in mineralogy through those years.
He became interested in ferns at age 30, and did much work in that field the rest of his life. He was president of the American Fern Society
American Fern Society
The American Fern Society was founded in 1893. Today, it has more than 1000 members around the world, with various local chapters.Willard N. Clute was the founder of the society, originally establishing it as the "Linnaean Fern Chapter."...
from 1934 to 1939. He wrote three key guides to the ferns of eastern North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. The first was Guide to Eastern Ferns in 1937, followed by a greatly updated The Fern Guide in 1961, and lastly The Southern Fern Guide in 1964. He was in the forefront of taxonomic work on ferns, and his field guides provided far more current taxonomy than other guides of the day. He donated all royalties from the fern field guides to the American Fern Society.
The "Edgar T. Wherry Award" was established in 1989 by the Botanical Society of America
Botanical Society of America
The Botanical Society of America represents professional and amateur botanists, researchers, educators and students in over 80 countries of the world...
for the best paper presented each year in the pteridological section.
Plant Named for Wherry
- Asplenium xwherryi D.M. Smith (A. bradleyiAsplenium bradleyiBradley's spleenwort, Asplenium bradleyi, is a rare rock fern of the Appalachian area of eastern North America. It is a species of hybrid origin. The parents are Asplenium montanum and Asplenium platyneuron. The hybrid became a species with a doubling of the chromosome number, hence this species...
x A. montanumAsplenium montanumAsplenium montanum is commonly known as the mountain spleenwort, a simple reflection of the scientific name. It is a small but intricately divided fern of acid rocks. Typically, it grows in rock crevices into which moisture seeps from within the rock strata...
) - Dryopteris xneo-wherryi WagnerWarren H. WagnerWarren H. Wagner Jr. , known as Herb Wagner, from his middle name, "Herbert," was an eminent American botanist who lived in Michigan...
(D. goldianaDryopteris goldianaDryopteris goldiana or Goldie's wood fern is a fern native to the Northeastern United States and adjacent areas of Canada.It can grow larger than any other native North American Dryopteris species. Specimens are known with fronds six feet tall.It is one of the parents of the hybrids Dryopteris...
x D. marginalisDryopteris marginalisDryopteris marginalis is known as the marginal shield fern or marginal wood fern. The marginal wood fern favors damp shady areas and is found throughout eastern North America. It favors moderately acid to circumneutral soils. It favors cooler areas, but is fairly drought-resistant once established...
)
Plants Named by Wherry
- Asplenium xtrudellii Wherry (A. montanumAsplenium montanumAsplenium montanum is commonly known as the mountain spleenwort, a simple reflection of the scientific name. It is a small but intricately divided fern of acid rocks. Typically, it grows in rock crevices into which moisture seeps from within the rock strata...
x Asplenium pinnatifidumAsplenium pinnatifidumAsplenium pinnatifidum is known as the lobed spleenwort or pinnatifid spleenwort. It is an Appalachian rock fern, growing in rock crevices in moderately acid to subacid strata. It is often confused with Asplenium bradleyi....
) - Microgramma heterophylla (L.) Wherry
- Sarracenia oreophila (Kearney) Wherry
- Sarracenia jonesii Wherry
Books by Wherry
- Wherry, Edgar T. Wild Flowers of Mount Desert Island, Maine. Garden Club of Mount Desert, Bar Harbor, MaineBar Harbor, MaineBar Harbor is a town on Mount Desert Island in Hancock County, Maine, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population is 5,235. Bar Harbor is a famous summer colony in the Down East region of Maine. It is home to the College of the Atlantic, Jackson Laboratory and Mount Desert Island...
. 1928. 164 pp. ill. - Wherry, Edgar T. The Wild Flower Guide, Northeastern and Midland United States. Doubleday, Garden City, New York. 1948. 202 pp. ill.
- Wherry, Edgar T. Guide to Eastern Ferns. Illustrated with line drawings by Oliver Stoner and Cyrus Feldman. First edition: The Science Press Printing Company, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. 1937. iv, 220 pp. frontispiece, illus, 6.5x4in (170x100mm), hardcover. Second edition: University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 1942. iv, 252 pp. hardcover. Reprint of second edition: University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 1948. iv,252 pp. hardcover.
- Wherry, Edgar T. The Genus Phlox. 174 p., illus. Morris Arboretum Monograph 3. 1955. 174 pp. ill.
- Wherry, Edgar T. The Fern Guide (Northeastern and Midland United States and Adjacent Canada; Doubleday Nature Guide Series). Illustrated by James C. W. Chen. First printing: Doubleday & Co., Garden City, New York. 1961. 318 pp. hardcover. Reprint: Dover Publications Inc., New York, New York. 1994 (1995?). 318 pp. 120 b/w ill, softcover. ISBN 0486284964.
- Wherry, Edgar T. The Southern Fern Guide (Southeastern and Midland United States; Doubleday Nature Guide Series). Illustrated by James C. W. Chen and Keith C. Y. Chen. First edition: Doubleday & Co., Garden City, New York. 1964. 349 pp. hardcover. Second edition: "Corrected First Edition with Nomenclatural Changes". American Fern Society, New York Chapter, Bronx, New York. 1972. 349 pp. softcover. LC 77-93190. Reprint of second edition: American Fern Society, New York Chapter, Bronx, New York. 1978. 349 pp. hardcover.