G. H. Cunningham
Encyclopedia
Gordon Herriot Cunningham (27 August 1892-18 July 1962) C.B.E., F.R.S., was the first New Zealand
-based mycologist and plant pathologist. In 1936 he was appointed the first director of the DSIR
Plant Diseases Division. Cunningham established the New Zealand Fungal Herbarium, and he published extensively on taxonomy
of many fungal groups. He is regarded as the 'Father' of New Zealand mycology.
In his life, he was a boxer, motorcyclist, gold prospector, farmer, horticulturist, lumberjack, and Gallipoli
veteran. Following this colourful early life, ‘G.H. Cunn.’ joined the Biological Laboratory staff at the Department of Agriculture in 1919 as a mycologist, and began a systematic survey of plant diseases in New Zealand. He also began his work classifying fungi. In 1925, he published the first New Zealand work on plant diseases, Fungous Diseases of Fruit Trees in New Zealand. When the Biological Laboratory was moved from Wellington to Palmerston North in 1928 to become the Plant Research Station, Cunningham became the head of a mycology laboratory. The Plant Research Station disbanded in 1936, and Cunningham become the director of the DSIR
Plant Diseases Division.
Cunningham produced definitive monographs of New Zealand Gasteromycetes (puffballs), Polyporaceae
(pore fungi), Thelephoraceae
(crust fungi), and Uredinales (rust fungi
).
He made major contributions to plant pathology in New Zealand, especially with therapeutics and naming of pathogens.
In 2004, Landcare Research
named the rooms hosting the New Zealand Fungal Herbarium at its Auckland site the GH Cunningham Mycology Suite in his honour.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
-based mycologist and plant pathologist. In 1936 he was appointed the first director of the DSIR
Department of Scientific and Industrial Research
Several countries have organizations called the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, abbreviated DSIR.-United Kingdom:...
Plant Diseases Division. Cunningham established the New Zealand Fungal Herbarium, and he published extensively on taxonomy
Taxonomy
Taxonomy is the science of identifying and naming species, and arranging them into a classification. The field of taxonomy, sometimes referred to as "biological taxonomy", revolves around the description and use of taxonomic units, known as taxa...
of many fungal groups. He is regarded as the 'Father' of New Zealand mycology.
In his life, he was a boxer, motorcyclist, gold prospector, farmer, horticulturist, lumberjack, and Gallipoli
Battle of Gallipoli
The Gallipoli Campaign, also known as the Dardanelles Campaign or the Battle of Gallipoli, took place at the peninsula of Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire between 25 April 1915 and 9 January 1916, during the First World War...
veteran. Following this colourful early life, ‘G.H. Cunn.’ joined the Biological Laboratory staff at the Department of Agriculture in 1919 as a mycologist, and began a systematic survey of plant diseases in New Zealand. He also began his work classifying fungi. In 1925, he published the first New Zealand work on plant diseases, Fungous Diseases of Fruit Trees in New Zealand. When the Biological Laboratory was moved from Wellington to Palmerston North in 1928 to become the Plant Research Station, Cunningham became the head of a mycology laboratory. The Plant Research Station disbanded in 1936, and Cunningham become the director of the DSIR
Department of Scientific and Industrial Research
Several countries have organizations called the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, abbreviated DSIR.-United Kingdom:...
Plant Diseases Division.
Cunningham produced definitive monographs of New Zealand Gasteromycetes (puffballs), Polyporaceae
Polyporaceae
The Polyporaceae are a family of bracket fungi belonging to the Basidiomycota. The flesh of their fruiting bodies varies from soft to very tough. Most members of this family have their hymenium in vertical pores on the underside of the caps, but some of them have gills The Polyporaceae are a...
(pore fungi), Thelephoraceae
Thelephoraceae
Thelephoraceae are a family of fungi in the order Thelephorales. This grouping of mushrooms is commonly known as the "leathery earthfans"....
(crust fungi), and Uredinales (rust fungi
Rust (fungus)
Rusts are plant diseases caused by pathogenic fungi of the order Pucciniales. About 7800 species are known. Rusts can affect a variety of plants; leaves, stems, fruits and seeds. Rust is most commonly seen as coloured powder, composed off tiny aeciospores which land on vegetation producing...
).
He made major contributions to plant pathology in New Zealand, especially with therapeutics and naming of pathogens.
In 2004, Landcare Research
Landcare Research New Zealand Limited
Landcare Research is one of New Zealand's Crown Research Institutes. The focus of the research at this company is the environment, biodiversity, and sustainability.-History:...
named the rooms hosting the New Zealand Fungal Herbarium at its Auckland site the GH Cunningham Mycology Suite in his honour.