Lyman Bradford Smith
Encyclopedia
Lyman Bradford Smith was an American
botanist. His formal botanical author abbreviation is L.B.Sm.
He studied botany during the 1920s at Harvard University
and received his PhD from Harvard in 1930. Between 1928 and 1929, he worked for the first time in Brazil. Most of his life's work came to involve the taxonomy of the flowering plants of South America, in particular the bromeliads (Bromeliaceae
). Smith worked on the Bromeliaceae for the North American Flora published by the American botanist Nathaniel Lord Britton
, volume 19, no. 2 (1938). Smith was a world authority on Begoniaceae
and also worked with Velloziaceae
and numerous other plant families. Smith was a curator in the Smithsonian Institution's Department of Botany from 1947 until his retirement in 1974, but continued to work in the United States National Herbarium as an emeritus curator almost until his death.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
botanist. His formal botanical author abbreviation is L.B.Sm.
He studied botany during the 1920s at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
and received his PhD from Harvard in 1930. Between 1928 and 1929, he worked for the first time in Brazil. Most of his life's work came to involve the taxonomy of the flowering plants of South America, in particular the bromeliads (Bromeliaceae
Bromeliaceae
Bromeliaceae is a family of monocot flowering plants of around 3,170 species native mainly to the tropical Americas, with a few species found in the American subtropics and one in tropical west Africa, Pitcairnia feliciana...
). Smith worked on the Bromeliaceae for the North American Flora published by the American botanist Nathaniel Lord Britton
Nathaniel Lord Britton
Nathaniel Lord Britton was an American botanist and taxonomist who founded the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx, New York. Britton was born in New Dorp in Staten Island, New York...
, volume 19, no. 2 (1938). Smith was a world authority on Begoniaceae
Begoniaceae
Begoniaceae is a family of flowering plants with about 1400 species occurring in the subtropics and tropics of both the New World and Old World. All but one of the species are in the genus Begonia. The only other genus in the family, Hillebrandia, is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands and has a single...
and also worked with Velloziaceae
Velloziaceae
Velloziaceae is a botanical name for a family of flowering plants. Such a family has been recognized by many taxonomists.The APG II system, of 2003 , also recognizes this family, and assigns it to the order Pandanales in the clade monocots...
and numerous other plant families. Smith was a curator in the Smithsonian Institution's Department of Botany from 1947 until his retirement in 1974, but continued to work in the United States National Herbarium as an emeritus curator almost until his death.
Works
- This list may be incomplete.
- The Bromeliaceae of Brazil, 1955
- The Bromeliaceae of Colombia, 1957
- Begoniaceae, 1986