Willard Nelson Clute
Encyclopedia
Willard N. Clute was an American author, naturalist and botanist. He was born in Steuben County, New York
, the son of George N. and Ruth Wright Clute. He married Ida Martin (born 1869), who illustrated some of his works.
Clute founded the American Fern Society
. He was editor of The Fern Bulletin, the original publication of the American Fern Society (originally called The Linnaean Fern Bulletin), and of The American Botanist.
He was associated with Butler University
in Indianapolis, Indiana
for many years. Starting in 1928, he was professor of botany and curator of the botanical gardens.
He collected fern
s, lycopods, and nonvascular plants in North America
, Jamaica
and New Zealand
. His specimens are housed in the Friesner Herbarium at Butler University
.
Steuben County, New York
Steuben County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 98,990. Its name is in honor of Baron von Steuben, a German general who fought on the American side in the American Revolutionary War, though it is not pronounced the same...
, the son of George N. and Ruth Wright Clute. He married Ida Martin (born 1869), who illustrated some of his works.
Clute founded 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."...
. He was editor of The Fern Bulletin, the original publication of the American Fern Society (originally called The Linnaean Fern Bulletin), and of The American Botanist.
He was associated with Butler University
Butler University
Butler University is a private university located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Founded in 1855 and named after founder Ovid Butler, the university offers 60 degree programs to 4,400 students through six colleges: business, communication, education, liberal Arts and sciences, pharmacy and health...
in Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
for many years. Starting in 1928, he was professor of botany and curator of the botanical gardens.
He collected fern
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...
s, lycopods, and nonvascular plants in 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...
, Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
and New Zealand
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...
. His specimens are housed in the Friesner Herbarium at Butler University
Butler University
Butler University is a private university located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Founded in 1855 and named after founder Ovid Butler, the university offers 60 degree programs to 4,400 students through six colleges: business, communication, education, liberal Arts and sciences, pharmacy and health...
.
Plants Named by Clute
- Dryopteris gilberti Clute (CaribbeanCaribbeanThe Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
and South AmericaSouth AmericaSouth America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
) - Equisetum xferrissii Clute (North AmericaNorth AmericaNorth 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...
) - Phlox laphamii Clute
- Polypodium prolongilobum Clute (ArizonaArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
) - Polystichum triangulum Clute
- Pteridium aquilina var. pseudocaudata Clute (North AmericaNorth AmericaNorth 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...
)
Books by Clute
- Clute, Willard Nelson. Agronomy: A Course in Practical Gardening for High Schools. Ginn and Company, Boston, Massachusetts. 1913. 296 pp.
- Clute, Willard Nelson. Botanical Essays. W. N. Clute & Co., Indianapolis, Indiana. 1929. 112 pp, 3 plates.
- Clute, Willard Nelson. The Common Names of Plants and Their Meanings. 176 pp.
- Clute, Willard Nelson. A Dictionary of American Plant Names. W. N. Clute & Co., Joliet, Illinois. 1923. 215 pp.
- Clute, Willard Nelson. Experimental General Science. Blakiston. 1917. 303 pp.
- Clute, Willard Nelson. The Fern Allies of North America North of Mexico. Illustrated by Ida Martin Clute. First edition: Frederick A. Stokes Co., New York, New York. 1905. xiv/278 pp, 150+ ill, 21 cm, hardcover. LC 5-32523. Web: http://www.archive.org/details/fernalliesofnort00clutuoft; also http://www.archive.org/details/fernalliesofnort00clutrich; Second edition: W. N. Clute & Co., Butler University, Joliet, Illinois. 1928. vi/2/xi-xiv/3-278 pp. (xiv/280 pp), 150+ ill, 20 cm. LC28-16299.
- Clute, Willard Nelson. The Fern Collector's Guide (Where to Find and How to Name the Ferns). Illustrated by William W. Stilson. First printing: Frederick A. Stokes Company, Publishers, New York, New York. 1901. 61 pp. Second printing: Frederick A. Stokes Company, Publishers, New York, New York. 1902. 61 pp, +3pp ads, 195mm, HB. LC 2-21874. Third printing: Shorey Book Store, Seattle, Washington. 1972. 61pp, 6pp ads, softcover. ISBN 0-8466-6026-1.
- Clute, Willard Nelson. The Ferns and Fern Allies of the Upper Susquehanna Valley. Reprinted from The Flora of the Upper Susquehanna. W. N. Clute & Co., Binghamton, New York. 1898. 15pp, 137x208mm.
- Clute, Willard Nelson. Our Ferns in Their Haunts; A Guide to All the Native Species. First edition: Illustrated by William Walworth Stilson. Frederick A. Stokes Company, New York, New York. 1901. (4)/xii/332/(8) pp, 8 color plates + b/w ill, 210mm, hardcover. LC 1-12881. Web: http://www.archive.org/details/ourfernsintheirh00clutuoft; also http://books.google.com/books?id=OowNAAAAYAAJ. Second edition: Frederick A. Stokes Co., New York, New York. 1929. Third edition: Our Ferns; Their Haunts, Habits and Folklore. Illustrated by William Walworth Stilson and Ida Martin Clute. Frederick A. Stokes Co., New York, New York. 1929. xx/388 pp, 8 color plates, 210 ill, 205mm. LC 38-6667.
- Clute, Willard Nelson. The Flora of the Upper Susquehanna and Its Tributaries. W. N. Clute & Co., Binghamton, New York. 1901. 16 pp.
- Clute, Willard Nelson. Laboratory Botany for the High School. Ginn and Company, Boston, Massachusetts. 1909. xiv,177 pp.
- Clute, Willard Nelson. The Pteridophyta of North America, North of Mexico. F. White, Binghamton, New York, USA. 1895. 23pp.
- Clute, Willard Nelson. A Second Book of Plant Names and Their Meanings. Willard N. Clute, Indianapolis, Indiana. 1939. 164 pp, 8.5x6, hardcover.
- Clute, Willard Nelson. Swamp and Dune: A Study in Plant Distribution. W. N. Clute & Co., Indianapolis, Indiana. 1931. 92 pp, 6 plates.
- Clute, Willard Nelson. The Useful Plants of the World. W. N. Clute & Co., Joliet, Illinois. 1928. v,86 pp.
- Clute, Willard Nelson. "Practical High School Texts, Botany" also known as "Practical Botany for High Schools" Pub. Mentzer, Bush & Company, Chicago, New York, 1924, 214 pp. (Copy in private collection is inscribed to botanist Ralph O. Baird, " To Ralph O. Baird as a slight token of regard for his help on a memorable occasion this book is inscribed by the author.")
External references
- Dolan, Rebecca W. "The Clute holotypes and the herbarium of Willard Nelson Clute in the Friesner Herbarium of Butler University (BUT)." American Fern Journal 84(2): 71-72. 1994.
- Morton, Conrad V. "Willard Nelson Clute, 1869-1950." American Fern Journal 41(1):1-4. 1951.