Harriet George Barclay (31 August 1901 - 25 May 1990) was an American botanist, plant ecologist,^[1] nature conservationist, and artist. The standard author abbreviation H.G.Barclay is used to indicate this person as the author when citing a botanical name.^[2]

Biography

Barclay was a professor at the University of Tulsa.^[3] She later became Chair of the Botany Department in 1953.^[4]

She also taught at universities across America: Colorado,^[5] Arkansas, Illinois, and North Carolina.^[6]

Harriet George Barclay collected over 35,000^[7] plants from 6 different continents,^[8] including 15,000 different specimens from South America while conducting research there.^[9]

She has over 2,000 specimens on record as identified or collected.^[10][11]

Degrees

• B.A., Botany, University of Minnesota, 1923
• M.A., Botany, University of Minnesota, 1924
• Ph.D. Plant Ecology, University of Chicago, 1928
• B.A. Art, University of Tulsa, 1945

^[12]

Positions

• Chair of the Botany Department, Tulsa University, OK^[13]
• Trustee, Philbrook Museum of Art, OK
• President, Tulsa Garden Club, OK
• Member, Tulsa Artists Guild, OK

^[14]

Accomplishments

Barclay was instrumental in getting the Nature Conservancy in Washington, D.C. to lease land to the University of Tulsa for Redbud Valley Nature Preserve - the first project of its kind in Oklahoma.^[15][16]

Awards and honors

• "Woman of the Year," American Women in Radio and Television, 1959^[17]
• "Conservationist of the Year," Oklahoma Wildlife Federation, 1971^[18]
• "Distinguished Service Award," Henry Kendall College of Arts and Sciences, Tulsa University, 1975^[19][20]
• "Oklahoma Hall of Fame," 1976^[21][22]

Interesting facts

• 10 plants are named after Barclay.^[23]

Quotes

"A trip has no value if you come home and forget it" - Harriet George Barclay.^[24]

See also

• University of Minnesota
• University of Chicago
• University of Tulsa
• Philbrook Museum of Art

References