Robert Allen Dyer

Robert Allen Dyer (21 September 1900 Pietermaritzburg - 26 October 1987 Johannesburg) was a South African botanist and taxonomist, working particularly on Amaryllidaceae and succulent plants, contributing to and editing of "Bothalia" and "Flowering Plants of Africa" and holding the office of Director of the Botanical Research Institute in Pretoria from 1944 to 1963.

Education and career

Attended Michaelhouse and Natal University College 1919-1923, obtaining the degrees of M.Sc. in 1923 and D.Sc. in 1937. Appointed as assistant to Selmar Schonland in Grahamstown in 1925, as well as curator of the Albany Museum Herbarium. After doing a three-year stint (1931-1934) as liaison officer with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, he was transferred to the National Herbarium in Pretoria. Here he became Chief and subsequently Director from 1944 to 1963. He revived the Botanical Survey Section and started the Pretoria National Botanic Garden, as well as editing "Bothalia", "The Flowering Plants of Africa", "Memoirs of the Botanical Survey of South Africa", and launching the "Flora of Southern Africa". After retiring in 1963, he continued working at the Institute, devoting his time to producing "Genera of Southern African Flowering Plants". His last major work dealt with "Ceropegia", "Brachysteilma" and "Riocreuxia" and appeared in Flora of Southern Africa in 1981. In all, he produced some 450 publications.

His greatest contributions were in the field of plant taxonomy and he published extensively in "Flowering Plants of Africa" and "Bothalia". Commemorated in the genus "Radyera" Bullock, "Aridaria dyeri" N.E.Br. and "Hereroa dyeri" L.Bol. His collected botanical specimens number over 6000 and are lodged in Pretoria, Grahamstown, Kew and the Bolus Herbarium.

Major Publications

*"The Succulent Euphorbiae" (1941) with White & Sloane
*"The South African Cycads" (Bothalia 1963)
*"Flora of Southern Africa" - Myrsinaceae, Primulaceae and Plumbaginaceae (1963)
*"Flora of Southern Africa" - Stangeriaceae, Zamiaceae (with I.C. Verdoorn 1966)
*"Genera of Southern African Flowering Plants" (Vol.1, Dicots 1975) (Vol.2, Monocots with Mrs. Mauve 1976)

Awards and fellowships

*Fellow of the American Cactus and Succulent Society 1941
*Herbert Medal (American Amaryllis Society)
*President of Section C of S.A. Assoc. for Adv. of Science 1941/42
*Fellow of the Royal Society of South Africa 1945
*President of S.A. Biological Society 1948
*Senior Capt. Scott Medal (S.A. Biological Society)
*President of Pretoria Horticultural Society 1961-1972
*S.A. Assoc. of Botanists Gold Medal 1973
*Honorary D.Sc. from Witwatersrand University 1976

References