| Activity | Museum Staff: Appointed senior scientific officer in Department of Botany 2 July 1962.
Norman joined the staff of the Botany Department in 1962 when he was appointed curator of General Herbarium Section 1. Following his retirement in 1988, he continued as an Associate, meaning that his association with us spanned almost sixty years.
Norman came to the Museum from Kew where he had worked on Flora Zambesiaca, a collaborative project involving the NHM, Kew and Coimbra that was started in 1955 by Arthur Exell, the NHM's Deputy Keeper of Botany. At the Museum, Norman continued to contribute accounts for FZ but his interests were wide ranging. With a good command of botanical Latin he was much in demand when a latin diagnosis was needed for new species descriptions and he was the scientific lead for the Linnean Plants Names project at its start in the early 1980s. His research, however, increasingly came to focus on a monographic study of Hypericum, a large and complex genus of 470 species that had been the subject of his doctoral research at Edinburgh University. Norman published more than 80 papers on Hypericum and his monograph of the genus, completed in 2010, has provided a foundation for a whole host of studies examining topics ranging from the polyploid origins of St John's Wort and the evolution of apomixis to biogeographic questions around the Trans-African Rand flora and the evolution of Paramó biodiversity.
Dr Robson was a member of staff at the Museum from 1962-1988, retiring as PrincipalScientific Officer with responsibility for General Herbarium Section I. He was subsequentlyappointed a Scientific Associate in which capacity he has continued to be an extremelyproductive member of the department, publishing 44 articles since 1988 (please see publicationlist). DrRobson’s monographic work onHypericum,a genus of more than 470 species, isacknowledged not only for providing a taxonomic baseline and valuable tool for theidentification of taxa but also a rich resource for research into many other aspects of thebiology and evolution ofHypericum,a genus of economic importance, and an increasinglyimportant focus for research on the genetics of apomixis1.In addition to his alpha taxonomic work, Dr Robson has also supported and encouragedwork on the molecular phylogenetics ofHypericum(of which I am a co-author) and hascontributed to high-profile research on the importance of herbaria, including our own, forspecies discovery2.
Born–31stMarch 1928.
Education September 1933–June 1940–Aberdeen Grammar School.1940-1941–Albyn School (evacuated).September 1941-December 1942–Dollar Academy.1943-1946–Private tuition.1946-1951–Aberdeen University (BSc. Hons. Botany, 1951).1951-1952–AberdeenUniversity–PhD research.1952-1956–Edinburgh University–PhD research, lecturing on Ecology and Cytology.October 1956–PhD. Thesis: Studies in the genusHypericumL.1956-1962–R.B.G. Kew–Worked onFlora Zambesiaca, families Guttiferae, Violaceae,Linaceae s.l., Ochnaceae, Brexiaceae, Celastraceae s.l. Lectured to student gardeners onplant physiology.1962-1988–British Museum (Nat. Hist.)–Curator of General Herbarium Sect. 1(Ranunculaceae-Combretaceae).Research onFlora Zambesiaca(Celastraceae)HypericumandVismia.Contributed accounts to various Floras ofHypericumorGuttiferae (Hypericaceae). Worked on world monograph ofHypericumand on Krakatoaexhibition (1984).March 1988–Retired officially (rank PSO).1988-present time. Scientific Associate, NaturalHistory Museum, Department of Botany-Worked on monograph ofHypericum–8 parts out of 9 published (1977-2010).Contributed accounts ofHypericumand/or Guttiferae or Clusiaceae s.l. to various Florasand checklists.
Publications onHypericumUnpublished theses1951–A review of the genusHypericumL. with special reference to the species occurring inBritain. Undergraduate study. Aberdeen Univ.1956–Studies in the genusHypericum. Ph.D. thesis. Edinburgh Univ.Published papers, etc.1957–Plant notes.Hypericum maculatumCrantz.Proc. B.S.B.I.2: 237.1958-Plant notes.Hypericum maculatumin Britain and Europe.Proc. B.S.B.I.3: 99-100.1958–Hypericum undulatumSchousb. ex Willd. in Ireland ?Ir.Nats. J.12: 269.1958–The genusHypericumin Africa south of the Sahara, Madagascar and the Mascarenes.Kew Bull.12: 433-446.1958–Notes on AfricanHypericum.Kew Bull.13: 396-397.1960–Hypericum revolutumVahl–a forgotten name.Kew Bull.13: 251-252.1961-Guttiferae. In Exell & Wild,Fl. Zambesiaca1: 378-404.1961–A re-evaluation of the generic status ofAscyrumandCrookea(Guttiferae).Rhodora63:10-16 (with W.P. Adams).1967–Short Notulae. Guttiferae. In Heywood, Fl. EuropaeaNot. Syst. 6.Feddes Repert.74: 22-24.1967–Materials forFlora of Turkey. XI. Notes on Turkish species ofHypericum.Notes R.B.G.Edinb.27: 185-204.1967–Notizen zur Orient-Flora. 89-90. Notes onHypericumof S.W. Asia.Anz. math.-nat. Kl.Österr. Akad. Wiss.1967, no.6: 1-8.1967–Guttiferae. In P.H. Davis,Fl.Turkey2: 355-401.1968–Guttiferae (Clusiaceae). In Tutin et al.,Fl.Europaea2: 261-269.1968-Guttiferae. In K.H. Rechinger,Fl.IranicaNo. 49.1968–Chromosome numbers inHypericumand related genera.Brittonia20: 95-106 (with W.P.Adams).1970–Shrubby AsiaticHypericumspecies in cultivation.J. Roy. Hort. Soc.95:482-497.1972–Hypericumxdesetangsii. Watsonia9: 203.1972–Evolutionary recall inHypericum(Guttiferae)?Trans. Bot. Soc. Edinb.41: 365-383.1973–Guttiferae. In Nasir & Ali,Fl. W. PakistanNo. 32.1973–Hypericum. In P.S. Green, Plants wild and cultivated: 79-82.1973–Hypericumsect.Brathysin Africa and Madagascar.Garcia de Orta, Sér. Bot.1:83-90.1973–Notes on Malesian species ofHypericum(Guttiferae).Flora Malesiana Praecursores. 52.Blumea20: 251-274.1974–Hypericaceae. In C.G.G.J. van Steenis,Fl. MalesianaSer.I8: 251-274.1975–Hypericum. In C.A. Stace,Hybridisation andthe flora of the British Isles: 164-167.1976–Clusiaceae. In J.H. Ross,Fl. Southern Africa22: 14-23 (with J.B. Killick).1976–Guttiferae. In H.L.Li,Fl. Taiwan2: 620-646.
1977–Studies in the genusHypericumL. (Guttiferae). 1. Infrageneric classification.Bull. Br.Mus. (Nat. Hist.), Bot.5: 291-355.1977–Guttiferae. In R. D. Meikle,Fl.Cyprus1: 293-301.1977–Notes on some Nepalese and IndianHypericum.J. Jap. Bot.52: 276-288.1978-Hypericaceae. In Woodson & Schery,Fl.PanamaNo. 123A.Ann. Mo. Bot.Gdn65: 9-26.1978–Hypericum. In R. Polhill,Fl. Trop. E. AfricaGuttiferae: 26-32.1978–Guttiferae. In V.H. Heywood,Fl. Pls. of the World: 85-87.1979–Parallel evolution in African and MascareneHypericum.Kew Bull.33: 571-584.1979–Hypericaceae. In Hara & Williams,Enum. Fl. Pls. Nepal2: 61-63.1980–Guttifères. In J. Bosser et al.,Fl. des Mascareignes49: 1-7 (with P.F. Stevens).1980–A new species ofHypericumfrom Angola.Bol. Soc. Brot.II,53: 113-121.1980–The Linnaean species ofAscyrum(Guttiferae).Taxon29: 267-274.1980–An addition to the southern Turkish species ofHypericumsect.Arthrophyllum.NotesRoy. Bot, Gdn. Edinb.38: 103-104 (with P.H. Davis).1980–Hypericum olympicum–wild and cultivated.The Plantsman1: 193-200 + corrigenda.1980–Hypericaceae. In Townsend & Guest,Fl. Iraq1(1): 363-381.1981–The St. John’s Worts of Canada.Nat. Museums Canada, Publs. Bot., No. 11: 1-36 (withJ.M. Gillett).1981–Studies in the genusHypericum(Guttiferae). 2. Characters of the genus.Bull. Br. Mus.(Nat. Hist.)Bot.8: 55-226.1983–Notes relating to the flora of Bhutan: VII. Notes onHypericumL.Notes Roy. Bot. Gdn.Edinb.41: 133-139 (with D.G. Long).1983–Guttiferae. In B.D. Morley & H.R. Toelken,Flowering Plants in Australia: 90-91.1983–Yellow-flowered St. John’s Worts.The Living Countryside141: 2801-2803.1983-1985–See 1990.1984–Hypericaceae. In Grierson & Long,Fl. Bhutan1: 372-378 (with D.G. Long).1985–Studies in the genusHypericumL. 3. Sections 1.Campylosporusto 6a.Umbraculoides.Bull.Br. Mus. (Nat. Hist.)Bot.12: 163-325.1986–Hypericum. In A. Strid,Mtn. Fl.Greece1: 594-608 (with A. Strid).1986–A review ofHypericumsect.Hirtella.Notes Roy. Bot. Gdn. Edinb.43: 255-265.1987–Studies in the genusHypericumL. (Guttiferae). 7. Section 29Brathys(part 1).Bull. Br.Mus. (Nat. Hist.)Bot.16: 1-106.1987–An Iranian floristic link with Socotra inHypericum(Hypericaceae).Pl. Syst. Evol.155:89-92.1990–Studies in the genusHypericumL. (Guttiferae). 8. Sections 29.Brathys(part 2) and 30.Trigynobrathys. Bull. Br. Mus. (Nat. Hist.)Bot.20: 1-151.1990–Proposal to conserve the nameHypericum japonicumThunb. ex Murray againstH.chinenseOsbeck (Guttiferae).Taxon39: 134-135.1990–Proposal to reject the nameHypericum quadrangulumL. (Guttiferae).Taxon39: 135-137.1990–British and Irish St. John’s Worts. InA Guide to some difficult plants.Articles from theWild Flower Society Magazine 1973-1988: 90-108. [1983-1985]1990–British and Irish St. John’s Worts. InA guide to some difficult plants.Articles fromTheWild Flower Society Magazine 1973-1988. Hypericumon pp.90-108 [1983-1985].1992–Hypericum. In A. Huxley,New R.H.S. Dict. Gardening2: 620-637.1992–Hypericum. InCheckl. Pls. Guianas: 119.1993–Parallel evolution in tropical montaneHypericum. Opera Bot.121: 263-274.
1993–Studies inHypericum: validation of new names.Bull. nat. Hist. Mus. Lond.Bot.23: 67-70.1994–Hypericumwild and cultivated–the common ground. In A.R. Perry & R.G. Ellis,Thecommon ground of wild and cultivated plants: 71-75. B.S.B.I. Conference Report, No. 22.1995–Hypericum uralum.New Plantsman2: 244-245.1995–Hypericum. In J. Cullen et al.,Europ.Gdn. Fl.4: 44-74.1995–Guttiferae. In S. Edwards & I. Hedberg (eds.),Flora of Ethiopia and Eritraea2(2): 135-143.1996–Studies in the genusHypericumL. (Guttiferae). 6. Sections 20.Myriandrato 28.Elodes.Bull. nat. Hist. Mus. Lond.Bot.26: 75-217.1996–Guttiferae.In Miller, A.G. & Cope, T A.Flora of the Arabian Peninsula and Socotra.1:331-339.1996-Hypericum. In Huang T.-C. et al.,Fl. Taiwan, 2nded.2: 698-714.1997–Hypericum. InCheckl. Pls.Guianas, 2nded.: 83-85.1998–Hypericum subsessile. Clusiaceae (Guttiferae).Curtis’s. Bot. Mag.15: 92-95.1998–Hypericum. In D.M. Kearns et al.,Fl.Venezuelan Guyana4: 300-301. AlsoVismia4:322-329.1998–Hypericum.In Wisskirchen & Haeupler,Standardliste Farn-ü. Blütenpfl. Deutschlands.:268-271.1999–Hypericum. In Jørgensen & Léon-Yánez,Cat. Vasc. Pls. Ecuador(Monogr.Syst. Bot Mo.Bot. Gdn. no. 75): 401-403.2000–Hypericum perforatumL. subsp.veronense(Schrank) H. Lindb. Noteset contribs. à laflore de Corse, XVI.Candollea55: 57 (with J. Lambinon).2001–Studies in the genusHypericumL. (Guttiferae). 4(1). Sections 7.Roscynato 9.Hypericumsensu lato (part 1).Bull. nat. Hist. Mus. Lond.Bot.31: 37-88.2001–Hypericum.In W.D. Stevens et al.,Fl. Nicaragua(Monogr. Syst. Bot. Mo. Bot. Gdn. no.85): 626-627.2002–Studies in the genusHypericumL. (Guttiferae). 4(2). Section 9.Hypericumsensu lato(part 2).Bull. nat. Hist. Mus.Bot.33: 61-123.2002–Hypericum. InB. Valdès et al.,Cat. Pl. Vasc. N. Morocco1: 186-190.2003–Hypericumbotany. In E. Ernst,Hypericum.The genusHypericum: 1-22.Med. & Arom.Pls., Industr. Profiles.2003–Proposal to conserve the nameHypericumxdesetangsiiLamotte (Clusiaceae)with aconserved type.Taxon52: 139-140.2004–Hypericum kouytchense.Curtis’s Bot. Mag.21: 49-53.2005–Hypericumsect.Ascyreia(Clusiaceae): new species and subspecies from China.ActaPhytotax. Sinica43: 271-277.2006–Studies in the genusHypericumL. (Clusiaceae). 4(3). Section 9.Hypericum sensu lato(part 3): subsection 1.Hypericumseries 2.Senanensia, subsection 2.Erectaand Section9b. Graveolentia. Systematics and Biodiversity4: 19-98.2006–Guttiferae in Iwatsuki, Boufford & Ohba,Fl. JapanIIa: 412-443.2007–Yojiro Kimura’s contribution to the study of JapaneseHypericum.J. Jap. bot.82: 114-115.2007—Hypericum, LianthusandTriadenumin Wu Zhengyi & Raven,Fl. China13: 2-36 (with LiHsiwen).2008.—Hypericumin Zuloaga, Morrone & Belgrano,Catálogo de las Plantas del Cono Sur3:2356-2360 (all data provided by N.K.B.R.).2010.—Studies in the genusHypericumL. (Hypericaceae). 5(1). Sections 10.Olympiato 15/16.Crossophyllum.Phytotaxa4: 6-126.
2010.–Studies in the genusHypericumL. (Hypericaceae). 5(2). Sections 17.Hirtellato 19.Coridium.Phytotaxa4: 127-258.Work inpreparation,with editoror in press-Hypericaceae, Clusiaceae and Calophyllaceae inFlora of North America.-Hypericoideae inFlora mesoamericana.-Hypericoideae inChecklist of the flora of Bolivia.-Studies in the genusHypericumL.9.Publications onVismia1978–Vismiain Woodson & Schery,Flora of Panama65: 15-26.1990–Two new species and a new combination inVismia(Guttiferae–Hypericoideae).Ann.Missouri Bot. Gard.77: 410-411.1992–Vismiain Boggan, Funk & Kelloff,Checklist of the plants of the Guianas: 120-121.1997–Ditto (Ed. 2): 84-85.1998–Vismiain Berry, Holst & Yatskievych,Flora of the Venezuelan Guayana4: 322-329.1998–Vismiain Dubs,Prodromus Florae Matogrossensis: 1231999–Vismiain Jørgensen & Léon-Yánez,Catalogue of the plants of Ecuador: 403-404.2001–Vismiain Stevens, Ulloa Ulloa, Pool & Montiel,Flora of Nicaragua85(1): 629-631.Unpublished-Vismiain Jørgensen (et al.?),Cátalogo de las plantas vasculares de Bolivia(2 pp.).-Vismiain Bernal,Cátalogo de las plantas de Colombia(over 8 typescript pp.).-Vismiain ? (ed.) Flora Mesoamericana.
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