Died 1913 | ||
Maria Tallant Owen (February 13, 1825 – June 8, 1913) was an American botanist who compiled a detailed record of 19th century flora and algae on Nantucket Island.
Contents
Early life and education
Born Maria Tallant, she grew up in a wealthy family and could trace her lineage to the earliest white settlers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. She studied at private institutions on Nantucket and studied botany at home with her mother and sisters. She taught at the Perkins School for the Blind and Nantucket High School in the 1840s, and also taught at her own private school.
Research
Owen's career blossomed in Springfield, Massachusetts, where she moved shortly after her marriage to Varillas L. Owen. There, she contributed to scientific societies and taught science and French. Owen's magnum opus, published in 1888, was a record of flora in pre-1853 Nantucket County that included 787 species and is a useful record for modern scientists studying the effects of climate change on plants. She continued to research until 1912, a year before her death.
Works
The standard author abbreviation Owen is used to indicate this individual as the author when citing a botanical name.