Name Ruth Mason | ||
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Ruth Mason (7 November 1913–14 May 1990) was a New Zealand botanist specialising in the taxonomy and ecology of freshwater plants. She was born in Auckland, New Zealand on 7 November 1913.
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Mason was educated at the University of Auckland (then known as Auckland University College, part of the University of New Zealand) where she completed a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science and Master of Science.
In 1939, Mason was appointed to the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) as an assistant botanist. Mason was the first to record Wolffia in New Zealand (in 1949) and her most long-standing research interest was in the freshwater algae commonly known as stoneworts. Her research also included establishing a seed herbarium, and identifying food preferences of moa through gizzard contents.
Due to her extensive fieldwork, Mason pioneered new techniques for plant preservation in the field. Over the course of her career, Mason collected over 13,000 specimens.
She worked at DSIR until her retirement in 1974.
Lucy Moore described Hebe pauciramosa var. masoniae in honor of Mason.
Mason died in Christchurch, New Zealand in 1990.