Lyman Smith Files, 1905-1994.

Scope and content:

Although materials created or owned by Lyman B. Smith may be found throughout the collection, this series specifically focuses on his life and work. Smith collected for himself and, as a taxonomist, identified new species for other collectors. He taught classes and wrote extensively; his manuscripts may be found here while published materials may be found in the Author Series. Of particular interest are his notebooks, which include the journal of his collecting trip to Brazil in 1928-1929. A variety of photographs show bromeliads in books or as specimens as well as Smith himself and his home in Washington, D.C.

Biographical / historical:

Lyman Bradford Smith was born on the 11th September 1904 in Winchester, Massachusetts. He graduated from Harvard in 1929 and went to work at the Gray Herbarium where he remained until he joined the Department of Botany at the US National Herbarium in 1947. Although he formally retired in 1974, Smith continued to write and work for many years. With his wife, Ruth, he had four children, David, Constance, Christopher and Steve. Smith died on 4th May 1997.

Contents

Access and use