Patricia Kern Holmgren

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Patricia Holmgren (née Kern) is an American botanist. Holmgren's main botanical interests are the flora of the U.S. intermountain west and the genera ''Tiarella'' and ''Thlaspi''. Holmgren was the director of the herbarium at the New York Botanical Garden from 1981–2000, and editor of ''Index Herbariorum'' from 1974–2008.

Life

Patricia May Kern was born to Robert Evan Kern (1919–2004) and Ruth Eleanor Beaudoin Kern (1921–1992) in 1940, in Athens, Indiana. Her parents began raising Christmas trees in 1946, and Holmgren spent part of her summers trimming trees and weekends in the fall and winter helping with the business. Holmgren was introduced to nature at an early age; through her father's conservation work on their property, and during family vacations to western national parks during the farm's off-season. From fifth grade to her high school graduation, Holmgren was active in 4-H, winning many contests in forestry and sewing.

Holmgren attended high school at Rochester High School in Rochester, Indiana, graduating in 1958 as valedictorian. Holmgren attended Indiana University, getting a B.S. in 1962. She later attended the University of Washington, completing a M.S. in 1964 and a Ph.D. in 1968.Curriculum Vitae, Patricia K. Holmgren (2017). Folder Patricia Kern Holmgren, NYBG Vertical File, The LuEsther T. Mertz Library, The New York Botanical Garden. October 10, 2018. At the University of Washington, Holmgren completed a systematic study of ''Tiarella'' (Saxifragaceae) with advisor Arthur R. Kruckeberg. She remained at the University of Washington for her Ph.D., a systematic study of the ''Thlaspi montanum'' (Brassicaceae) group, with advisor C. Leo Hitchcock. In addition to her own research, Holmgren became chief editorial assistant during the preparation of the last two volumes of the ''Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest'' with Hitchcock.

Patricia married fellow botanist Noel H. Holmgren (son of botanist Arthur H. Holmgren) in 1969.

Career

After completing her Ph.D. at the University of Washington, Holmgren accepted a job as herbarium specialist at the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) in 1968. Holmgren spent her entire working career at NYBG, eventually becoming the Director of the Herbarium in 1981, a position she held until her retirement in 2000. As director of The William and Lynda Steere Herbarium, Holmgren insisted on the highest possible standards for specimen management and for keeping the herbarium in the forefront on new innovations (such as the creation of an online ''Index Herbariorum'' and development of the C.V. Starr Virtual Herbarium). Holmgren was also instrumental in conception, fundraising, and design of a new, state-of-the-art building to house the herbarium, the International Plant Science Center, which officially opened for research in 2002. Holmgren continues to work at the garden as Director Emerita of the herbarium.

In addition to her herbarium leadership, Holmgren played an active role in a number of botanical societies and botanical journals:

* American Society of Plant Taxonomists: Council member (1975–1979), Treasurer (1985–1988), President (1989–1990)
* Association of Systematics Collections: Board of Directors (1988–1994), Secretary (1992–1994)
* Botanical Society of America: Council member (1975–1984), Secretary (1975–1979), Vice President (1980), President (1981)
* ''Brittonia'': Associate Editor (1975–1991), Managing Editor (1984–1991)
* ''Index Herbariorum'': Editor (1974–2008)
* International Association for Plant Taxonomy: Board of Directors (1993–2005)
* ''Taxon'': Editor of News and Notes (1983–1988), Editor of Herbaria and Institutions (1992–2002)

Patricia Holmgren and Noel Holmgren were instrumental to the completion of ''Intermountain Flora: Vascular Plants of the Intermountain West, U.S.A.'', a nine-volume flora on the vascular plants of the western United States between the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada ranges''.'' In addition to collecting many herbarium specimens that would provide the baseline data for descriptions and geographic distributions; Patricia was involved in editing, proofreading, and writing family treatments for the flora.

Awards

* The New York Botanical Garden's Distinguished Service Award (1988)
*Botanical Society of America Distinguished Fellow (Merit) Award (1991)
*Botanical Society of America Centennial Award (2006)
* The American Society of Plant Taxonomists's Asa Gray Award (2012), jointly with Noel Holmgren
* The New York Botanical Garden's Gold Medal Award (2013), jointly with Noel Holmgren

Legacy

In 2009, botanists W.L.Wagner & Hoch published ''Neoholmgrenia'' is a genus of flowering plants from Canada and western USA, belonging to the family Onagraceae

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