MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN

BIOGRAPHY

Patricia Maureen Eckel was born in Niagara Falls, New York, and graduated from the State University of New York at Buffalo with B.A. Cum Laude in Greek and Latin Classics, 1981, B.A. Cum Laude in Art History, 1981, and M.A., Biology, 1984. She has contributed to the fields of plant taxonomy, botanical art, history of science, and botanical Latin.

Appointments include Research Scientist, Missouri Botanical Garden, 2002 to present; Research Associate, Division of Botany, Buffalo Museum of Science, 1979-1985 and 2003 to present, and Research Fellow, 1986-2002; Director of Moss Exchange, American Bryological and Lichenological Society, 1981-1992; Niagara Frontier Botanical Society founding member, Treasurer, 1983-1985, Secretary 1988-1990; Fellow (National), Explorer's Club, 1988 to present; Editor of the Clinton Papers, archives of the Research Library, Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences, 1990 to present; scientific illustrator, Flora of North America, Volumes 27-29 (bryophytes), 2000 to present, funded by National Science Foundation and Chanticleer Botanical Garden; collaborator, Department of Botany, Smithsonian Institution, 1985-1988.

She has published more than 75 scientific articles on both vascular plants and bryophytes since 1980. Her research focus is on the flora of the Niagara Falls region and the moss family Pottiaceae, including taxonomic treatments in the Flora of North America. Many of her contributions relevant to the botany and botanical history of western New York State and adjacent Ontario are online at two Missouri Botanical Garden Web sites:

http://www.mobot.org/plantscience/resbot/ and

http://www.mobot.org/plantscience/bfna/bfnamenu.htm.

Beginning in 1986, Ms Eckel published 27 articles on regional floristic botany published in Clintonia, the journal of the Niagara Frontier Botanical Society.

Ms. Eckel is presently a resident of St. Louis, Missouri, working at the Missouri Botanical Garden.