Notes From Nature Talk

Handwriting on Virginia labels

  • ghewson by ghewson

    These handwritten labels on the Virginia collection are going to be a recurring problem, I think. The Plant List really shone here -- entering "Ilex *ticola" gave the species as monticola.

    Does that say Thunder Hill? What's the word after, before Rockbridge?

    I just gave up on the Collector. Is there a list of collectors working at the time to help, or could such a list be put together?

    Posted

  • okopho by okopho

    The location appears to be Thunder Hill Mt (Mountain). On modern maps, this is located in the eastern-most corner of Botetourt County, right where it joins with Rockbridge County. I suppose when this specimen was collected, the county lines may have been slightly different. Anyway, Thunder Hill Mountain is part of Thunder Ridge, which runs along the eastern edge of both counties.

    The collector is probably Dr Ruskin S. Freer. From 1924 to 1964, he was the professor of botany/biology at Lynchburg College (which is about 30 thirty miles south-east of Thunder Ridge).

    Posted