Henley, Maria (1865 - 1957)

Born in Oxley, Vic., 1865, died in St Kilda, Vic, in 1957.

One of thirteen children, to a farmer, James Henley (d.1921), and Sophie Emma née Kettle (c.1839-1931). The Henley family established tobacco and hop plantations near Milawa and lived at 'Richmond House'.

Maria collected MEL specimens (including fungi) at Wangaratta, 1891, Ovens River (incl. fungi), 1891-1893, 1895, and Milawa, 1894.

She collected types of Cordyceps henleyae Massee (1894), named for her, and Swainsona recta A.T.Lee (1948).

George Massee identified Maria's fungal specimens for Mueller.

Maria did not marry, and died in St Kilda in 1957 in her 92nd year.

Twenty-six letters from Mueller to Maria survive.

Source: extracted from: Maroske, Sara and Vaughan, Alison (2014) 'Ferdinand Mueller's female plant collectors: a biographical register', Muelleria Vol.32 [consult for source references]