Womersley, Hugh Bryan Spencer (Bryan, 'Wom')   (1922 - 2011)

Born on 19 November, 1922 in Bristol, England; died on 16 January 2011 in Adelaide, SA.

In 1930 he migrated to Australia with his family.

In 1945 he graduated with a BSc (Hons), from University of Adelaide.
In 1947 he was awarded a MSc, from University of Adelaide.
in 1960 he was awarded a DSc, University of Adelaide.

Brian Womersley was Australia's leading phycologist and recognised internationally for his work on the macroalgae of the region.

For over 40 years, from 1946, he was on the staff of the Department of Botany at the University of Adelaide and continued his research after his retirement in 1987.

In his research Womersley described over 320 new genera and species of algae. He published the 6-volume encyclopaedic The marine benthic flora of southern Australia (1984-2003).

In the over 60 years of his active research, he and his students elevated the broad coastal expanse of southern Australia from a virtual terra incognita of enormous algal biodiversity to the status of being among the best taxonomically understood stretches of richly endowed coastline in the world.

The red algal genera Womersleya and Womerslyella were named in his honour.

Source: Extracted from:
www.researchgate.net
https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P003504b.htm
Portrait Photo: 1. 2003, Bob Baldock; 2. 1947, ANZAAS Conferenve, Perth, supplied by family.

Collecting localities for 'Womersley, H.B.S.' from AVH (2024)

Data from 19,451 specimens