William Trelease

William Trelease, born on February twenty-second, eighteen fifty-seven, in Mount Vernon, New York, was a distinguished American botanist, entomologist, and educator. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University in eighteen eighty and later earned a Doctor of Science from Harvard in eighteen eighty-four. His academic career began as an instructor in botany at Harvard University, followed by a position at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he served as a professor of botany from eighteen eighty-three to eighteen eighty-five.

Throughout his career, Trelease held several prestigious positions, including Engelmann professor of botany at Washington University in St. Louis from eighteen eighty-five to nineteen thirteen. He also directed the Missouri Botanical Garden from eighteen eighty-nine to nineteen twelve. His leadership extended to professional organizations, where he was the inaugural president of the Botanical Society of America in eighteen ninety-four and served again in nineteen eighteen. In nineteen hundred and three, he was elected to the American Philosophical Society.

Trelease was an avid explorer, participating in a significant two-month expedition to Alaska in eighteen ninety-nine, led by Edward Henry Harriman. He later led botanical expeditions to the Canary Isles and Spain in nineteen thirty-two, and to New Zealand in nineteen thirty-three. His contributions to botany were not limited to exploration; he authored numerous scientific articles and monographs, including an unfinished work on the Piperaceae of Northern South America, which was completed posthumously by his student Truman G. Yuncker.

In addition to his scientific writings, Trelease published popular botanical and gardening books, such as 'Plant Materials of Decorative Gardening' in nineteen seventeen and 'Winter Botany' in nineteen eighteen. His legacy continues, with Trelease Hall at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign named in his honor, reflecting his lasting impact on the field of botany.