Wollaston, Elise Margaretta   (1922 - 2012)

Born in 1922; died on 1 Sept 2012, apparently in Victoria since her funeral was held at Queenscliff Cemetery, Point Lonsdale on September 7, 2012.

Got her high-school 'Leaving Certificate' in South Australia in 1937.

Worked in Bryan Womersley's phycology lab in the Botany Dept, Adelaide University from at least the 1960s and completed her PhD in the University of Adelaide, Dept. of Botany, in 1966.

Her PhD thesis was titled 'Morphology and taxonomy of southern Australian genera of Crouanieae Schmitz (Ceramiaceae, Rhodophyta)'

She was a an active member of the SA Field Naturalists and Was the primary 'instructor' for the Field Naturalist's 'Botany Club' throughout the 1960s, perhaps longer.

In 1960 she untertook a research trip in the ship 'Magga Dan' to Macquarie Island as part of the first team of women permitted to research in the Antarctic. (along with Isobel Bennett, Hope Macpherson & Ann Savours)

Around 1970 she married field naturalist Gordon Gardiner and together they did a lot of trips together, especially in arid Australia.

Collections

Her early collections are mostly algal, related to her phycology work with the University of Adelaide.

Her later collections reflect her time with Gordon Gardener and his interest in Angiosperms.

Most of her collections are under the name 'Wollaston, E.M.' but about 94 appear to have the collector 'Gardener, E.' as collector.

She is honoured in the algae name:
Acrothamniopsis eliseae Athanasiadis & Kraft 1996
Eponomy: "Named to honour 'Dr Elise Wollaston, for her contribution to the taxonomy of ceramiaceous algae."

Source: Extracted from:
Pers.Comm: M.Fagg (2025)
The Advertiser (Adelaide), Sat 8 Jan 1938, Page 21, Adelaide Leaving Examination 1937.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/3750501?keyword=Wollaston,%20Elise%20Margaretta
https://www.algaebase.org/search/species/detail/?species_id=2297
Geelong Advertiser, 7 Sept 2012, Death Notices
https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/items/1574642 Museums Victoria Item MM 15325
Portrait Photo: 1960, Museums Victoria (above) "on board the 'Magga Dan'".

Collecting localities for 'Wollaston, E.M.' from AVH (2025)

Data from 501 specimens

Collecting localities for 'Gardener, E.' from AVH (2025)

Data from 94 specimens