Third book for Chch botanist

Press, 3 June 1989, Page 9

Third book for Chch botanist

By JENNY LONG A Christchurch botanist and octogenarian, Dr Elizabeth Flint, is working towards publication of her third book. Dr Flint is co-author — with an American botanist who is 83 — of a book on freshwater algae. Dr Flint said yesterday that she was the “junior author,” and privileged to have the experience of working with Dr Hannah Croasdale. Dr Flint has been awarded a Prince and Princess of Wales science award, administered by the Royal Society of New Zealand, which will enable her to travel to the United States later this year to complete the third volume with Dr Croasdale.

The two botanists have spent many years studying desmids, a freshwater algae which gave valuable clues about water quality. Many of the desmids live only in water which is of good quality. Dr Flint has worked to identify the desmids and water in which they exist. On several occasions when local authorities have wanted to put effluent into lakes, the botan-

ists have given evidence which has helped to stop the proposal. Dr Flint said desmids had been studied since the early 1800 s, at first by amateurs who were attracted by the beauty of their shape and their deep green colour. Dr Flint, who completed her degree at Canterbury College in the early 19305, later travelled to England, doing her doctorate at the University of London.

On her return to New Zealand, she worked for the Soil Bureau of the D.S.I.R.

Now she works from an office in the Botany Division at Lincoln. The division has supported the research and the publication of Dr Flint’s work. The volumes by Dr Flint and Dr Croasland are part of a series on the flora of New Zealand.

Dr Flint would like to see more young people take up botany, especially freshwater algae, as a career.

“There are not many jobs now, but there will be more, as people realise that they must look after the environment.”