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Bernard Lowy (1916–1992) papers

 Collection
Identifier: HIBDARC-0296

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of a wide variety of documents pertaining to Bernard Lowy’s life and career. The bulk of the collection is correspondence, including handwritten and typed letters and postcards to and from Lowy. There are also many scientific articles included in the collection, both those written by Lowy and those sent to Lowy for editing and review. These often exist in multiple forms, including typed drafts, camera-ready documents, and reprints from publication. These are accompanied in many cases by film and photographs of figures included in the article, as well as related correspondence. A third considerable subset of the collection is Lowy’s lecture notes, which are both handwritten and typed, and typically organized by subject or by class name. Other miscellaneous documents in the collection include travel documentation, conference programs, and newspaper and magazine clippings.

Dates

  • Creation: 1949–1990

Biographical / Historical

Bernard Lowy (1969–1992) was a mycologist and professor at Louisiana State University, starting as Associate Professor of Botany in 1951 and continuing until he retired as Professor Emeritus of Botany in 1980 (although he continued to teach after his retirement). His major works include studies on Tremelalles of South America, as well as his ethnomycological work studying “mushroom stones” and the use of fungi in indigenous Mesoamerican cultures. As of 1980, he had “A new subclass, 4 new genera, 40 new species, and 5 new varieties or combinations of fungi published in national and foreign journals” (from Curriculum Vitae of Bernard Lowy, Box 1 Folder 1). He also founded the Bernard Lowy Myological Herbarium in 1954 at LSU, which houses a “world-wide collection of tremellaceous fungi” (lsu.edu/herbarium/history/bernard-lowy.php).

Extent

12 Linear Feet (8 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Title
Guide to Bernard Lowy (1916–1992) papers
Author
Christi Thomas
Date
3/6/2026
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation Archives Repository

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