ARTICLE : Tom Moss Student Award In Bryology

 Tom Moss Student Award In Bryology.

Tom Moss, who died recently in Wellington, was a very private man, but members of Wellington Botanical Society and participants in the annual John Child Bryophyte Workshop will remember him for his love of native plants.   His dedication to finding rare and unusual plants is legendary, and species such as Fissidens berteroi and Leptinella nana in the Wellington region will always be associated with him.   Tom was also the finder of the type and only collection of the liverwort Triandrophyllum symmetricum during his wanderings on Hawkins Hill.

Tom was an active member of Wellington Botanical Society from 1967 and became a life member in 1974.   He was a participant in the very first John Child Bryophyte Workshop in 1983.   He helped to organise the second Workshop at Akatarawa in 1984 and attended most years after that until the Kaikoura Workshop of 1993.   He was always keen to encourage students and beginners, and had an unerring eye for plants that he knew were of particular interest to experts.   Above all, he had a wicked sense of humour and an infectious laugh that always endeared him to his colleagues.

To commemorate his name, his contribution to New Zealand botany, and his particular interest in bryology, a Trust Fund has been set up.   Interest from the Fund will be used to provide a small annual prize for the best student contribution to New Zealand bryology.   This will be known as the Tom Moss Student Award in Bryology.   Presentations at the John Child Bryophyte Workshop, or papers published in the previous year and submitted to the awarding Committee prior to the Workshop, will be considered.

The Fund will be administered by Wellington Botanical Society, which already has experience of running a number of similar Funds such as the Jubilee Award and Student Award schemes.   The Society also enjoys a charitable status which means that no tax is paid on accrued interest, and all donations to the Trust Fund are tax deductible.

The Award will be advertised annually by Wellington Botanical Society in association with the John Child Bryophyte Workshop.   The Award will be made by a panel of three appropriate judges appointed by Wellington Botanical Society Committee on the recommendation of the organisers of the John Child Bryophyte Workshop.   The panel may reserve the right to make no award if there are no suitable contributions in any one year.

Contributions to establish the Fund are now invited from all those who knew Tom, or would like to promote the study of bryology in New Zealand.   Cheques should be made payable to Wellington Botanical Society and sent to The Treasurer, Wellington Botanical Society, P.O. Box 10-412, Wellington – along with the information below.

If you would like any further information, please contact Patrick Brownsey, Te Papa, P.O. Box 467, Wellington (or after 6 p.m. on 04 476 4047; or by e-mail patb (at) tepapa.govt.nz).

I would like to make a donation to the Tom Moss Student Award in Bryology.

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All donations are tax deductible.   If you would like a receipt, please provide details of your name and address below.

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