Person
Warcup, John Henry (1921 - 1998)
- Born
- 29 October 1921
Auckland, New Zealand - Died
- 15 May 1998
Adelaide, South Australia, Australia - Occupation
- Mycologist
Summary
John Warcup was internationally recognised for he research on soil basidiomycetes, their ecology, and their symbiotic associations with plants. He undertook highly original studies of the mycorrhizal relationships of the families Orchidaceae, Myrtaceae, Casuarinaceae, Mimosaceae and Asteraceae. Contested by other mycologists, his view that an ectomycorrhizal association did not need a complete mantle or Hartig Net on the rootlet was ultimately accepted. In later research he made significant contributions to the taxonomy and biology of the teleomorphs of species of Aspergillus and Penicillium. He is probably best known as the person who grew underground orchids (Rhizanthella species) from seed. Warcup published over 70 papers, many acknowledged as landmarks in their field. The genera Warcupia (family Pyronemataceae) and Warcupiella (family Trichocomaceae) were named in his honour.
Details
Chronology
- 1942
- Education - BSc, Canterbury University College, New Zealand
- 1944
- Award - Postgraduate scholarship, University of New Zealand
- 1944
- Education - MSc, Wellington University College, New Zealand
- 1949
- Education - DPhil, University of Cambridge
- 1949 - 1951
- Career position - Mycologist, Botany Department, British Forestry Commission
- 1951 - 1986
- Career position - Senior Microbiologist, Department of Plant Pathology, Waite Agricultural Research Institute
- 1986
- Life event - Retired
- 1996
- Award - Award of Honour, Australian Orchid Foundation
- 1996
- Award - Centenary Fellow, British Mycological Society
- 1997 - 1998
- Career position - Patron, Australasian Mycological Society
Related entries
Published resources
Journal Articles
- Parbery, D. G., 'Obituary John Henry Warcup (1921 - 1998)', Australasian plant pathology, 27 (2) (1998), 130. Details
- Parbery, D. G.; and Robertson, N.F., 'Obituary: John Henry (Jack) Warcup: 29 October 1921 - 15 May 1998', Mycologist, 13 (1) (1999), 48-9, https://doi.org/10.1016/s0269-915x(99)80092-5. Details
- Simpson, J. A., 'Obituary: Jack Warcup', Australasian mycologist, 17 (2) (1998), 43. Details
- Warcup, J. H., 'The ecology of soil fungi', Transactions of the British Mycological Society, 34 (3) (1951), 376-99, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0007-1536(51)80065-2. Details
- Warcup, J. H., 'Specificity of mycorrhizal associations in some terrestrial Australian orchids', New phytologist, 70 (1) (1971), 41-6, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8137.1971.tb02507.x. Details
- Warcup, J. H., 'Ectomycorrhizal associations of Australian indigenous plants', New phytologist, 84 (4) (1980), 531-5, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8137.1980.tb00768.x. Details
- Warcup, J. H., 'The mycorrhizal relationships of Australian orchids', New phytologist, 87 (2) (1981), 371-81, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8137.1981.tb03208.x. Details
- Warcup, J. H., 'Rhizanthella gardneri; its Rhizoctonia endophyte and close association with Melaleuca uncinata in Western Australia', New phytologist, 99 (2) (1985), 273-80, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8137.1985.tb03656.x. Details
Resources
- 'Warcup. John Henry (1921 - 1998)', Award of Honour, Australian Orchid Foundation, Yarra Glen, Vic., 2024, https://australianorchidfoundation.org.au/jack-warcup-aoh/. https://australianorchidfoundation.org.au/award-of-honour/. Details
See also
- Fagg, Murray, 'Warcup. John Henry (1921 - 1998)', Australian Plant Collectors and Illustrators, Council of Heads of Australian Herbaria (CHAH), 2010, https://www.anbg.gov.au/biography/warcup-john-henry.html. Details
Helen Cohn
Created: 13 March 2025