Helen M. Gilkey Papers, 1907-1974
Gilkey, Helen Margaret, 1886-1972
2 cubic feet

Drawing of truffles (tuberales) by Helen M. Gilkey. Gilkey was an expert on fungi, the subject of several of her scientific publications, and an accomplished scientific illustrator. Her master's thesis at Oregon Agricultural College (1911) was titled "Oregon Mushrooms," and in 1939 she published Tuberales of North America. [OSU Archives - Helen M. Gilkey Papers.]





Scope and Content Note

The papers consist of letters from various colleagues around the U.S. and other persons, usually wishing to have a plant identified or a copy of one of her books; scientific illustrations, many drawn by Gilkey; Greenhouse, Herbarium, and Botany Department histories; notes and notebooks giving detailed descriptions of botanicals, especially fungi; newspaper columns on weeds; 3 radio scripts; and copies of publications about botanicals, notably Northwest weeds and subterranean fungi (truffles), including her 1911 master's thesis, "Oregon Mushrooms."


Biographical Note

Helen Margaret Gilkey was born on March 6, 1886, in Montesanto, Washington. She moved with her family to Corvallis in 1903. She received her MA at Oregon Agricultural College in 1911 and her PhD at University of California at Berkeley in 1915. From 1915 until 1918, she worked as a scientific illustrator at Berkeley. Curator of the herbarium at OAC from 1918 until 1951, Gilkey was also a Professor of Botany. She had 44 publications to her credit, 10 on vascular plant taxonomy and 10 on Tuberales. Gilkey died in 1972.


Related Materials

MC-Gilkey, Helen; Herbarium Records (RG 117); Botany and Plant Pathology Department Records (RG 54); Beulah Gilkey Papers; MC-Gilkey, Helen.


Shelf Locations

SR 5/4/4/50-60 (papers)
7/1/2/k (drawings)
2/2/9/21 (photographs)

Inventory

(box 5/4/4/50)

History of Botany and Plant Pathology, @1965
Appreciation letters
Correspondence, A-R, 1910-1974

(box 5/4/4/60)

Correspondence, S-Z, 1910-1974
Grants, 1951-1964:
     Correspondence
     Reports
Greenhouse History & Records, 1919-1960:
     Correspondence
     Greenhouse Committee
     Pamphlet describing greenhouse
Handbook of Northwest Flora correspondence, 1950-1951
Manuscripts, Notes, etc. (5 folders):
     Scientific descriptions of tuberales (handwritten)
     Papers (typed):
          "Taxonomic Notes on Tuberales"
          "Truffles in America" 
          "New or Otherwise Noteworthy Species of Tuberales"
Memorials and poetry, 1959-1973
Newspaper clippings, 1919-1972
Old Notebooks, undated (2 folders):
     "Tuberales"
     Bacteriology class notebook
     Miscellaneous notes
     Poetry about tuberales
"Oregon Mushrooms" thesis, 1911
Oregon State College funding, 1957-1962
Organizations, 1924-1964
Radio Talks:
     Truffles in America, 1932
     Poisonous Plants: How to Recognize Them, 1956
     Untitled, undated
Rhododendron Society, 1954-1960:
     Correspondence
     Illustrations
"Tuberales of North America" manuscript, 1920
Weeds & Poisonous Plants, correspondence, 1952-1964
Handbook of Northwest Flowering Plants, 1936
Weeds of the Pacific Northwest, 1957
Winter Twigs, 1962

(MSS oversize box located 7/1/2/k)

Drawings   View an image of this topic.

(box 2/2/9/21)

Pictures, slides, & negatives of plants

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