Bunbury, Diana Richardson (1811 - 1898)

Born in Ireland, one of six children, to Sir James M. Richardson Bunbury (1781-1851) and Margaret née Moutray (1795-1873).

In 1855, Diana and some members of her family followed a brother, William, to WA. They settled at the residence 'Charterhouse', Picton.

Diana sent seeds to the Glasnevin Botanic Garden, 1859-1872, and collected MEL specimens at Bunbury, Geographe Bay, and Picton, including algae, 1874-1890. MEL specimens probably collected by Mervyn Bunbury at Gascoyne River and Shark Bay have been attributed to Diana, including by Mueller (e.g. MEL1061413, MEL1553162 where Mueller corrects his mistake).

Diana collected the type of Thamnoclonium bunburyense Agardh (1876), named for her. Mervyn Bunbury probably collected the type of Atriplex bunburyanum F.Muell. (1882), named for him.

There are also Diana Bunbury specimens at BM and K ('Miss Bunbury', 1887-1894, 94 specimens).

Along with a 'Mrs Cooper', Diana exhibited a collection of dried flowers from the south-west of the colony in the WA court of the Melbourne International Exhibition, 1880-1881.

Diana never married, and died in WA in 1898 at the age of 87.

One letter from Diana to Mueller survives.

Photo ?: http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/159519340?q=Bunbury%2C+Diana+Richardson&c=picture&versionId=173884789

Source: extracted from: Maroske, Sara and Vaughan, Alison (2014) 'Ferdinand Mueller's female plant collectors: a biographical register', Muelleria Vol.32 [consult for source references]