Simmons, Marion Helen (née Thompson)   (1927 - 2020)

Born on 20 February 1927; died on 14 April 2020.

She was a Tasmanian artist and the the leader of the Society for Growing Australian Plants' Acacia Study Group.

She was a member of the Launceston Art Society, attended the Launceston Field Naturalists' Club.

Both she and her husband John were Life Members of that Club and of the Australian Plant Society, Tasmania.

She was also a member of the Australian Conservation Foundation and the Tasmanian Conservation Trust.

For many years she and her husband John travelled extensively throughout Australia, collecting, photographing and sketching Australian flora, particularly acacias.

She produced several books on flora identification and at least two volumes of 'Acacias of Australia' showcasing her line illustrations of wattles.

She was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia on 26th of January, 2004, with the citation "For service to botany, particularly through the identification, documentation and promotion of 'Australian acacias'."

Acacia simmonsiana O'Leary & Maslin, 2002, (Simmons wattle) was named in honour of Marion and John Simmons.

Source: Extracted from:
https://www.mytributes.com.au/notice/death-notices/simmons-marion-helen-nee-thompson/5398254/
Back dust-jacket flap, M.Simmons Acacias of Australia Vol.2
Launceston Field Naturalists' FaceBook tribute.
Order of Australia citation 26 Jan 2004
Portrait Photo: 2004, AO ceremony, on Launceston Field Naturalists' FaceBook tribute.

Collecting localities for 'Simmons, M.H.' from AVH (2025)

Data from 6,863 specimens