Ruth Mason
Ruth Mason was a New Zealand botanist specialising in the taxonomy and ecology of freshwater plants.
Mason was born in Auckland, New Zealand, in 1913. She was educated at the University of Auckland where she completed a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science and Master of Science.
In 1939, Mason was appointed to the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research as an assistant botanist. Mason was the first to record Wolffia in New Zealand and her most long-standing research interest was in the freshwater algae commonly known as stoneworts. Her research also included establishing a seed herbarium, and identifying food preferences of moa through gizzard contents.
Due to her extensive fieldwork, Mason pioneered new techniques for plant preservation in the field. Over the course of her career, Mason collected over 13,000 specimens.
She worked at DSIR until her retirement in 1974.
Lucy Moore described Hebe pauciramosa var. masoniae in honor of Mason.
Mason died in Christchurch in 1990.
