Nancy M. Adams (1926-2007)

A DigitalNZ Story by Sienna Latham

Adams, who joined the Dominion Museum as assistant curator of botany in 1959, contributed to nearly forty botanical publications. She was internationally recognized for her skill as an illustrator, and an exhibition of her work travelled the nation between 2003 and 2006. In 2006/7 Te Papa acquired more than ten thousand of Adams's sketches, watercolors, etchings and other works. This set contains just a small sample of some of her most remarkable pieces. More on Adams here: http://clerestories.com/2012/11/07/remembering-nancy-adams/

botany, trees, native, alpine, seaweed, algae, flowers, wellington, illustration

Image: Nancy Adams, curator and artist, Dominion Museum, Wellington, New Zealand

Nancy Adams, curator and artist, Dominion Museum, Wellington, New Zealand

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Forest Scene

Forest Scene

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Campanulaceae - Lobelia roughii

Campanulaceae - Lobelia roughii

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Spindrift

Spindrift

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Watercolour illustration of Xiphophora seaweed specimens, Plate 36 from 'Seaweeds of New Zealand'

Watercolour illustration of Xiphophora seaweed specimens, Plate 36 from 'Seaweeds of New Zealand'

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Apiaceae - Anisotome haastii

Apiaceae - Anisotome haastii

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Unidentified species

Unidentified species

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Rubiaceae - Nertera scapanioides

Rubiaceae - Nertera scapanioides

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Fabaceae - Corallospartium

Fabaceae - Corallospartium

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Watercolour illustration of a native gentian (Gentiana bellidifolia), first appeared in 'Mountain Flowers of New Zealand'.

Watercolour illustration of a native gentian (Gentiana bellidifolia), first appeared in 'Mountain Flowers of New Zealand'.

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Watercolour illustration of the Dasyclonium, Plate 107 from 'Seaweeds of New Zealand'

Watercolour illustration of the Dasyclonium, Plate 107 from 'Seaweeds of New Zealand'

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: R flavidum

R flavidum

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Watercolour illustration of puriri (Vitex lucens), Plate 32 in 'New Zealand Native Trees 2'.

Watercolour illustration of puriri (Vitex lucens), Plate 32 in 'New Zealand Native Trees 2'.

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Scrophulariaceae - unnamed species

Scrophulariaceae - unnamed species

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Araliaceae - Schefflera digitata

Araliaceae - Schefflera digitata

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Ophioglossaceae - Ophioglossum coriaceum

Ophioglossaceae - Ophioglossum coriaceum

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Caryophyllaceae - Colobanthus acicularis

Caryophyllaceae - Colobanthus acicularis

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Watercolour illustration of Anisotome lanuginosa published in "New Zealand Alpine Plants"

Watercolour illustration of Anisotome lanuginosa published in "New Zealand Alpine Plants"

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Watercolour illustration of Helminthocladia seaweed specimens, Plate 49 from 'Seaweeds of New Zealand'

Watercolour illustration of Helminthocladia seaweed specimens, Plate 49 from 'Seaweeds of New Zealand'

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Pyrrosia serpens

Pyrrosia serpens

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Lycopodium Scariosum

Lycopodium Scariosum

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Gentianaceae - Gentiana concinna

Gentianaceae - Gentiana concinna

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Watercolour illustration of the Iridaea algae, Plate 64 from 'Seaweeds of New Zealand'

Watercolour illustration of the Iridaea algae, Plate 64 from 'Seaweeds of New Zealand'

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Watercolour illustration of the Chordariaceae algae, Plate 16 from 'Seaweeds of New Zealand'

Watercolour illustration of the Chordariaceae algae, Plate 16 from 'Seaweeds of New Zealand'

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Asteraceae - Olearia rani

Asteraceae - Olearia rani

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Gleicheniaceae - Gleichenia dicarpa

Gleicheniaceae - Gleichenia dicarpa

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Watercolour illustration of the buttercup (Ranunculaceae) and dogbane/milkweed (Apocynaceae) family flowers, Plate 7 from 'Wild Flowers in New Zealand'

Watercolour illustration of the buttercup (Ranunculaceae) and dogbane/milkweed (Apocynaceae) family flowers, Plate 7 from 'Wild Flowers in New Zeal...

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Poaceae - Chionochloa australis

Poaceae - Chionochloa australis

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Grossulariaceae - Quintinia acutifolia

Grossulariaceae - Quintinia acutifolia

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Pencil sketch of mountain beech (Nothofagaceae - Nothofagus solandri var. cliffortioides) on a mountain tarn, first appeared in 'Mountain Flowers of New Zealand'.

Pencil sketch of mountain beech (Nothofagaceae - Nothofagus solandri var. cliffortioides) on a mountain tarn, first appeared in 'Mountain Flowers o...

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Ericaceae - Pernettya nana

Ericaceae - Pernettya nana

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Unidentified specimen

Unidentified specimen

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Asteraceae - Raoulia youngii

Asteraceae - Raoulia youngii

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Asteraceae - Haastia recurva

Asteraceae - Haastia recurva

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Watercolour painting of a bearded Iris

Watercolour painting of a bearded Iris

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Orchidaceae - Pterostylis irsoniana

Orchidaceae - Pterostylis irsoniana

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Cordyline indivisa

Cordyline indivisa

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Watercolour illustration of seaweed specimen

Watercolour illustration of seaweed specimen

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Watercolour illustration of Grateloupia seaweed specimens, Plate 70 from 'Seaweeds of New Zealand'

Watercolour illustration of Grateloupia seaweed specimens, Plate 70 from 'Seaweeds of New Zealand'

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Trichomanes reniforme

Trichomanes reniforme

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Glechinia, Lycopodium, lichens and moss

Glechinia, Lycopodium, lichens and moss

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Myrtaceae - unidentified species

Myrtaceae - unidentified species

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Asteraceae - Olearia angustifolia

Asteraceae - Olearia angustifolia

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa