Scientist: Nancy Adams

A DigitalNZ Story by squiggle_top

Botanist. Born 19 May 1926. Died 27 March 2007. Curator at Dominion Museum (later Te Papa Tongarewa).

Botanist, Scientist, botanical illustrator, artist, seaweed, flora

nancy adams

Internationally recognised, Nancy Adams was a significant contributor to field of botany and botanical illustration. She has two genus and four species named after her, and she has also named several species.

Image: Nancy Mary Adams, artist at the Dominion Museum, working on a painting featuring flowers and ferns

Nancy Adams, botanical artist

Nancy Mary Adams, artist at the Dominion Museum, working on a painting featuring flowers and ferns

Alexander Turnbull Library

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

Nancy Adams, curator and artist

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

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Collecting seaweed, 1943

Collecting seaweed

Collecting seaweed, 1943

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Nancy Adams and the Loder Cup

Nancy Adams received the Loder Cup in 1964

Nancy Adams and the Loder Cup

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Audio

Interview with scientific historian Kate Hannah about Nancy Adams

2019 RNZ interview

NZ Biography: Nancy Adams

Radio New Zealand

Examples of Nancy Adams' botanical illustrations

Image: Thallus of Marchasta bearing archegoniophres. Drawn by Nancy Adams

Thallus of Marchasta bearing archegoniophres. Drawn by Nancy Adams

Victoria University of Wellington

Image: Red seaweeds

Red seaweeds

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Celmisia Coriacea (Otago Mountains)

Celmisia Coriacea (Otago Mountains)

Te Pataka Toi Adam Art Gallery

Image: Forest Scene

Forest Scene

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Seaweeds of New Zealand: an illustrated guide

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: Watercolour illustration of Sargassum seaweed specimens, Plate 39 from 'Seaweeds of New Zealand'

Watercolour illustration of Sargassum seaweed specimens, Plate 39 from 'Seaweeds of New Zealand'

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Watercolour illustration of Cystophora Platylobium seaweed specimen, Plate 43 from 'Seaweeds of New Zealand'

Watercolour illustration of Cystophora Platylobium seaweed specimen, Plate 43 from 'Seaweeds of New Zealand'

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Watercolour illustration of the Landsburgia algae, Plate 46 from 'Seaweeds of New Zealand'

Watercolour illustration of the Landsburgia algae, Plate 46 from 'Seaweeds of New Zealand'

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: Watercolour illustration of seaweed specimens, Plate 50 from 'Seaweeds of New Zealand'

Watercolour illustration of seaweed specimens, Plate 50 from 'Seaweeds of New Zealand'

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Watercolour illustration of Gelidium seaweed specimens, Plate 51 from 'Seaweeds of New Zealand'

Watercolour illustration of Gelidium seaweed specimens, Plate 51 from 'Seaweeds of New Zealand'

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Watercolour illustration of seaweed specimens, Plate 55 from 'Seaweeds of New Zealand'

Watercolour illustration of seaweed specimens, Plate 55 from 'Seaweeds of New Zealand'

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Watercolour illustration of Gigartina seaweed specimens, Plate 63 from 'Seaweeds of New Zealand'

Watercolour illustration of Gigartina seaweed specimens, Plate 63 from 'Seaweeds of New Zealand'

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Wild Flowers in New Zealand

Image: Watercolour illustration of the geranium (Geraniaceae) and nasturtium (Tropaeolaceae) family flowers, Plate 8 from 'Wild Flowers in New Zealand'

Watercolour illustration of the geranium (Geraniaceae) and nasturtium (Tropaeolaceae) family flowers, Plate 8 from 'Wild Flowers in New Zealand'

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Watercolour illustration of the mustard (Cruciferae) and the mint (Labiatae) family flowers, Plate 13 from 'Wild Flowers in New Zealand'

Watercolour illustration of the mustard (Cruciferae) and the mint (Labiatae) family flowers, Plate 13 from 'Wild Flowers in New Zealand'

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Watercolour illustration of the daisy (Compositae) family flowers, Plate 14 from 'Wild Flowers in New Zealand'

Watercolour illustration of the daisy (Compositae) family flowers, Plate 14 from 'Wild Flowers in New Zealand'

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Watercolour illustration of the daisy (Compositae) family flowers, Plate 15 from 'Wild Flowers in New Zealand'

Watercolour illustration of the daisy (Compositae) family flowers, Plate 15 from 'Wild Flowers in New Zealand'

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

New Zealand Native Trees

Image: Watercolour illustration of southern rata (Metrosideros umbellata), Plate 6 in 'New Zealand Native Trees'.

Watercolour illustration of southern rata (Metrosideros umbellata), Plate 6 in 'New Zealand Native Trees'.

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Watercolour illustration of pigeonwood (Hedycarya arborea), Plate 10 in 'New Zealand Native Trees'.

Watercolour illustration of pigeonwood (Hedycarya arborea), Plate 10 in 'New Zealand Native Trees'.

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Watercolour illustration of matagouri (Discaria toumatou), Plate 19 in 'New Zealand Native Trees 2'.; Adams, Nancy

Watercolour illustration of matagouri (Discaria toumatou), Plate 19 in 'New Zealand Native Trees 2'.; Adams, Nancy

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

Selected illustrations for range of publications

Image: Watercolour illustration of the North Island vegetable sheep (Raoulia rubra), published on page 46 of 'Mountain Flowers in New Zealand'.

Watercolour illustration of the North Island vegetable sheep (Raoulia rubra), published on page 46 of 'Mountain Flowers in New Zealand'.

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Cover design for Mount Cook National Park booklet

Cover design for Mount Cook National Park booklet

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Watercolour of mountain flowers (Myosotis traversii), published on Plate 82 of New Zealand Alpine Plants (1973).

Watercolour of mountain flowers (Myosotis traversii), published on Plate 82 of New Zealand Alpine Plants (1973).

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Trees & Mountain berries - Tongariro National Park Handbook - Myrsine nummularia, Dracophyllum recurvum and Hebe tetragona

Trees & Mountain berries - Tongariro National Park Handbook - Myrsine nummularia, Dracophyllum recurvum and Hebe tetragona

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Additional resources

Wikipedia entry: Nancy Adams - Wikipedia [accessed 07 January]
Te Ara entry: Adams, Nancy Mary – Dictionary of New Zealand Biography [accessed 07 January]
Te Papa Tongarewa biography: Biography of Nancy M. Adams | Collections Online - Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa [accessed 07 January]
Te Papa Tongarewa resources: Nancy Adams: Botanist and artist | Te Papa [accessed 07 January]
Royal Society of New Zealand, 150 Women in 150 Words entry: Nancy Adams [accessed 07 January]

This DigitalNZ story created in January 2025.