Artwork, undated

The artwork consists of two sequences of watercolor illustration. First are original works by Edward C. Volkert and Mary E. Eaton for the series “Illustrations of Fungi” published with accompanying descriptions by Murrill in Mycologia (1909-22). There are 10 plates (1910-15) by Edward C. Volkert, seven (1916-19) by Mary E. Eaton, and four (1909-10) of uncertain origin (possibly Mrs. Murrill). The latter are watercolor treatments of photographs taken by F. C. Berte. For detailed information see “Index to Illustrations of Fungi I-XXII” 1908 Mycologia 8(1): 47-51, and “Subject Index,” Mycologia Index, Vols 1-58, 1909-1966, p. 977. There are four additional plates by Mary Eaton, one for the Reference Handbook for the Medical Sciences.

There are eight folders of watercolor illustrations (approximately 300 items) of American, Mexican, and Caribbean fungi composed by (1) Edna Lee Lutrell Murrill, wife of W. A. Murrill; (2) Esther J. Skehan Earle, wife of Franklin S. Earle; and (3) Bertha Fanning Taylor, wife of Norman Taylor. Murrill and Earle collected fungi in the Caribbean from 1902 to 1910. On one occasion, in 1905, the two mycologists collected together in Cuba. One packet of watercolors labeled “Mrs. Taylor” is the result of a collecting expedition made by the Taylors to the Dominican Republic in 1909 (see Journal of the NYBG, 1910, 11:3-15). The artwork has been removed and is housed with the NYBG Art & Illustration Collection #44. Note that many Murrill vouchered specimens found in the NYBG Herbarium are often accompanied by original watercolors attached to the specimen sheets.