Osborne Morton
Encyclopedia
Osborne Morton is a former phycologist in the Ulster Museum
. Morton retired in 2007.
Morton was educated in Belfast and at Trinity College, Dublin
, where he studied Botany
under Professor D.A. Webb. His final year thesis involved research on marine algae
, the interest in seaweed
having developed from childhood curiosity in the seashore. After graduating from Trinity in 1969, he studied at the University of Wales
and obtained a Diploma
in Marine Biology
. His first post was as an Education Officer in Doncaster Museum. However, the interest in marine algae was actively maintained and he returned to Belfast in 1975 as Research Assistant, later Curator
, in Botany with special responsibility for the algae and lichens at the Ulster Museum
. His interests include bird-watching, gardening
and classical music
.
Morton, O. 1976. Marine Algae in Copeland Bird Observatory Report.
Guiry, M.D. and Morton, O. 1976. Schottera nicaeensis (Lamour. ex Duby) Guiry et Hollenberg from Co. Antrim. Ir. Nat. J. 18: 285 - 286.
Morton, O. 1977. A note on W.H.Harvey's algae in the Ulster Museum. Ir. Nat. J. 19: 26.
Morton, O. 1977. Sylvanus Wear's algal collection in the Ulster Museum. Ir. Nat. J. 19: 92 - 93.
Morton, O. 1978. Lemanea
in the north of Ireland. Ir. Nat. J. 19: 205.
Morton, O. 1978. Some interesting records of algae from Ireland. Ir. Nat. J. 19: 240 - 242.
McMillan, N.F. and Morton, O. 1979. A Victorian album of algae from the north of Ireland with specimens collected by William Sawers. Ir. Nat. J. 19: 384 - 387.
Morton, O. 1980. Three algal collections in the Ulster Museum herbarium. Ir. Nat. J. 20: 33 - 37.
Morton, O. 1981. American algae collected by W.H.Harvey and others, in the Ulster Museum Herbarium. Taxon 30: 867 - 868.
Guiry, M.D., Irvine, L.M. and Morton, O. 1981. Notes on Irish marine algae - 4. Gymnogongrus devoniensis (Greville) Schotter (Rhodophyta). Ir. Nat. J. 20: 288 - 292.
Morton, O. and Chamberlain, Y.M. 1985. Records of some epiphytic coralline algae in north-east of Ireland. Ir. Nat. J. 21: 436 - 440.
Morton, O. 1988. Lichens on Lighthouse Island. Copeland Bird Observatory Annual Report for 1986.p.44.
Morton, O. and Chamberlain, Y.M. 1989. Further records of encrusting coralline algae on the north-east coast of Ireland. Ir. Nat. J. 23: 102 - 106.
Morton, O. 1992 Charophyta
. In: Hackney, P. (ed) Stewart and Corry's Flora of the North-East of Ireland. Institute of Irish Studies, Belfast. 419 pp.
Morton, O. 1994. Marine Algae of Northern Ireland. Ulster Museum, Belfast. ISBN 0 900761 28 8
Morton, O. 2003. The marine macroalgae of Co. Donegal, Ireland. Bull. Ir. biogeog. Soc. No. 27: 3 - 164
Ulster Museum
The Ulster Museum, located in the Botanic Gardens in Belfast, has around 8,000 square metres of public display space, featuring material from the collections of fine art and applied art, archaeology, ethnography, treasures from the Spanish Armada, local history, numismatics, industrial...
. Morton retired in 2007.
Morton was educated in Belfast and at Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
, where he studied Botany
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
under Professor D.A. Webb. His final year thesis involved research on marine algae
Algae
Algae are a large and diverse group of simple, typically autotrophic organisms, ranging from unicellular to multicellular forms, such as the giant kelps that grow to 65 meters in length. They are photosynthetic like plants, and "simple" because their tissues are not organized into the many...
, the interest in seaweed
Seaweed
Seaweed is a loose, colloquial term encompassing macroscopic, multicellular, benthic marine algae. The term includes some members of the red, brown and green algae...
having developed from childhood curiosity in the seashore. After graduating from Trinity in 1969, he studied at the University of Wales
University of Wales
The University of Wales was a confederal university founded in 1893. It had accredited institutions throughout Wales, and formerly accredited courses in Britain and abroad, with over 100,000 students, but in October 2011, after a number of scandals, it withdrew all accreditation, and it was...
and obtained a Diploma
Diploma
A diploma is a certificate or deed issued by an educational institution, such as a university, that testifies that the recipient has successfully completed a particular course of study or confers an academic degree. In countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia, the word diploma refers to...
in Marine Biology
Marine biology
Marine biology is the scientific study of organisms in the ocean or other marine or brackish bodies of water. Given that in biology many phyla, families and genera have some species that live in the sea and others that live on land, marine biology classifies species based on the environment rather...
. His first post was as an Education Officer in Doncaster Museum. However, the interest in marine algae was actively maintained and he returned to Belfast in 1975 as Research Assistant, later Curator
Curator
A curator is a manager or overseer. Traditionally, a curator or keeper of a cultural heritage institution is a content specialist responsible for an institution's collections and involved with the interpretation of heritage material...
, in Botany with special responsibility for the algae and lichens at the Ulster Museum
Ulster Museum
The Ulster Museum, located in the Botanic Gardens in Belfast, has around 8,000 square metres of public display space, featuring material from the collections of fine art and applied art, archaeology, ethnography, treasures from the Spanish Armada, local history, numismatics, industrial...
. His interests include bird-watching, gardening
Gardening
Gardening is the practice of growing and cultivating plants. Ornamental plants are normally grown for their flowers, foliage, or overall appearance; useful plants are grown for consumption , for their dyes, or for medicinal or cosmetic use...
and classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
.
Publications
Morton, O. 1974. Marine algae of Sandeel Bay, Co. Down. Ir. Nat. J. 18: 32 - 35.Morton, O. 1976. Marine Algae in Copeland Bird Observatory Report.
Guiry, M.D. and Morton, O. 1976. Schottera nicaeensis (Lamour. ex Duby) Guiry et Hollenberg from Co. Antrim. Ir. Nat. J. 18: 285 - 286.
Morton, O. 1977. A note on W.H.Harvey's algae in the Ulster Museum. Ir. Nat. J. 19: 26.
Morton, O. 1977. Sylvanus Wear's algal collection in the Ulster Museum. Ir. Nat. J. 19: 92 - 93.
Morton, O. 1978. Lemanea
Lemanea
Lemanea is the generic name for an alga of which occurs in the British Isles.There are two species in the British Isles:-* Lemanea fluviatilis C.Ag.* Lemanea fucina Bory...
in the north of Ireland. Ir. Nat. J. 19: 205.
Morton, O. 1978. Some interesting records of algae from Ireland. Ir. Nat. J. 19: 240 - 242.
McMillan, N.F. and Morton, O. 1979. A Victorian album of algae from the north of Ireland with specimens collected by William Sawers. Ir. Nat. J. 19: 384 - 387.
Morton, O. 1980. Three algal collections in the Ulster Museum herbarium. Ir. Nat. J. 20: 33 - 37.
Morton, O. 1981. American algae collected by W.H.Harvey and others, in the Ulster Museum Herbarium. Taxon 30: 867 - 868.
Guiry, M.D., Irvine, L.M. and Morton, O. 1981. Notes on Irish marine algae - 4. Gymnogongrus devoniensis (Greville) Schotter (Rhodophyta). Ir. Nat. J. 20: 288 - 292.
Morton, O. and Chamberlain, Y.M. 1985. Records of some epiphytic coralline algae in north-east of Ireland. Ir. Nat. J. 21: 436 - 440.
Morton, O. 1988. Lichens on Lighthouse Island. Copeland Bird Observatory Annual Report for 1986.p.44.
Morton, O. and Chamberlain, Y.M. 1989. Further records of encrusting coralline algae on the north-east coast of Ireland. Ir. Nat. J. 23: 102 - 106.
Morton, O. 1992 Charophyta
Charophyta
The Charophyta are a division of green algae, including the closest relatives of the embryophyte plants. In some groups, such as conjugating green algae, flagellate cells do not occur. The latter group does engage in sexual reproduction, and motility does not involve flagella, since they are...
. In: Hackney, P. (ed) Stewart and Corry's Flora of the North-East of Ireland. Institute of Irish Studies, Belfast. 419 pp.
Morton, O. 1994. Marine Algae of Northern Ireland. Ulster Museum, Belfast. ISBN 0 900761 28 8
Morton, O. 2003. The marine macroalgae of Co. Donegal, Ireland. Bull. Ir. biogeog. Soc. No. 27: 3 - 164
- Marine Algae of Northern Ireland