76 



Journal of the Kentucky Academy of Science 66(2) 



menclatural combinations, John wrote 136 

 book reviews, 65 articles for Encyclopaedia 

 Britannica, 46 articles for Encyclopedia Amer- 

 icana, and many popular science articles. 



During his tenure at NKU, John was the 

 author or co-author of five books. His books 

 were entitled: Louisiana Ferns and Fern Al- 

 lies; Aquatic and Wetland Plants of Kentucky; 

 Trees: A Quick Reference Guide to Trees of 

 North America; Assessment and Management 

 of Plant Invasions; and National Audubon So- 

 ciety Field Guide to North American Wild- 

 flowers: Eastern Region. His books continue 

 to serve many audiences, from professional 

 botanists to amateur plant enthusiasts. 



John authored or co-authored with other 

 botanists, 58 refereed journal articles at NKU. 

 He frequently collaborated with younger 

 NKU biology colleagues in research activities 

 and publications. John also generously shared 

 his research interests with current and former 

 undergraduate and graduate students. He did 

 not restrict his research activities to colleagues 

 and students. Indeed, John was a general 

 mentor for botanists from other institutions to 

 pursue research activities in Kentucky and 

 elsewhere. 



His collaborative research with Kentucky 

 botanists ranged from the 150-year chronology 

 of Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) and 

 people, to the history of the medlar (Mespilus 

 germanica), to the invasive spread of Coincya 

 {Coincya monensis) in the eastern United 

 States, to "coffee" from the Kentucky coffee- 

 tree, to new Kentucky plant distribution rec- 

 ords from two of his favorite weedy haunts, 

 Silver Grove Railroad Yard in Campbell Coun- 

 ty and Latonia Railroad Yard in Kenton Coun- 



In the 1980s, John initiated an effort with 

 other Kentucky botanists to produce a manual 

 of the Kentucky flora. Several published con- 

 tributions to that effort resulted, but at a rate 

 too slow to produce a complete state flora. In 

 the mid-1990s, inspired by John's continual 

 encouragement and editorial assistance, Ron- 

 ald L. Jones of Eastern Kentucky University 

 became the author of the Kentucky flora, with 

 other botanists contributing selected group 

 treatments. As Editorial Associate, John 

 worked closely with Ronald over the next de- 

 cade by editing many drafts of the manuscript 

 and contributing the treatment of the grasses. 



In 2005, Jones' comprehensive book. Plant 

 Life of Kentucky, was pubUshed. 



One of John Thieret's crowning achieve- 

 ments was estabhshing the Northern Ken- 

 tucky University Herbarium (KNK) in 1973. 

 As the first Director of the KNK Herbarium, 

 he built the herbarium from his personal col- 

 lections, additions by colleagues and students, 

 and through an active specimen exchange with 

 various national and international herbaria. 

 Currently, KNK has over 35,000 mounted 

 specimens with strong representation from 

 Kentucky, the Southeast, and the Midwest. 

 John's career specimen accession numbers 

 were over 62,000. John accurately identified 

 afl plants deposited into the herbarium and 

 meticulously mounted his own plant speci- 

 mens. The KNK collection has the highest 

 species diversity among Kentucky herbaria 

 collections. Because of his efforts, the KNK 

 herbarium is also the best-curated herbarium 

 in Kentucky. John donated his reference li- 

 brary (over 600 books) to the herbarium. 



John served several significant editorships 

 and advisory roles during his professional ca- 

 reer. He was a Member of the Editorial Board 

 of Economic Botany from 1959-1965, Book 

 Editor of Economic Botany from 1959-1984, 

 Editor from 1986-1990, and Associate Editor 

 from 1992-2005. He was a founding Member 

 of the Editorial Board for the Vascular Flora 

 of the Southeastern United States project 

 from 1981-2005. John served as the Associate 

 Editor of Sida, Contributions to Botany, from 

 1971-2005, and contributed to its exceflence 

 and prestige through dedicated work. Barney 

 L. Lipscomb, current Editor of Sida, Botanical 

 Research Institute of Texas, notes, "John was 

 a towering lighthouse to the editors of Sida. 

 His steadfast editorial 'light' was a never end- 

 ing source of guidance and navigation in keep- 

 ing Sida on a positive course." 



During 1983-2005, one of John's most sig- 

 nificant roles was as a Member of the Editorial 

 Committee of the monumental multi-volume 

 project, Flora of North America North of Mex- 

 ico. John edited the first 10 pubfished volumes 

 and prepared 25 family and generic treat- 

 ments. He also was an Advisor in Botany for 

 Encyclopaedia Britannica from 1959-2005 

 and a Member of the Advisory Committee at 

 Lloyd Library in Cincinnati from 1992-2005. 



John loved editing and his ability as an ed- 



