Ann Wylie

Ann Philippa Wylie (12 April 1922 – 27 December 2024) was a New Zealand botanist. She was an associate professor at the University of Otago before her retirement in 1987.

Early life and family Wylie was born in Wellington on 12 April 1922, the daughter of surgeon David Storer Wylie, who survived the sinking of the SS Marquette in 1915, and his second wife, Isobel Edith Wylie (née Daplyn). She was educated at Nga Tawa Diocesan School near Marton, and went on to study at the University of Otago.

Wylie began working at the Wheat Research Institute at Lincoln in November 1946, carrying out experimental and statistical work. Also in 1946, Wylie was awarded a postgraduate science scholarship by the University of New Zealand, to fund two years of overseas study. Wylie was completing her honours degree in the Department of Botany at the University of Otago when Professor John Holloway retired suddenly through ill health. Alongside Betty Batham, Margaret Cookson and Brenda Shore, Wylie took up teaching to keep the department going. Wylie submitted her master's thesis, titled Vascular anatomy of New Zealand's malvaceous trees in 1945, while resident in St Margaret's College.

Wylie went to the University of London in 1947, and then lectured at the University of Manchester. Returning to New Zealand, she worked in the Department of Botany at the University of Otago, setting up courses on cytology and genetics, and teaching both zoology and botany students.

In an interview given in her nineties, Wylie recalled that "women were well accepted in zoology and botany and she did not experience prejudice, though she also notes that women lecturers behaved as ‘honorary men’; it was they who had to adapt rather than the men."

Wylie rose to associate professor before retiring in 1987. She celebrated her 100th birthday on 12 April 2022,

Selected works