James A. Murray

James Murray (1923–1961) was an organic chemist at the University of Otago. He was the first twentieth-century lichenologist in New Zealand.

Career James Murray worked at the University of Otago in Dunedin as a senior lecturer in chemistry. He revised the New Zealand lichens within the Coniocarpineae, Peltigeraceae, Teloschistaceae among others, as well as lichens from the Antarctic and Subantarctic regions.

After his death, his lichen specimens (over 10,000), notes and papers were donated to University of Otago and Peter James was seconded in 1962 to curate the collection. Murray's work on the natural products of lichens contributed to developments in this area and also became important to definition of genera in the Lobariaceae. He died in a car accident on 24 June 1961.

Publications Murray was the author or co-author of scientific publications about organic chemistry and lichens. Some of his most significant were:

James Murray (1959) Studies of New Zealand Lichens. I—The Coniocarpineae Transactions of the Royal Society of New Zealand 88 (2) 177 - 195 James Murray (1960) Studies of New Zealand Lichens. II—The Teloschistaceae Transactions of the Royal Society of New Zealand 88 (2) 197 - 210 James Murray (1960) Studies on New Zealand Lichens Part III.–The Family Peltigeraceae Transactions of the Royal Society of New Zealand 88 (3) 381 - 399 James Murray (1962) Keys to New Zealand lichens. Part 1. Tuatara 10 (3) 120 - 128 (published posthumously) James Murray (1963) Keys to New Zealand lichens. Part 2. Tuatara 11 (1) 46 - 56 (published posthumously) James Murray (1963) Keys to New Zealand lichens. Part 2. Tuatara 11 (2) 98 - 109 (published posthumously)