David John Galloway, BSc MSc PhD DSc Otago FRGS FLS FRSNZ (1942–2014)

David John Galloway was born in Invercargill on 7 May 1942. He died in Dunedin on 6 December 2014 after a short illness.

In life this distinguished, accomplished and productive man was widely acknowledged as one of the world's most productive lichenologists of our time (Arvidsson 2007). At the time of his death he had well over 300 publications to his name, many as first or sole author (Dickinson & Breitwieser 2015; appendix 1). Further, as a lichen taxonomist and systematist, he had introduced six lichen genera, and named more than 250 new species and/or combinations (Dickinson & Breitwieser 2015; appendix 2). Recognition also came through the 21 taxa named in his honour (Dickinson & Breitwieser 2015; appendix 2). It must be said, however, that although lichens might have driven Dr Galloway's fascination of science, his contributions go way beyond scientific enquiry. He was a consummate scholar and polymath with considerable knowledge of music, particularly the classical and operatic repertoire that inspired—not least those for which he had a very personal and abiding connection—as well as botanical history. His level of recall was legendary.

David attended Surrey Park School, Invercargill from 1947–1950, then Waihopai School, Invercargill 1950–1954, and Southland Boys’ High School from 1955 to 1959. By all accounts at an early age and with the encouragement of some teachers, particularly Gordon Martin, his chemistry teacher, David developed what was to become a life-long interest in lichens. David's enthusiasm led him to further studies at the University of Otago. Here he gained his BSc in 1963, his MSc in 1965, and his PhD in 1972, all in biochemistry. During these times of study he was also an Assistant Lecturer in Biochemistry from 1965 to 1968 and a Fellow and Tutor at Knox College, a residential college affiliated to the University of Otago, from 1963 to 1965. Indeed, he maintained enduring links with the University of Otago throughout his career not only through his research but also through his ongoing commitment to its affiliate, Knox College, to which he was later appointed Quinquennial Fellow in 2006.

In 1969, David was appointed as a Scientific Officer in the Applied Biochemistry Division of the then Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) in Palmerston North, transferring to the Botany Division DSIR at Lincoln in 1973. Three directors of Botany Division facilitated David's secondment to the Department of Botany, British Museum (Natural History) in London from 1973 to 1982, where he worked towards the Flora of New Zealand Lichens alongside Peter James, a lichenologist with interests in the southern hemisphere. In 1982 David was appointed to the position of Senior Research Fellow, Department of Botany, British Museum (Natural History) in London. This position lasted until 1987. David studied numerous collections in working towards the Flora of New Zealand Lichens. This monumental contribution changed southern hemisphere lichenology, being published in its first edition in 1985 (Galloway 1985). There, for the first time, was a comprehensive account. David knew the volume's limitations—it covered perhaps 60% of the actual lichen flora—and he was the first to acknowledge these. However, he was motivated to make available a working flora, as a basis for future work.

In 1987 David became Principal Scientific Officer and, from 1990 until 1994, Head of Lichen/Bryophyte Division, Environmental Quality Programme, Department of Botany, Natural History Museum, London. During this period based in London, he held many positions including President (1987–1992) and, from 1996, Honorary Life President of the International Association for Lichenology (IAL), Vice President of the British Lichen Society (1993–1994) and various roles in support of the scientific journals in his discipline.

David and his wife Patricia returned to New Zealand in late 1994 and, in 1995, he joined the Crown Research Institute, Landcare Research—Manaaki Whenua, as a member of their Biosystematics of New Zealand Plants Programme. This part-time appointment extended to 2008 upon his ‘retirement’. During this period, David described his contributions as: ‘Specialising in systematic, environmental and ecological problems in Pacific lichenology with particular reference to the lichen mycobiotas of New Zealand, Australia, Chile and Malaysia; and to questions of lichen biodiversity, the role of lichens in high altitude grasslands, in temperate forest ecosystems, and to lichen biogeography, and history'. As part of Landcare Research's plant systematics programme, he worked on the revision of the first edition Flora of New Zealand Lichens (Galloway 1985) with the second edition published in two volumes in 2007 (Galloway 2007), at the same time being made available online on the day it was launched.

David ‘retired’ in 2008 but continued working with Landcare Research—Manaaki Whenua as a Research Associate. In this capacity he worked on corrections, changes and additions to the lichen flora, the lichen bibliography, name updates, checklists, and an updated key to the genera, with the aim of making this information available as part of the eFlora, with production scheduled for later in 2015. To these already significant contributions, add his commitment to the Hewitson Library at Knox College through his presidency of the Knox College Library from 2008; his considerable involvement with various symposia and conferences, not least those focusing on Carl Linnaeus (August 2007), Charles Darwin (September 2009), John Buchanan (November 2012) and Fred Acharius (August 2013); and the many talks, discussions and field excursions that David was well known and valued for.

David Galloway's immense contributions have been commemorated in a number of ways during his life, not least through a 603-page compendium paying him tribute on the occasion of his retirement at the age of 65 (Kärnefelt & Thell 2007). His considerable contributions to lichenology and lichenologists worldwide, and the esteem with which he was (and is) held, were recognised in the form of numerous awards and accolades by his peers. These included being awarded the degree of Doctor of Science (DSc) in Botany by the University of Otago for published original contributions of special excellence in 1988, being elected Fellow of the Linnean Society of London (FLS) in 1991, Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand (FRSNZ) in 1998, and his election as Foreign Member of the Royal Society of Arts and Sciences in Gothenburg, Sweden, in 2011. He was awarded the prestigious Acharius Medal (International Association for Lichenology) in 2008 for lifetime achievement in lichenology and the Royal Society of New Zealand's Hutton Medal for excellence in plant sciences in 2010.

David loved his science, he loved the natural world, and he liked people, of all ages and backgrounds. Indeed he was a prolific correspondent. He was able to inspire and relate not only to academics and specialists in his field but others too, a feature that was valued by many people, young and old, over the course of his life.