In Memoriam: Natalie Whitford Uhl, 1919-2017

Natalie Uhl, the Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium Professor Emerita at Cornell University, died from pneumonia on March 28 at a hospital in Georgia. She was 97 years old.

Dr. Uhl was an expert in the anatomy of the palm family of plants. She was a graduate of Rhode Island College and earned a master’s degree in 1943 and a Ph.D. in 1947 at Cornell University.

After raising a family with her husband Charles Uhl, a professor of plant biology at Cornell, Natalie returned to the laboratory in 1964 where she became a leading authority on tropical palm anatomy and morphology. In 1979, Dr. Uhl was named editor of the journal now known as Palms. She held that post for 21 years.

Dr. Uhl retired from teaching in 1987 but continued her research and supervised graduate students. In 2002, she was awarded the Asa Gray Award from the American Society of Plant Taxonomists.