Yuncker, T.G. (Truman George), 1891-1964

T.G. (Truman George) Yuncker (1891-1964) was a taxonomist specializing in Piperaceae especially the Peperomia and Piper genera. He described 839 new species, He wrote the treatment of that family in almost every regional flora published during his lifetime. His earlier studies were on the genus Cuscuta in which he described 67 new species. He did field work in Hawaii, Niue, Samoa, Tonga, Jamaica and Brazil. Yuncker was Professor of Botany at DePauw University, Greencastle IN from 1919 until 1956. He established the Herbarium there with Winona H. Welch. In 1987 that herbarium was transferred to the New York Botanical Garden. Yuncker studied under William Trelease at the University of Illinois. He was married to Ethel Burnett Claflin Yuncker who completed his last work on the Piperaceae of Brazil. They had two daughters, one of whom is Barbara Yuncker, a medical journalist. He died in Greencastle, IN in 1964.

From the description of Truman G. Yuncker papers 1919-1989. (New York Botanical Garden). WorldCat record id: 44155101