Brickellia cordifolia and Dr. Lowell David Flyr

I want to set the record straight about the common name, Flyr's Nemesis and Brickellia cordifolia.

    As a species, Brickellia can be found across the United States according to BONAP  http://bonap.net/Napa/TaxonMaps/Genus/County/Brickellia. Brickellia cordifolia has been vouchered only in Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. Florida has listed it as endangered for our state because its range is shrinking. 

    Rarely, and probably only on private land, can one walk into the woods and see dozens of Brickellias blooming in late August to October. More often it is confined to roadsides in the wild. It is easily cultivated and many have added it to their pollinator gardens because Brickellia is a butterfly magnet. Although the flowers are pinkish-purple in color, membership in the aster family give it a resemblance to ageratum (Ageratina aromatica) and mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum). The leaves are similar but the flower heads are smaller.  

    The common name of Flyr's Nemesis, bestowed by the late Dr. Dan Ward, is an unfortunate choice for it has led to the misconception that Texas botanist and taxonomist, Dr. David Flyr, committed suicide because of this plant.

    

    Lowell David Flyr (pronounced "fle-er") was born in Stratford, Texas on November 24, 1937.  Recounting some of David's childhood, Dr. B.L. Turner, University of Texas, Austin, wrote in David's obituary that ". . . his father sitting on a tractor and David right there walking barefoot understanding everything excepting why he'd died when he was four . . . ). Even without his father, David grew up close to the soil, and seeds, and plants.

    Dr. Turner directed David to work more on Brickellia because ". . . nobody really gives a damn but you." David's 1967 paper New names and records in Brickellia (Compositae). Sida 3:252-256 is a result of his work. In reality, David never worked on Brickellia cordifolia, but concentrated on Brickellias in south Texas and northern Mexico. 

    Dr. David Flyr received his undergraduate degree from Southern Methodist University in 1960. During his time at SMU he as a member of Phi Beta Kappa, received the Avella Winn Hay award as an outstanding graduating male student, and received a Research Award from the Dallas Association of Phi Beta Kappa. In 1970 he received his Ph.D. from the University of Texas for his research on Leucophyllum frutescens (Texas sage). He was chosen as a Research Fellow at Harvard University in 1970.

   Lewis Flyr, David's surviving older brother, in personal communication, said that David was picking out songs on the piano as soon as he could reach the keyboard. He played and studied the piano his whole short life. Shortly after arriving at Harvard, he wrote to his brother that his piano had just been delivered and he was anxious to play.

    As revealed in the obituary and communication with Lewis Flyr, David suffered severe depression his entire life. Lewis said that he thought botany held him together until he reached the point when he just could not take it anymore. Today, Lewis thought, David would be diagnosed as bipolar. But in 1970 mental health issues were not as well understood as they are today and the range of medications were not available. David understood his condition and checked himself in for electro-shock treatments to reset his mind on several occasions. But David finally reached a point of such despair that he attempted suicide and was unsuccessful. Lewis wrote that David was then admitted to Woodlawn Hospital in Dallas, where he hung himself on November 2, 1971. Dr. Turner wrote, ". . . dying by his own hand at thirty-three, we wept wondering why?"

   Calling this beautiful plant Flyr's Nemesis does a grave disservice to the plant and to Dr. Lowell David Flyr who was a fine botanist and taxonomist. What he could have contributed to our understanding of the "vegetable tribe" if only he had lived. Help me eradicate the usage of the common name and use Brickell bush instead. I'd be grateful.