Ferguson, Margaret Clay (1863-1951)

US botanist. She made important contributions as a teacher and administrator. Studying plant genetics, she worked particularly on the genus Petunia.

Her early work focused on the life history and reproductive physiology of a species of North American pine. Turning to Petunia, she analysed the inheritance of features such as petal colour, flower pattern, and pollen colour, and built up a large database of genetic information.

Ferguson was born in Orleans, New York State, and educated at Wellesley College and Cornell University, her studies interspersed with schoolteaching. She taught at Wellesley 1893-1938, becoming professor 1906. Ferguson's department became a major centre for botanical education.