Cargill, Dale Christine   (née Pike)   (1957 - )

Born in South East Gippsland, Victoria in 1957.

Moved about during school years as her father was in the RAAF. Lived mainly in Victoria, but also spent time in NSW and Malaysia.

Obtained Honours degree in Botany at Monash University, in 1978.

Fell in love with bryophytes in third year of University when completing a project on the bryophytes of Wyperfeld National Park in northwestern Victoria. Continued studies in bryophytes for honours year, working on the spectacular moss Hypnodendron in the Dandenong Ranges near Melbourne.

After completing tertiary education, worked as a laboratory assistant in a Melbourne secondary college, later becoming a technician and research assistant to the well-known Australian bryologist Dr George A. M. Scott at Monash University.

Began work with George on one of the liverwort groups, Fossombronia, changing her direction from mosses to liverworts. Following George Scott's move to Melbourne University, she took up a position as a technician in the First Year Biology Laboratories at Monash University, eventually taking on the position of senior tutor for one year and then supervisor of the lab. During this time she still continued her research work on the liverworts, later branching out into the hornworts after receiving an ABRS grant to revise the group for Australia.

In 1997, she moved her family to the United States of America to complete a PhD at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale in Illinois. Completed her postgraduate degree in 2001 concentrating on a revision of the suborder Fossombroniineae for Africa, Southwest Asia and the subcontinent of India.

Took up the position of Curator of the Cryptogam herbarium for the Australian National Herbarium, situated in the Australian National Botanic Gardens in Canberra after returning from the States in 2001.

Continuing her studies into the hornworts of the Australasian region in a collaborative project with colleagues in the United States, as well as continuing work on particular groups within the liverworts.

She is interested in biological soil crusts so it was apt that she embarked on the taxonomy and systematics of the extremely species rich family of Ricciaceae. The genus Riccia, with plants that usually form rosettes on disturbed soils, in semi-arid and arid environments are currently the focus of her attention.

She retired from the Australian National Herbarium at the end of 2024, but continues her research there in an honorary capacity.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
B. Sc. (Hons): Dept. of Botany
Major: Botany
Honours Thesis: The biology of Hypnodendron vitiense and H. spininervium.

Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL. USA
Ph. D at SIUC; completed January 2001, graduated May 2001
Dissertation: A taxonomic revision of Fossombronia and Sewardiella, suborder Fossombroniineae (Marchantiophyta, Metzgeriidae), within the continent of Africa, southwest Asia and the sub-continent of India.

CAREER HISTORY:

2001-2024: Curator of Cryptogams, Australian National Herbarium, Canberra. Australia.

2001 (Sept.-Nov.) Acting Herbarium Curator, Australian National Herbarium, Canberra, Australia

1999: Teaching Assistant in Plant Diversity, Dept. Plant Biology, SIUC. IL

1995-96: Supervisor of Teaching Laboratory, 1st Year Biology. Dept. of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology. Monash University, Victoria. Australia

1992-94: Half-time Supervisor of Teaching Lab. / Half-time Research Assistant Dept. of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology. Monash University.

1991: Senior Tutor - First Year Biology. Dept. of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology. Monash University.

1988-90: Technical Officer Grade B. Dept. of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology. Monash University.

EARLY RESEARCH:

A worldwide monograph of the hornworts (Anthocerotophyta): the phylogeny, classification, and insights into early morphological adaptations to existence on land. (2001 onwards)

A taxonomic revision of the genus Asterella for Australia.

A taxonomic revision of the sub-order Fossombroniineae within the continent of Africa, southwest Asia and the sub-continent of India. (1997-2001)

A taxonomic revision of the Australian Anthocerotales (hornworts) concentrating in particular on spore ornamentation and linking this to vegetative characters. Funded by ABRS (1992-96)

Research assistant for Dr. George A.M. Scott. A taxonomic revision of the Australian members of the liverwort genus Fossombronia Raddi. Funded by ABRS and a Monash Special Research Grant. (1981-1986)

SOME RESEARCH GRANT AWARDS:

CSIRO Summer Research Studentship for the project, "The hornwort genus Megaceros: the Australian connection.", Summer 2002/2003.

CSIRO Summer Research Studentship for the proposal "Are there more than one species within the Asterella drummondii complex of the NSW region?", Summer 2001/2.

Ozment Research Grant Award for the proposal, "Can the rDNA ITS region in conjunction with spore characters define species within the simple thalloid liverwort species complex, Fossombronia foveolata Lindb.?" for the amount of $800, Spring 1999.

Illinois State Academy Graduate Research Grant for the proposal, "The Fossombronia foveolata Lindb. complex: A re-investigation of spore characters", Fall 1999.

Joint Women's Studies and University Women's Professional Advancement Juried Competition award for the proposal, "A taxonomic revision of the sub-order Fossombroniineae within the continent of Africa, southwest Asia and the sub-continent of India", Fall 1999.

Australian Biological Resources Study research grant for the proposal," A taxonomic revision of the Anthocerotales for Australia", 1992-1994.

Australian Biological Resources Study research grant
'The phylogeny and taxonomy of Australian members of the liverwort genus Riccia'
Term: three years
Approval date: 5 March 2020

Source:
Pers.Comm. Christine Cargill 2003
Pers.Comm. Josephine Milne (2024)
Portrait Photo: 2003 M.Fagg, ANBG Photo Collection

Collecting localities for 'Cargill, D.C.' from AVH (2025)

Data from 2,226 specimens