Cowan, Roberta Ann (1954–)
a.k.a. Townsend, Roberta Ann

Born in Victoria in 1954.

Roberta obtained a BSc (Hons) from Melbourne University in 1976, then a PhD from the University of Sydney on the Sporolithaceae (coralline marine algae), and a Graduate Diploma in Information and Library Studies and a Masters of Information Management from Curtin University.

From August 1986, Roberta collected mostly flowering plants, especially Acacia, under the name 'Cowan, R.A.', usually as joint collector with her husband, Richard Cowan.

Roberta was Australian Botanical Liaison Officer (ABLO) at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew in 2002.

Sources:
George, Alex (Ed.),The Australian Botanical Liaison Officer scheme at Kew, 1937–2009, Four Gables Press, Perth, 2023
ORCID profile for Roberta Ann Cowan https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0417-2208

Collecting localities for 'Cowan, R.A.' from Australasian Virtual Herbarium (AVH) (2023)

Data from 165 specimens (specimens collected as 'Townsend, R.A.' are not included)