Charles B. Heiser papers, 1936-2007
A Guide to his Papers at the Indiana University Archives
Finding aid prepared by Ashley Zengerski
Summary Information
Repository
Indiana
University Archives
1320 East Tenth Street
Herman B Wells Library E460
Bloomington, IN 47405-7000
Phone: 812-855-1127
Email: archives@indiana.edu
http://www.libraries.iub.edu/archives
Creator
Heiser, Charles B. (Charles Bixler), 1920-
TitleCharles B. Heiser papers, 1936-2007
Collection No.
C473
Extent
16.6 cubic feet (18 boxes)
Language
Materials are primarily in English.Some are in Spanish,
Russian,
Japanese,
German,
Hungarian,
Latin, and
French.
Abstract
Charles B. Heiser was a Distinguished
Professor Emeritus of Botany at Indiana University and considered to be an authority on
capsicum, tortora and gourds. The collection consists of his research and
correspondence.
Access Restrictions
Collection is open for research. Advance notice required.
Biographical Note
Charles "Charley" Heiser, born in 1920 in Cynthiana, Indiana, was a Distinguished
Professor Emeritus of Botany at Indiana University. He received his undergraduate and
master's degrees from Washington University in St. Louis in 1944, and his PhD from the
University of California at Berkeley in 1947. Heiser joined the faculty at Indiana
University in 1947.
During his professional career, Heiser served as president of the American Society of
Plant Taxonomists, vice president of the Society for the Study of Evolution and as a
council member for the Society of Economic Botany.
A distinguished scholar, Heiser received a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1953 and was named a
NSF Postdoctoral Fellow in 1962. Additionally, Heiser was elected to the National
Academy of Sciences, a prestigious distinction given only to the top scholars in the
field. In honor of this accomplishment, a portrait of Heiser was hung in Indiana
University’s Indiana Memorial Union. Other awards include the New York Botanical
Garden's Henry Allan Gleason Award and the American Society of Plant Taxonomists Asa
Gray Award.
Heiser was considered to be an authority on a variety of plants including capsicum,
tortora and gourds. He also published a number of books written for both scholars and
people without botanical experience, most notably "Seeds to Civilization" "Weeds in My
Garden" and "Nightshades: The Paradoxical Plants."
Dr. Heiser retired from Indiana University in 1986, and died in 2010.
Arrangement
The collection is organized into two series: Research and publications and
Correspondence. The Research and Publications series is further organized into nine
subseries: Gourds, Seed to civilization, Of plants and people, Solanum, Sunflower,
Capsicum, Tortora, Weeds and General.
Scope and Content Note
The Heiser papers are organized into two series: Research and publications and
Correspondence. The Research and publications series is further organized into nine
subseries, based on the particular publication or research project: Gourds, Seed to
civilization, Of plants and people, Solanum, Sunflower, Capsicum, Tortora, Weeds and
General.
The Gourds (1946-1994, undated) subseries of the Research and publications series
consists primarily of manuscripts and research for Heiser's publication, "The Gourd
Book." Contents of the book are focused on the different varieties, geographic locations
and uses of gourds. Heiser also performed a significant amount of research on a specific
type of gourd, the luffa. Publications, research and correspondence on luffa are also
located in this subseries.
The Seed to civilization (1954-1998, undated) subseries consists of Heiser's research,
photographs and correspondence relevant to his book titled "Seed to Civilization."
Several plates and manuscript proofs are located in oversize boxes.
The next subseries, Of plants and people (1962-1991, undated), contains photographs and
research for the various components of Heiser's book of the same title. Correspondence
regarding the contract and production of the book can be found in the "Publication
Correspondence" folder.
The Solanum (1945-2007, undated) subseries of the Research and publications series
contains research on the varieties of solanum, with the focus on collecting publications
of colleagues on the subject. Correspondence, mostly regarding seed requests, can also
be found in this subseries.
The Sunflower (1944-1990, undated) subseries consists primarily of research-related
photographs and planting data on the varieties of helianthus.
The next subseries in Research and publications, Capsicum (1947-2002, undated), consists
primarily of research on the various varieties of capsicum and correspondence with
colleagues. Heiser served as a consultant for the McIlhenny Company (the makers of
Tabasco sauce) regarding species identification of their main ingredient, and records of
correspondence are located in this subseries.
The Tortora (1945-1993) subseries of the Research and publications series contains
research on the Latin American region and utilization of the thick tortora plant stems
to construct boats and mats.
The Weeds (1950-2005, undated) subseries consists primarily of copies of drafts for
Heiser's book on weeds. There are a few files containing research on the different
species, locations and uses of weeds.
The final subseries in the Research and publications series, General (1947-2005,
undated) contains research files for smaller publications, collections of seeds, and
general resources on botany.
The Correspondence (1936-2007, undated) series contains letters to and from Heiser's
colleagues. Many of the files contain several decades of communication and may thus
include details about Heiser's personal life. Frequent correspondents include botanist
Edgar Anderson as well as former students and botanists Gregory J. Anderson and Barbara
Pickersgill. The files are arranged alphabetically by last name.
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Indexing Terms
-
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
IUCAT, the IU Libraries' online
catalog. Materials about related topics, persons or places can be found by searching the
catalog using these terms.
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Separated Material
Oversize sketches and figures are located in the Archives flat file drawer B1 (storage
room). One small box of seeds in envelopes and tobacco seeds stored in Archives
memorabilia cabinet.
Photographs Pulled
Most of the photographs in the collection relate to Heiser’s research and remain within
the collection. Random photos were pulled and are stored with the Archives Photograph
Collection:
- Series: Research and Publications
- Subseries: Capsicum
- Folder: Capsicum varieties research
- Image of Dylan Hardy Brown, 9 months, from the family of W. Hardy
Eshbaugh.
- Series: Correspondence
- Folder: Misc. correspondence 1978
- Image of Jack Humbles
- Series: Correspondence
- Folder: Personal correspondence
- Images of two pet dogs.
- Series: Correspondence
- Folder:Long, Robert 1953-1977
- Image of Helianthus grosseseratus 0827 samples, taken in 1957
- Series: Correspondence
- Folder:Long, Robert 1953-1977
- Image of Robert Long in 1975
- Series: Correspondence
- Folder: Anderson, Edgar 1960-1972, 1992
- 10 photos
- Series: Correspondence
- Folder: Anderson, Edgar 1945-1958
- 6 images of sunflowers taken along railroad tracks in Jefferson, Iowa
- Series: Correspondence
- Folder: Humbles, Jack 1960-1992
- Image most likely taken by Jack at Flagstaff in 1992
- Series: Correspondence
- Folder: Humbles, Jack 1960-1992
- Image of Jack's lodging/gardens where he spent a few months teach in Kasugai,
Japan in 1986
- Series: Correspondence
- Folder: Anderson, Edgar 1936-1944, undated
- Image from a Christmas card given to Charles by Edgar. Photo is of the
Taxonomic Symposium.
- Series: Correspondence
- Folder: Coleman, James
- Image of Claudia (James' daughter) and Percilio's wedding in June 1985 in Do
Rio Preto. Brazil.
Photos from the Retirement binder, 1986 folder in the Correspondence series:
Charles Heiser
Gregory Anderson
Peter Bretting
Donald Burton
Jeff Doyle
William Emboden
Hardy Eshbaugh
John Furlow
Don Gordon
Gustav Hall
Jack Humbles
Don Hudson
Ray Jackson
Eugene James
Susan Kephart
David Kramer
William Martin
Robert Neher
Alvin Reeves
Dale Smith
Jorge Soria
Edward Schilling
Warren Stoutamire
Andrew Torres
Susan Verhoek
Hugh Wilson
Willard Yates
Related Material
Additional publications and research materials may be accessed in
IUScholarworks.
Related photographs may be available in the
University Archives
Photographs Database.
Administrative Information
Acquisition Information
Accession 2002/039, 2007/156
Usage RestrictionsThe donor(s) of this collection have transferred their copyrights for the materials
to the Trustees of Indiana University through a Deed of Gift. For more information,
please contact the Indiana University Archives staff.
The Indiana University Archives respects the intellectual property rights of others
and does not claim any copyrights for non-university records, materials in the public
domain, or materials for which we do not hold a Deed of Gift. Responsibility for the
determination of the copyright status of these materials rests with those persons
wishing to reuse the materials. Researchers are responsible for securing permission
from copyright owners and any other rights holders for any reuse of these materials
that extends beyond fair use or other statutory limitations.
Digital reproductions of archival materials from the Indiana University Archives are
made available for noncommercial educational and research purposes only. If you are
the copyright holder for any of the digitized materials and have questions about its
inclusion on our site, please contact the Indiana University Archivist.
Preferred Citation
[Item], Charles B. Heiser papers, Collection C473, Indiana University Archives,
Bloomington.
Provenance
Gift of Charles Heiser to the University Archives in 2002 and 2007.
Appraisal
Some of the correspondence files contained student records. These records were
removed and destroyed.
Processing InformationProcessed by Ashley Zengerski.
Completed in 2014.
Container List
Series:
Box 1
Research and publications,1944-2007,
undated
Subseries:
Gourds,1946-1994,
undated
American Gourd Society publications,1962-1993
(3 folders)
Bottle gourd,1970-1975,
undated
(2 folders)
Bottle gourd article,1970-1975
Bottle seeds,
Africa,1965-1969
Americas,1967-1968
Asia,1968-1971
Pacific,1968-1971
Decorated gourds,1967-1975,
undated
Drafts, undated
Flora,1946-1975
Folklore, undated
Gourd Book correspondence,1977-1992
(2 folders)
Gourd Book manuscript,1978-1979
(4 folders)
Box 2
Gourd Book manuscript,1978-1979
Gourd Book outline and notes, undated
Gourd notes,1969,
undated
The Gourd Show,1975-1989
Gourds as penis sheaths,1962-1975
(2 folders)
Images for Gourd Book,1975-1978,
undated
(4 folders)
Japanese gourds,1967
Lagenaria,1964-1972
Lagenaria photos, undated
Lagenaria siceraria,1970-1973
Luffa,1973-1993,
undated
American species,undated
Correspondence: India,1980-1982
Maps, undated
Miscellaneous correspondence,1993
Notes,1981-1986,
undated
(2 folders)
Operculata,1984-1986
Paper: figures, undated
Photos, undated
Planting list,1973-1986
Publication,1985-1987
Publication correspondence,1979-1987
Research, undated
(2 folders)
Box 3
Research proposals,1979-1981
Seed requests,1978-1981
Species,1980
Sponges, undated
Miscellaneous correspondence,
1975-1976
1975-1976
Musical instruments, undated
Photographs and negatives, undated
(2 folders)
Planting record,1966
Popular resources,1967-1992
Religion, undated
Research,1970-1990
Research data,1968,
undated
(2 folders)
Research proposals,1973,
1975
Tree gourd,1975
Wax gourd,1971
See also oversize box 16
Subseries:
Box 4
Seed to civilization1954-1998,
undated
Book reviews,1972-1981
(2 folders)
Coconut,1968-1971
Corn research,1954-1969
Corrections,1973
Domestication of animals,1966-1970
Domestication of plants,1959-1970
Drafts, undated
(3 folders)
Fertility, undated
First fruits, undated
Food science research,1970-1971
Frazer, undated
Grains,1970-1979
Hunger,1971-1979
Legumes,1970,
undated
Modern food issues,1968-1998
Mythology,1965-1978
New edition,1980-1989
Nutrition and food supply,1969-1972
Origin of planting,1975-1980
Permission for images,1972-1980
Photographs and negatives,1973,
undated
Photographs for second edition, undated
Box 5
Seed to Civilization proofs, undated
Publication correspondence,
Images,1972-1980
General,1972-1980
Research notes, undated
Sacrifice, undated
Science and energy,1978-1979
Search for publisher,1971-1972
Textbook use, undated
See also oversize boxes 16 and 17
Subseries:
Box 5
Of plants and people 1962-1991,
undated
Book reviews,1985-1988
Choco,1981-1983
Choco,1983,
undated
Gourds,1982-1984
Honey locust, undated
Images for book, undated
Manuscript, undated
(2 folders)
Naranjillo,1981,
undated
Nutrition info, undated
Peperomia,1983,
undated
Pepino and tomate, undated
Box 6
Peppers, undated
Publication correspondence,1983-1991
Quinoa,1979-1983
Sangorache,1962-1983
Sumpweed, undated
Tortora,1974-1979
Subseries:
Box 6
Solanum 1945-2007,
undated
Chloroplast DNA,1993-1994
Cocona and naranjilla,1989-1991
Comments on articles,1963-1972
Economic botany,1984
Electrophoretic inquiry,1987-1988
Miscellaneous correspondence,
1981-1982
1984
1985
1987
1989-1990
1994-1995
2000-2002
2002-2004
2005-2006
2006-2007
Naranjilla conference,1982-1984
NSF grant,1985
Origin of s. lasiocarpum and s. repandum,1986
Origin of s. quitoense,1970,
undated
Pepino,1963-1964,
undated
Photographs, undated
Planting data,1963-1972
(2 folders)
Research,1964-1992
Box 7
Research notes,1966-1970,
undated
Research proposals,1965-1988,
undated
Seed collection information, undated
Seed requests,1967-1986
Seminars,1989-1990
Solanum hybrids,1988-1992
(3 folders)
Solanum publications,1961-1981
Solanum quitoense research data,1968
S. reparandum data,1989
Stadler symposium,1991
USDA permits,1980-1989
Wonderberry,1945,
undated
Subseries:
Box 7
Sunflower 1944-1990,
undated
Book reviews,1976-1986
CMS sunflower,1960-1982
Indian cultivated sunflowers,1945-1950
Indian reservations,1946,
undated
Modern cultivated sunflowers and breeding,1944-1947
Photos and negatives, undated
(3 folders)
Planting lists,
1946-1949
Box 8
1950-1959
1960-1969
1970-1979
Perennial sunflowers,1954-1990
Research proposals,1958-1984
Sunflower publications,1947-1966
(2 folders)
The Sunflower figures, undated
The Sunflower images,1980,
undated
(3 folders)
Subseries:
Box 8
Capsicum 1947-2002,
undated
A.T. Hunziker correspondence,1948-1959
C. annum research,1947-2002
C. ulupica paper, undated
Capsicum abstracts and reprints of translations, undated
Capsicum varieties research,5147-1991
(6 folders)
Capsicum varieties research oversized,1951-1991
Comments on publications,1967-1980
Comments on "Domestication of Capsicum",1970-1971
Costa Rica and Ecuador article and research,1957,
undated
Costa Rica research data,1953,
undated
Box 9
Cytogenetics,1961-1990
Distribution, undated
(2 folders)
Isabel Kelly correspondence,1949-1959
Janet Long Solis manuscript,1983-1985
Jean Andrews correspondence,1991
Jean Andrews manuscript,1991
Latin and South American correspondence,1948-1976
Locations and herbarium citations,1956-1959
Miscellaneous correspondence,1953-1957
National Pepper Conference,1978-1994
Paul Smith correspondence,
1947-1949
1950-1952
1953-1955
1956-1957
1958-1963
1964,
1967
Paul Smith South American pepper notes, undated
Peppers to plant,1974-1979
Philomena Kuriachan,1976-1977
Photographs, undated
Philip Miller, undated
Popular resources,1951-1998
(2 folders)
Publication correspondence,1966-1995
Publications,1948-1964
Research data,1954-1980
Research data on pepper hybrids,1977
Research proposals,1965-1979
Seed collection information,1960-1975
Seed germination,1978
Seeds planted,1954-1968
Seed requests,1958-1978
Solanacae,1950-1987
Box 10
Some like it hot draft,1963
undated
South American capsicum notes,1979
Tabasco correspondence,1953-1989
(2 folders)
Tobasco – 100 year Monograph History,1968
Taxonomic studies,1967-1988
T.V. Ramana correspondence,1961
Subseries:
Box 10
Tortora 1945-1993
Boating,1945-1993
Easter Island,1974-1984
Latin America,1949-1970
Miscellaneous Correspondence,
1969-1984
1976-1976
Research notes, undated
Research proposals,1975-1977
Scirpus notes,1974
Scirpus research,1943-1979
Tortora publication,1976-1977
Tortora research,1974
Subseries:
Box 10
Weeds 1950-2005,
undated
Book promotion and reviews,2003-2005
Canadian weeds 1994,
undated
Carrot, undated
Correspondence,1994-2001
Drafts,
March 2001
July 2001
June 2001
Handwritten, undated
Edible weeds,1992-2002
Final copy,November
2001
Box 11
Geography,1950-1992
Grasses,2000
Illustrations,2001
Invasive species,1995-2001
Latin America,1974-1976
Old introduction, undated
Original manuscript,1992
Pages removed from book, undated
Popular resources,1985-2002
(3 folders)
Reference lists, undated
Research,1998-2002,
undated
Research notes, undated
Reviewer's comments, undated
(2 folders)
Seminar on weeds,1994
Subseries:
Box 11
General 1947-2005,
undated
Box of seeds and leaves,
(seeds stored separately, see above and Box 19)
Box OS3
Sketches and figures,
(stored in Archives flat file drawer)
Box 11
Barbara Pickersgill articles,1998-2005,
undated
Book reviews of Nightshades,1970-1975
Drafts, author unknown, undated
Events,2001-2007
General publications,1947-1989
General research,1967-1990
Honey locust,1968-1993
(2 folders)
Medicinal properties of plants,1971
(2 folders)
Nightshades,1968-1971
Origin of Cultivated Plants publication,1969
Topiary in Tulcan,1981-1985
Series:
Box 11
Correspondence 1936-2007,
undated
Anderson, Edgar,
1936-1944,
undated
1945-1958
Box 12
1948-1968
1960-1972
1992
Anderson, Gregory,
1968-1980
1979-1990
1982-1998
1994-2002
Avers, Charlotte,1952-1984
Bretting, Peter,
1976-1990
1987-2002
Blum, Kurt,1963-1966
Burton, Donald,1961-1981
Carter, Annetta,1946-1967
Clevenger, Sarah,1952-1976
Clewell, Andre,1957-2001
Coleman, James,1961-1988
(2 folders)
Constance, Lincoln,1946-1993
Coons, Patricia,1968-2001
(2 folders)
Davidson, John,1946-1985
Doyle, Jeff,1976-2000
Dunn, Mary Eubanks,1983-2001
Box 13
Elliot, Fred,1947-1948
Emboden, William,1958-1979
Eshbaugh, Hardy,1960-2000
Eubank, Lois,1947-1950
Fisher, T. Richard,1954-2000
Flack, Virginia's retirement,1985
Gastony, Gerald,1980-2001
Gordon, Don,1966-1986
Gates, Burton,1960-1961
Hall, Gustav,1960-1985
Haskett, Jane,1961
Haufler, Christopher,1968-1978
Hicks, Louella,1945-1950
Holm, Richard,1945-1963
Hudson, Don,1980-1994
Humbles, Jack,1960-2001
Jackson, Ray,1955-2000
Johnson, Lewis,1979-1998
Jones, Gene,1967-1999
Kephart, Susan,1979-2000
Kramer, David,1961-1963,
2000
Long, Robert,1953-1977
Martin, William,1957-1992
McVaugh, Rogers,1956-1961
Matz, Charles,1966-1972
Mason, Herb,1945-1961
Meyers Meagher, Martha,1947-1949
Miscellaneous correspondence,
1978
1990-1992
1990
1991
Box 14
1992
1995-1996
1997-2001
Neher, Robert,1956-1971
Nelson, David,1966-1974
Personal correspondence,1944-1995
Pickersgill, Barbara,
1961-1967
1967-1971
1968-1969
1970-1971
1972-1974
1976-1977
1982-1991
1993-1997
1997-1999
2000-2002
2002-2007
Rothwell, Norman,1952-1972
Reeves, Alvin,1959-1979
Retirement binder,1986
Schilling, Edward,1975-1998
Shalucha, Barbara,1975-1986
Shinner, L.H.,1948-1962
Box 15
Smith, Dale,
1950-1959
Soria, Jorge,
1954-1985
1993-2001
Soltis, Doug,1980-1983
Storbeck, Tim,1984-1997
Stoutamire, Warren,1954-1977
Torres, Andrew,1949-2001
Tucker, John,1947-1962
Verhoeck, Susan,1966-1987
Vogelmann, Jim,1981-1985
Wagner, Herb,1946-1973
Walter, Dirk,1967-1974
Walton, Hugh,1979-1992
2000
Weatherwax, Paul,1958-1959
Weber, William,1946-1959
Whitaker, Thomas,1947-1969
Wirjodarnogo, Hartono,1960-1965
Woodson, Robert,1946-1963
Yates, Willard,1960-1978
Yatskievych, George,1986-2001
Zarate, Sergio,1987-1989
Oversized materials
Box 16
From Research and Publications
Seed to civilization
Plates, undated
(4 folders)
Box 17
From Seed to civilization
Plates, undated
Plates not used, undated
(2 folders)
Proofs, undated
Box 17
From Gourds
Images for Gourd Book, undated
Box 18
From General Subseries, 1947-2005,
undated
Box of seed samples for his “Variation in the Bottle Gourd” chapter
in
Tropical Forest Ecosystems in Africa and South
America: A Comparative Review
,1973