June McCaskill, who spent nearly 40 years as curator of the University of California, Davis, herbarium, died on May 9 following a heart attack. She was 70. McCaskill built a reputation as an expert in identifying weeds, advising physicians, veterinarians, farmers and environmentalists as well as aiding police investigations. In 1971, her identification of weeds on grave sites helped the investigation into the murder of 25 field hands near Yuba City. She regularly worked with the California Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory to identify poisonous weeds and was a co-author of the Grower's Weed Identification Handbook. "Everybody loved her," said Ellen Dean, the current director of the John M. Tucker Herbarium at UC Davis. "She was a really knowledgeable, much honored person." John Tucker, director of the herbarium from 1949 to 1986, described McCaskill's appointment as the best decision he ever made. "Her expertise came to be valued up and down the state," he said. She became widely and affectionately known as "the Weed Lady," said Tucker. "She was very generous of her time, very helpful with anyone who asked," Tucker said. She developed lifelong friendships with students working at the herbarium, who would send her postcards and letters from around the world. McCaskill was a founding member of the Davis Herbaria Society, now the Davis Botanical Society, and an active member of the Friends of the Arboretum. As trips organizer for the Friends she organized visits to countries including Costa Rica, Canada and New Zealand. She enjoyed gardening and travel. In 1989, she recorded her experiences with plants and people for the regional oral history office at the Bancroft Library, UC Berkeley. In 1991, McCaskill was honored with the Award of Distinction from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, the highest honor bestowed by the college. McCaskill was born in Altadena and raised in Pasadena, California, where her father ran a camellia nursery. A camellia variety, the "June McCaskill," was named after her by her father. She began work at the UC Davis herbarium in 1953 after graduating from Mills College, and retired in 1991. She is survived by a brother, Jack McCaskill, and sister, Betty Lee Sample, who both live in Pasadena. Her parents, Vern and Billie McCaskill, are both deceased. A memorial service is planned and details will be announced later. Donations can be made to the UC Davis Arboretum, or to the UC Davis herbarium building fund, Division of Biological Sciences, c/o Ellen Dean. Editor's Note: a photograph of June McCaskill is available. Contact Andy Fell for details.