Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Moore, David
MOORE, DAVID (1807–1879), botanist, born at Dundee in 1807, was brought up as a gardener. In 1828 he migrated to Ireland and became assistant to Dr. James Townsend Mackay [q. v.] in the Dublin University botanic garden. He thenceforward spelt his name Moore instead of Muir, thinking that his Scottish origin might thus be less noticed in Dublin, where Moore is a common native surname. All his publications appear under this name, and his original designation is only known from his own verbal statement. He worked hard at botany, and in 1838 was appointed director of the botanic garden at Glasnevin, co. Dublin, a post which he held till his death. He kept the garden in a high state of efficiency and gave all the help in his power to students. He published numerous papers in the 'Phytologist' (1845, 1852, 1854, 1857), in the 'Natural History Review' (vols. vi. and vii.), in the 'Dublin University Zoological and Botanical Proceedings' (1863), in 'Leeman's Journal of Botany' (1864, 1865), in the 'Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy,' and in other scientific periodical publications. He worked chiefly at mosses and hepaticæ, and published in 1873 a ' Synopsis of Mosses,' and in 1876 a 'Report on Hepaticæ' (Proceedings of Royal Irish Academy). In 1866 he published, with Mr. Alexander Goodman More, an English botanist settled in Ireland, 'Contributions towards a Cybele Hibernica, being Outlines of the Geographical Distribution of Plants in Ireland,' a laborious work of great value, which was begun in 1836, when he thoroughly investigated in the field the flora of the counties of Derry and Antrim for the ordnance survey. His last work was a description of a new species of Isoetes, which he called after his friend More (Journal of Botany, 1878, p. 353). He died at Glasnevin 9 June 1879.
[Memoir in Journal of Botany, 1879; Ordnance Survey of the County of Londonderry, vol. i. 1837; information supplied in 1867 by Mr. A. G. More; personal knowledge.]