Merritt Lyndon Fernald was born in Orono, Me. on Oct. 5, 1873. His father taught and was for a while president of the Maine State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, which later became the University of Maine. Fernald began his college studies at the State College in 1890; in February, 1891, Sereno Watson offered him a position at the Gray Herbarium that would allow him to work and study part-time at Harvard. Fernald accepted in March, 1891, and enrolled in Harvard's Lawrence Scientific School the following fall. He graduated with an S.B. in 1897 and remained at the Gray Herbarium in one capacity or another for the rest of his life. He worked as an assistant in the herbarium from 1891 to 1902; as an instructor of botany from 1902 to 1905; as an assistant professor from 1905 to 1915; and as Fisher Professor of Natural History from 1915 to 1947. He was also curator of the Gray Herbarium, 1935-37, and director, 1937-1947.

Fernald is known for his work on phytogeography. He combined extensive field work with his herbarium work, concentrating on the flora of eastern North America. He did much exploring in Quebec in his younger years; when older, he worked in Virginia. With Benjamin Lincoln Robinson he produced the 7th revision of Gray's Manual, which appeared in 1907. He wrote Edible Wild Plants of Eastern North America with Alfred C. Kinsey, published in 1943. His major work was the 8th revision of Gray's Manual, published in 1950. Before his death, he was planning "a large work on plant distribution." (A.S. Pease) During his lifetime he produced over 750 papers and memoirs. He was active in the New England Botanical Club, serving as editor-in-chief of Rhodora for many years.

Fernald married Margaret Howard Grant in 1907. They had three children, one of whom died young. Fernald died on Sept. 22, 1950.

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