Alma Holland Beers

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Alma Holland Beers (January 10, 1892 – October 31, 1974) was an American botanist and the first woman botanist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She collected plants, co-authored publications, and made botanical illustrations. Beers worked closely with Dr. Williams Chamber Coker and Nancy Eliason, sharing plant collecting and authorship. She became known as the backbone of UNC's Department of Botany after Coker recruited her in 1917 for her careful laboratory work. In botanical citations, the author abbreviation Beers is used for her name.

Beers was born in Moore County, North Carolina. Over a 33-year career, she served as Executive Director of the Journal of the Elisha Mitchell Scientific Society from 1946 to 1951. She was skilled in Latin and French and helped translate literature for the faculty. In UNC mycology, she co-authored The Boletaceae of North Carolina (1943) and The Stipitate Hydnums of the Eastern United States (1951), showing important contributions to Coker’s lab. She provided detailed drawings and illustrations for these volumes, which reviewers praised for their precision.