She devoted her life to the study of ferns, and her name is widely associated with the group of flowerless plants.
She attended primary school in New York while her father served as British Ambassador to the United States.
[4] After completing her Doctor of Science at Sydney University in 1964,[5] she was appointed the first principal research scientist at NSW Public Works.
[6] 49 taxon names have been authored by Mary Douglas Tindale[7] and she contributed to ten books on botany.
"Reporting on her career and also preparation, the Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria Australian National Herbarium - Biographical Notes, states that, "She was slapdash with her lipstick but prepared for every eventuality - on one occasion at a grand function, where there wasn't enough light to read the menu, she reached into her bag and got out a magnifying glass and a large torch.