Born to George Massee and Emily Jane Aldridge in 1895, she was one of six siblings.[2][3] Her father was a mycologist and was the first president of the British Mycological Society.[4] Massee's most notable contribution to mycology is the illustrations she produced for her father's book British Fungi: with a chapter on lichens. Massee completed forty illustrations for the book on coloured plates.[1]
Massee was also an active collector in the mycological field. During the annual meeting of the Mycological Committee held at North Yorkshire in 1913, she presented a paper on the Genus Mycena along with an array of micro structure illustrations. In this meeting she was proposed to join the committee.[3]
Massee is also recognised as a botanist, as she collected and painted plants. As part of her botany research, she produced a series of poplar illustrations for Augustine Henry which are now at Glasnevin.[5]
