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Information About

Adolf Engler




He received the Linnean Medal in 1913. The International Association For Plant Taxonomy (IAPT) established the Engler Medal in his honour in 1986, to be awarded for outstanding contributions to plant taxonomy (see the list of Engler Medal awards ).

The journal '' Englera '' (ISSN 0170-4818) published by the Berlin-Dahlem Botanical Garden , Germany is also named after him. Many genera (in various 'plant' groups) are named in his honour, such as ''Englerastrum'', ''Englerella'', ''Engleria'', ''Englerina'', ''Englerocharis'', ''Englerodaphne'', ''Englerodendron'' and ''Englerophytum''.


BIOGRAPHY

Adolf Engler was born on March 25 1844 in Sagan, Prussia , now Żagań , in western Poland as "Heinrich Gustav Adolf Engler", and died in Berlin , Germany , on October 10 1930 ).

He studied and obtained a Ph.D. from the University Of Breslau (now Wrocław , Poland) in 1866. After some years of teaching he became, in 1871, custodian of botanical collections of the Botanische Institute der L.M.U. München ( Botanical Institute Of Munich ), remaining there until 1878, when he accepted a professorship at the University Of Kiel , wherein he stayed until 1884 teaching Systematic Botany. Also in 1878, Engler was elected into Leopoldina , German Academy of Natural History. He went back to Breslau in 1884, as director of the Botanical Garden, succeeding Goeppert , and appointed professor of Botany at University of Breslau. From 1889 to 1921 Engler was professor at University Of Berlin , and director of the Berlin-Dahlem Botanical Garden , transforming it in one of the greatest botanical gardens of the world.

He visited several regions of the world, enlarging the knowledge of floristic distribution, especially of Africa.


WORKS


Plant Taxonomy Works

Besides the important works in General Plant Taxonomy, he had also expertise in some taxa as '' Saxifraga '', Araceae , Burseraceae and others.

Adolf Engler collaborated with several other great botanists, including with Alphonse De Candolle on the ''Monographiae Phanerogamarum'' (Monographs of flowering plants), and C.F.P. Von Martius on the monumental work '' Flora Brasiliensis '' (Flora of Brazil ).

He founded the Journal '', Germany, which has continued in publication since 1881 until today.
  • '' Die Natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien '' (The natural plant families), edited with Karl A. E. Von Prantl , with the collaboration of many notable experts, 1887-1915, 23 volumes. This enormous series is one of the very few detailed works (since Linnaeus) to attempt the classification of 'plants' from algae to flowering plants, and constitues an invaluable work. A second, incomplete edition is being produced (starting in 1924, latest release 1995 by Duncker und Humblot Verlag, Berlin) .

  • '' Das Pflanzenreich '' (The plant kingdom), with the collaboration of many notable experts, 1900-1968. This is a monographic series on the plant kingdom that is presently incomplete .

  • '' Syllabus Der Pflanzenfamilien '', in the 12th ed., edited by H. Melchior & E. Werdermann, with the collaboration of many notable experts, 1954-1964. This is the most recent summary of the Engler System and gives descriptions of the higher taxonomic levels. In two volumes .



Phytogeographic Works

He was one of the pioneers in this field of science, highlighting the importance of factors like geology on biodiversity, and defined Biogeographical Regions in 1879.


SEE ALSO



REFERENCES

  • Lack, Hans Walter: Botanisches Museum Berlin: Adolf Engler- Die Welt in einem Garten (The world in one garden). Prestel, München, Germany, 2000. ISBN 3791323156