Alexey Konstantinovich Skvortsov (Ru:Алексе́й Константи́нович Скворцо́в) (9 February 1920 – 8 May 2008) was a Soviet botanist and biologist, a specialist on amentiferous plants—willows (

Salix Willows, also called sallows and osiers, from the genus ''Salix'', comprise around 400 speciesMabberley, D.J. 1997. The Plant Book, Cambridge University Press #2: Cambridge. of typically deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist so ...

), poplars (

Populus ''Populus'' is a genus of 25–30 species of deciduous flowering plants in the family Salicaceae, native to most of the Northern Hemisphere. English names variously applied to different species include poplar (), aspen, and cottonwood. The we ...

), and birches (

Betula A birch is a thin-leaved deciduous hardwood tree of the genus ''Betula'' (), in the family Betulaceae, which also includes alders, hazels, and hornbeams. It is closely related to the beech-oak family Fagaceae. The genus ''Betula'' contains 3 ...

) as well as plants of the evening primrose family (

Onagraceae The Onagraceae are a family of flowering plants known as the willowherb family or evening primrose family. They include about 650 species of herbs, shrubs, and trees evolutionary biology Evolutionary biology is the subfield of biology that studies the evolutionary processes (natural selection, common descent, speciation) that produced the diversity of life on Earth. It is also defined as the study of the history of life fo ...

, and

Darwinism Darwinism is a scientific theory, theory of Biology, biological evolution developed by the English naturalist Charles Darwin (1809–1882) and others, stating that all species of organisms arise and develop through the natural selection of smal ...

Career

A botanist of vast erudition, Skvortsov was a surveyor and contributor to many regional

floras Flora is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring (indigenous) native plants. Sometimes bacteria and fungi are also referred to as flora, as in the terms '' gut flora'' or '' skin flora''. E ...

and a tireless collector of plant specimens. He collected at least 80,000 plant samples while walking across nearly all of the Soviet Union including the most remote regions of Russia and adjacent republics. He traveled in many other countries, including Northern and Central Europe, the United States, India, and China. The establishment of the

Herbarium A herbarium (plural: herbaria) is a collection of preserved plant specimens and associated data used for scientific study. The specimens may be whole plants or plant parts; these will usually be in dried form mounted on a sheet of paper (called ...

at the Main Botanical Garden in Moscow as a world-class depository with a vast foreign exchange program is largely due to Skvortsov's efforts. He also made additions to the living collection of the Main Botanical Garden. His approach toward botany and evolution inspired him to undertake experimental work in plant introduction. Together with a team of colleagues and students, he successfully worked on domesticating and improving the taste of blue

honeysuckles Honeysuckles are arching shrubs or twining vines in the genus ''Lonicera'' () of the family Caprifoliaceae, native to northern latitudes in North America and Eurasia. Approximately 180 species of honeysuckle have been identified in both conti ...

(''Lonicera'' Section ''Caerulea''). He also developed a cultivar of an apricot hardy in Moscow. Skvortsov played a role as a conservation advocate proposing and facilitating the establishment of a new national park in his homeland,

Kaluga Oblast Kaluga Oblast (russian: Калу́жская о́бласть, translit=Kaluzhskaya oblast) is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative center is the city of Kaluga. The 2021 Russian Census found a population of 1,069,904. G ...

and

Smolensk Oblast Smolensk Oblast (russian: Смоле́нская о́бласть, ''Smolenskaya oblast''; informal name — ''Smolenschina'' (russian: Смоле́нщина)) is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative centre is the city of ...

of Central European Russia. He cared about the natural heritage of his country, but also about preservation of the Russian language. He spoke out for high language standards in scientific publications.

Legacy

A.K. Skvortsov is commemorated in the naming of the following plants: *''Festuca skvortsovii'' E. Alexeev *''Salix alexi-skvortsovii'' A.P. Khokhr. *''Legousia skvortsovii'' Proskur. *''Circaea x skvortsovii'' Boufford *''Potamogeton skvortsovii'' G.Yu. Klinkova *and others.

References

External links

Alexey Konstantinovich Skvortsov (Biographic Essay). Translated and compiled by I. Kadis

"Remembering Alexei K. Skvortsov – A Flora of China Author and Visiting Botanist" by Anthony R. Brach

Six articles by A.K. Skvortsov, translated

Willows of Russia and adjacent countries. Alexey K. Skvortsov 1968, translated 1999

Career

Legacy

References

External links

Further reading