Pierre Edmond Boissier (25 May 1810

Geneva Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaki ...

– 25 September 1885

Valeyres-sous-Rances Valeyres-sous-Rances (, literally ''Valeyres under Rances'') is a municipality in the district of Jura-Nord Vaudois in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. Geography Valeyres-sous-Rances has an area, , of . Of this area, or 81.6% is used for a ...

) was a

Swiss Swiss may refer to: * the adjectival form of Switzerland * Swiss people Places * Swiss, Missouri * Swiss, North Carolina *Swiss, West Virginia * Swiss, Wisconsin Other uses *Swiss-system tournament, in various games and sports *Swiss Internation ...

prominent

botanist Botany, also called , plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany" comes from the Ancient Greek wo ...

, explorer and mathematician. He was the son of Jacques Boissier (1784-1857) and Caroline Butini (1786-1836), daughter of Pierre Butini (1759-1838) a well-known physician and naturalist from Geneva. With his sister, Valérie Boissier (1813-1894), he received a strict education with lessons delivered in Italian and Latin. Edmond's interest in natural history stemmed from holidays in the company of his mother and his grandfather, Pierre Butini at

. His hikes in the Jura and the

Alps The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Sw ...

laid the foundation of his zest for later exploration and adventure. He attended a course at the Academy of Geneva given by

Augustin Pyramus de Candolle Augustin Pyramus (or Pyrame) de Candolle (, , ; 4 February 17789 September 1841) was a Swiss botanist. René Louiche Desfontaines launched de Candolle's botanical career by recommending him at a herbarium. Within a couple of years de Candol ...

. Edmond Boissier collected extensively in Europe, North Africa and western Asia, on occasion accompanied by his daughter,

Caroline Barbey-Boissier Caroline Barbey-Boissier (4 August 1847, in Geneva – 18 January 1918, in Pregny-Chambésy) was a Swiss botanist, author and translator. She was the daughter of botanist Pierre Edmond Boissier Pierre Edmond Boissier (25 May 1810 Geneva – ...

(1847-1918) and her husband,

William Barbey William Barbey (1842–1914) was a Switzerland, Swiss botanist and politician. William Barbey was born on 14 July 1842 at Genthod in the canton of Geneva. He studied science at the Academy in Geneva and then engineering at the École Centrale de ...

(1842-1914), who collected in their own right for their ''Herbier Barbey-Boissier'' in Geneva. Edmond Boissier covered countries such as France, Greece, Italy, Norway,

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...

, Spain,

Balearic Islands The Balearic Islands ( es, Islas Baleares ; or ca, Illes Balears ) are an archipelago in the Balearic Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. The archipelago is an autonomous community and a province of Spain; its capital is ...

, Switzerland,

Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , relig ...

, Egypt,

Libya Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya bo ...

, Armenia,

Palestine __NOTOC__ Palestine may refer to: * State of Palestine, a state in Western Asia * Palestine (region), a geographic region in Western Asia * Palestinian territories, territories occupied by Israel since 1967, namely the West Bank (including East ...

, Jordan,

Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus li ...

, Syria and

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...

. His specimens are held at the following herbaria: AK, AWH, B, BERN, BM, BORD, BP, BR, C, CAS, CGE, CN, DBN, E, E-GL, F, FABR, FI, FR, G, GE, GH, GOET, H, HAL, JE, K, KIEL, L, LAU, LE, LY, LZ, M, MA, MANCH,

MEL Mel, Mels or MEL may refer to: Biology * Mouse erythroleukemia cell line (MEL) * National Herbarium of Victoria, a herbarium with the Index Herbariorum code MEL People * Mel (given name), the abbreviated version of several given names (including ...

, MICH, MO, MPU, OXF, P, P-CO, PH, PI, STR, TCD, TO, W, WAG, WB (see

List of herbaria This is a list of active herbaria, organized first by continent where the herbarium is located, then within each continent by size of the collection. The list is based on the Index Herbariorum, a global directory of herbaria and their associated s ...

). He was the first to describe ''

Allochrusa ''Allochrusa'' is a genus in the carnation family. It contains the following species: *''Allochrusa bungei'' Boiss. *''Allochrusa gypsophiloides'' (Regel) Schischk. *''Allochrusa paniculata'' (Regel & Herder) Ovcz. & Czukav. *'' Allochrusa persi ...

Sclerocephalus ''Sclerocephalus'' is an extinct genus of temnospondyl amphibian from the lowermost Permian of Germany and Czech Republic with four valid species, including the type species ''S. haeuseri''. It is one of the most completely preserved and most abu ...

, Jancaea,

Prolongoa ''Prolongoa'' is a genus of Spanish plants in the chamomile tribe within the daisy family. ;Species The only accepted species is ''Prolongoa hispanica'', native to Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat ...

Psychrogeton ''Psychrogeton'' is a genus of plants in the tribe Astereae within the family Asteraceae. It is native to Iran, Central Asia, and Anatolia. ; Species ; formerly included several species transferred to other genera: ''Erigeron ''Erigeron'' ...

Heteroderis ''Heteroderis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. ;Species There is only one known species, ''Heteroderis pusilla'', native to Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, T ...

, Myopordon,

Aphanopleura ''Aphanopleura'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Apiaceae. It is endemic to Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent ...

Ammiopsis ''Daucus'' is a worldwide genus of herbaceous plants of the celery family Apiaceae of which the best-known species is the cultivated carrot. ''Daucus'' has about 25 species. The oldest carrot fossil is 1.3 Ma, and was found on the island of Made ...

, Crenosciadium,

Diplotaenia ''Diplotaenia'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Apiaceae. Its native range is Turkey to Iran. Species: *''Diplotaenia bingolensis'' *''Diplotaenia cachrydifolia'' *''Diplotaenia damavandica'' *''Diplotaenia hayri-duman ...

Ducrosia ''Ducrosia'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Apiaceae. Its native range was southern Egypt to Pakistan. The plants can be found in Afghanistan, the Gulf States, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon-Syria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Saudi Ar ...

Margotia ''Thapsia'', commonly known as the deadly carrots, is a small genus of poisonous plants in the family Apiaceae. Their center of diversity is around the western Mediterranean, extending into the Atlantic coasts of Portugal and Morocco. Some spec ...

Lisaea Lisaea or Lisaia ( grc, Λίσαια), also Lisae or Lisai ( grc, Λίσαι), was an ancient Greek polis (city-state) in the Chalcidice, ancient Macedonia. It is cited by Herodotus as one of the cities—together with Lipaxus, Combreia, Gigon ...

, Ormosciadium, Polylophium, Microsciadium, Rhabdosciadium, Smyrniopsis, Stenotaenia, Thecocarpus, Trigonosciadium, Rhizocephalus,

Coluteocarpus Brassicaceae () or (the older) Cruciferae () is a medium-sized and economically important family of flowering plants commonly known as the mustards, the crucifers, or the cabbage family. Most are herbaceous plants, while some are shrubs. The le ...

Diceratella ''Diceratella'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Brassicaceae Brassicaceae () or (the older) Cruciferae () is a medium-sized and economically important family of flowering plants commonly known as the mustards, the crucife ...

Didymophysa ''Didymophysa'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Brassicaceae. Its native range is Turkey to Western Pakistan. Species: *''Didymophysa aucheri'' *''Didymophysa fedtschenkoana'' *''Didymophysa fenestrata'' References

, Eremobium, Graellsia, Heldreichia, Nasturtiopsis, Parlatoria,

Physoptychis ''Physoptychis'' is a genus of flowering plants of the family Brassicaceae. It contains the following species: * ''Physoptychis caspica'' * ''Physoptychis haussknechtii'' References

Brassicaceae genera Brassicaceae {{Brassicales-stu ...

, Tchihatchewia, Paracaryum, Podonosma, Dorycnopsis,

Erophaca ''Erophaca'' is a monotypic genus of the tribe Galegeae. Its only species ''Erophaca baetica'' is a perennial plant distributed in disjunct populations in the Mediterranean Region. According to nrDNA ITS analysis, ''Erophaca'' is monophyletic a ...

Acantholimon ''Acantholimon'' (prickly thrift) is a genus of small flowering plants within the plumbago or leadwort family, Plumbaginaceae. They are distributed from southeastern Europe to central Asia and also in South America, but also cultivated elsewhere ...

, Goniolimon'' and many more plant

genera Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nomenclat ...

and

taxa In biology, a taxon (back-formation from ''taxonomy''; plural taxa) is a group of one or more populations of an organism or organisms seen by taxonomists to form a unit. Although neither is required, a taxon is usually known by a particular nam ...

Standard author abbreviation

List of selected publications

* * * * * * * *

Eponymy

* The plant

, '' Boissiera'' and also '' Petroedmondia'' (the family

Apiaceae Apiaceae or Umbelliferae is a family of mostly aromatic flowering plants named after the type genus ''Apium'' and commonly known as the celery, carrot or parsley family, or simply as umbellifers. It is the 16th-largest family of flowering plants ...

), are named in his honour. * He is honoured in the plant

of; '' Asperula boissieri'', ''

Carthamus boissieri The genus ''Carthamus'', the distaff thistles, includes plants in the family Asteraceae. The group is native to Europe, North Africa, and parts of Asia. The flower has been used since ancient times in the Philippines, which it has been called '' ...

'', ''

Colchicum boissieri ''Colchicum boisseri'' is a plant species in the genus ''Colchicum'' (the autumn crocuses) native to southern Greece and south-western Turkey but cultivated elsewhere as an ornamental.Theodhoros Georgios Orphanides. 1876. Atti Cong. Bot. Firenz ...

'', ''

Cordia boissieri ''Cordia boissieri'' is a white-flowered, evergreen shrub or small tree in the borage family (Boraginaceae). Its native range extends from southern Texas in the United States south to central Mexico. Common names include anacahuita, Mexican olive ...

'', '' Convolvulus boissieri'', '' Euphorbia boissieri'', '' Haplophyllum boissieranum'', '' Iris boissieri'', ''

Pyrus boissieriana ''Pyrus boissieriana'', the Boissier pear and telka, is a species of ''Pyrus'' (pear) native to the Kopet Dag region on the Turkmenistan and Iranian border. In its native locales it is cultivated as a rootstock for domestic pears. ''Pyrus boiss ...

'', ''

Thymus boissieri The thymus is a specialized primary lymphoid organ of the immune system. Within the thymus, thymus cell lymphocytes or ''T cells'' mature. T cells are critical to the adaptive immune system, where the body adapts to specific foreign invaders. ...

'', '' Trifolium boissieri'' and '' Verbascum boissieri''. * As well as; the bacterium ''

Acinetobacter boissieri ''Acinetobacter boissieri'' is a gram-negative, oxidase-negative, catalase-positive, strictly aerobic nonmotile bacterium from the genus ''Acinetobacter'' which was isolated from plants' floral nectar pollinated by wild Mediterranean insects. '' ...

'', the air-breathing

land snail A land snail is any of the numerous species of snail that live on land, as opposed to the sea snails and freshwater snails. ''Land snail'' is the common name for terrestrial gastropod mollusks that have shells (those without shells are known as ...

s ''

Sphincterochila boissieri ''Sphincterochila zonata zonata'' is a subspecies of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Sphincterochilidae. MolluscaBase eds. (2022). MolluscaBase. Sphincterochila zonata zonata (Bourguignat, 1853). ...

Aceria boissieri ''Aceria'' is a genus of mites belonging to the family Eriophyidae, the gall mites. These tiny animals are parasites of plants. Several species can cause blistering and galls, including erineum galls. A few are economically significant pests, ...

'' ( gall mites) and the

freshwater snail Freshwater snails are gastropod mollusks which live in fresh water. There are many different families. They are found throughout the world in various habitats, ranging from ephemeral pools to the largest lakes, and from small seeps and springs ...

'' Bithynia boissieri'' are some of the animal species named after him. * ''Boissiera'' is the title of a collection of systematic botany memoirs published by the Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques de la Ville de Genève (CJB).

References

External links

*
Historical Orchid LiteratureEssay on Boissier
{{DEFAULTSORT:Boissier, Pierre Edmond Botanists with author abbreviations 19th-century Italian botanists 1810 births 1885 deaths Taxon authorities of Hypericum species Scientists from Geneva Members of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences Members of the Russian Academy of Sciences Natural history of Palestine (region) Members of the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and Humanities