Jean Étienne Duby (15 February 1798 in

Geneva Geneva ( , ; ) ; ; . is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland and the most populous in French-speaking Romandy. Situated in the southwest of the country, where the Rhône exits Lake Geneva, it is the ca ...

– 24 November 1885) was a Swiss clergyman and

botanist Botany, also called plant science, is the branch of natural science and biology studying plants, especially Plant anatomy, their anatomy, Plant taxonomy, taxonomy, and Plant ecology, ecology. A botanist or plant scientist is a scientist who s ...

. He studied

theology Theology is the study of religious belief from a Religion, religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an Discipline (academia), academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itse ...

in Geneva, obtaining his

consecration Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects ( ...

in 1820, and having an avid interest in natural history, he earned his degree in natural sciences in 1824. As a young man he was influenced by

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

(1778–1841), and made contributions towards Candolle's publication of ''Botanicon gallicum; seu Synopsis plantarum in Flora gallica descriptarum'' (1828-1830). From 1831 to 1863 he served as a pastor in Eaux-Vives, Geneva, while in the meantime playing an active role in botany. He specialized in research of cryptogams, including studies of European and exotic mosses, and taxonomic work involving the

red algae Red algae, or Rhodophyta (, ; ), make up one of the oldest groups of eukaryotic algae. The Rhodophyta comprises one of the largest Phylum, phyla of algae, containing over 7,000 recognized species within over 900 Genus, genera amidst ongoing taxon ...

genus '' Ceramium''. In addition to his work with cryptogams, he conducted studies on the

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

family Primulaceae. In 1860–61 he was president of the ''Société de physique et d'histoire naturelle de Genève''. He was also a corresponding member of the Société de biologie de Paris and of the Moscow Society of Naturalists. Today, his herbarium is part of the "general herbarium" at the ''Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques'' in Geneva.

Selected writings

* ''Essai d'application à une tribu d'algues de quelques principes de taxonomie, ou, Mémoire sur le groupe des Céramiées'', 1832. * ''Mémoire sur la famille des primulacées'', 1844. * ''Choix de cryptogames exotiques nouvelles ou mal connues''. 1867. * ''Mousses exotiques'', 1868-1881.

Legacy

The species '' Vesicularia dubyana'' is named for Duby.

References

Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse
(biography) {{DEFAULTSORT:Duby, Jean Etienne 19th-century Swiss botanists Phycologists Bryologists 1798 births 1885 deaths