Jules Émile Planchon (21 March 1823 – 1 April 1888) was a French

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 ...

born in Ganges, Hérault. He was a brother of Gustave Planchon who also studied medicinal plants.

Biography

After receiving his

Doctorate of Science A Doctor of Science (; most commonly abbreviated DSc or ScD) is a science doctorate awarded in a number of countries throughout the world. Africa Algeria and Morocco In Algeria, Morocco, Libya and Tunisia, all universities accredited by the s ...

at the

University of Montpellier The University of Montpellier () is a public university, public research university located in Montpellier, in south-east of France. Established in 1220, the University of Montpellier is one of the List of oldest universities in continuous opera ...

in 1844, he worked for a while at the Royal Botanical Gardens in London, and for a few years was a teacher in Nancy and

Ghent Ghent ( ; ; historically known as ''Gaunt'' in English) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the Provinces of Belgium, province ...

. In 1853 he became head of the department of botanical sciences at the University of Montpellier, where he remained for the remainder of his career. Planchon was highly regarded in scientific circles, and made a number of contributions in his classification of botanical species and varieties. He is credited with publishing over 2000 botanical names, including ''

Actinidia chinensis ''Actinidia chinensis'' is a fruiting vine native to China. It is one of some 40 related species of the genus '' Actinidia'', and the origin of most commercial varieties of kiwifruit. There are three accepted varieties of the species. ''Actini ...

'', better known as the "golden

kiwifruit Kiwifruit (often shortened to kiwi), or Chinese gooseberry, is the edible berry (botany), berry of several species of woody vines in the genus ''Actinidia''. The most common cultivar group of kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis var. deliciosa, ...

". Planchon is remembered for his work in saving French grape vineyards from '' Phylloxera vastatrix'', a microscopic, yellow

aphid Aphids are small sap-sucking insects in the Taxonomic rank, family Aphididae. Common names include greenfly and blackfly, although individuals within a species can vary widely in color. The group includes the fluffy white Eriosomatinae, woolly ...

-like pest that was an exotic species from the United States. He performed this task with assistance from French botanist Pierre-Marie-Alexis Millardet and American

entomologist Entomology (from Ancient Greek ἔντομον (''éntomon''), meaning "insect", and -logy from λόγος (''lógos''), meaning "study") is the branch of zoology that focuses on insects. Those who study entomology are known as entomologists. In ...

Charles Valentine Riley Charles Valentine Riley (18 September 1843 – 14 September 1895) was a British-born American entomologist and artist. He was one of the first individuals to use biological pest control and authored over 2,400 publications. He convinced Congress ...

. The solution involved introduction of American

grapevine ''Vitis'' (grapevine) is a genus of 81 accepted species of vining plants in the flowering plant family Vitaceae. The genus consists of species predominantly from the Northern Hemisphere. It is economically important as the source of grapes, bot ...

s (''

Vitis riparia ''Vitis riparia'' Michx, with common names riverbank grape or frost grape, is a vine indigenous to North America. As a climbing or trailing vine, it is widely distributed across central and eastern Canada and the central and northeastern parts ...

'' and ''

Vitis rupestris ''Vitis rupestris'' is a species of grape native to the United States that is known by many common names including July, Coon, sand, sugar, beach, bush, currant, ingar, rock, and mountain grape. It is used for breeding several French-American hy ...

'') to France for

grafting Grafting or graftage is a horticulture, horticultural technique whereby tissues of plants are joined so as to continue their growth together. The upper part of the combined plant is called the scion () while the lower part is called the roots ...

purposes. American horticulturalist, T.V. Munson, was instrumental in identifying and provisioning the American rootstock that was resistant to ''Phylloxera'' and suitable for French growing conditions.He died in 1888 and he is buried at the Protestant cemetery of Montpellier.

Written works

* ''Histoire botanique et horticole des plantes dites Azalées de l'Inde'', 1854 * ''Des hermodactes au point de vue botanique et pharmaceutique'', 1856 * ''Mémoire sur la famille des Guttiferes'', 1862 * ''Le Phylloxéra (de 1854 à 1873) résumé pratique et scientifique'', 1873 * ''Les mœurs du Phylloxéra de la vigne: résumé biologique'', 1877 * ''Les vignes américaines: leur culture, leur résistance au phylloxéra et leur avenir en Europe'', 1875 ** Works in English: * "On Meliantheae, a new natural order" proposed and defined by J. E. Planchon, 1848 * "The ''

Eucalyptus globulus ''Eucalyptus globulus'', commonly known as southern blue gum or blue gum, is a species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae. It is a tall, evergreen tree Endemism, endemic to southeastern Australia. This ''Eucalyptus'' species has most ...

'' from a botanic, economic, and medical point of view, embracing its introduction, culture, and uses" 1875World Cat Identities
/ref> ** Writings about Jules Planchon: * "The Botanist and the Vintner; How Wine Was Saved for the World", by Christy Campbell

References

(biography of Jules Planchon) {{DEFAULTSORT:Planchon, Jules Emile 1823 births 1888 deaths 19th-century French botanists People from Hérault University of Montpellier people