Michel Félix Dunal (24 October 1789 in

Montpellier Montpellier (, , ; oc, Montpelhièr ) is a city in southern France near the Mediterranean Sea. One of the largest urban centres in the region of Occitania (administrative region), Occitania, Montpellier is the prefecture of the Departments of ...

– 29 July 1856 in Montpellier) was a French

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 ...

. He was a

professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an Academy, academic rank at university, universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who pr ...

botany 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 w ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. He held the chair of natural history at the

University of Montpellier The University of Montpellier (french: Université de 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 oldest univ ...

from 1816 until his death in 1856. The

Solanaceous The Solanaceae , or nightshades, are a family of flowering plants that ranges from annual and perennial herbs to vines, lianas, epiphytes, shrubs, and trees, and includes a number of agricultural crops, medicinal plants, spices, weeds, and orna ...

plant genus ''

Dunalia ''Dunalia'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Solanaceae. Its native range is western and southern South America, and it is found in the countries of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. The genus name of ' ...

'' is named after him. He is especially known for his work with the

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

Solanum ''Solanum'' is a large and diverse genus of flowering plants, which include three food crops of high economic importance: the potato, the tomato and the eggplant (aubergine, brinjal). It is the largest genus in the nightshade family Solanaceae ...

'', and published an important work on the genus; ''Solanorum generumque affinium Synopsis seu Solanorum Historiae, editionis secundae summarium ad characteres differentiales redactum, seriem naturalem, habitationes stationesque specierum breviter indicans'',

, 1816. For the work ''Prodromus systematis naturalis regni vegetabilis'' by

Augustin 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 Candolle ...

and his son,

Alphonse Pyrame de Candolle Alphonse Louis Pierre Pyramus (or Pyrame) de Candolle (28 October 18064 April 1893) was a French-Swiss botanist, the son of the Swiss botanist Augustin Pyramus de Candolle. Biography De Candolle, son of Augustin Pyramus de Candolle, first devot ...

, he contributed to Volume I of 1824 "Cistineae" (modern

Cistaceae The Cistaceae are a small family of plants (rock-rose or rock rose family) known for their beautiful shrubs, which are profusely covered by flowers at the time of blossom. This family consists of about 170(-200) species in nine genera that are ...

), to Volume VII, No. 2 of 1839 "Vaccinieae", and to Volume XIII No. 1 of 1852 "Solanaceae". Its publication in 1852 was the last taxonomic treatment of the genus ''Solanum'' in its entirety. This also includes a first attempt to divide the species of ''Solanum'' into sections. Starting points were morphological features such as the shape of the

anther The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filam ...

s and the presence or absence of spines.

Honours

The genus name of ''

'' (5 species of plant found in South America) is in honour of Dunal, the genus was published in F.W.H.von Humboldt, A.J.A.Bonpland & C.S.Kunth, Nov. Gen. Sp. Vol.3 on page 55 in 1818.

Complete Bibliography

on WorldCat

References

1789 births 1856 deaths French phycologists Pteridologists University of Montpellier faculty Botanists with author abbreviations 19th-century French botanists {{France-botanist-stub