Heinrich Gustav Adolf Engler (25 March 1844 – 10 October 1930) was a German
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 is notable for his work on
plant taxonomy
Plant taxonomy is the science that finds, identifies, describes, classifies, and names plants. It is one of the main branches of taxonomy (the science that finds, describes, classifies, and names living things).
Plant taxonomy is closely allied ...
and
phytogeography
Phytogeography (from Greek φυτόν, ''phytón'' = "plant" and γεωγραφία, ''geographía'' = "geography" meaning also distribution) or botanical geography is the branch of biogeography that is concerned with the geographic distribution o ...
, such as ''Die natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien'' (''The Natural Plant Families''), edited with
Karl A. E. von Prantl.
Even now, his system of plant classification, the
Engler system
One of the prime systems of plant taxonomy, the Engler system was devised by Adolf Engler (1844–1930), and is featured in two major taxonomic texts he authored or co-authored. His influence is reflected in the use of the terms "Engler School" an ...
, is still used by many
herbaria
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 ...
and is followed by writers of many manuals and
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 ...
. It is still the only system that treats all 'plants' (in the wider sense,
algae
Algae (; singular alga ) is an informal term for a large and diverse group of photosynthetic eukaryotic organisms. It is a polyphyletic grouping that includes species from multiple distinct clades. Included organisms range from unicellular mic ...
to
flowering plant
Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...
s) in such depth.
Engler published a prodigious number of taxonomic works. He used various artists to illustrate his books, notably
Joseph Pohl (1864–1939), an illustrator who had served an apprenticeship as a wood-engraver. Pohl's skill drew Engler's attention, starting a collaboration of some 40 years. Pohl produced more than 33 000 drawings in 6 000 plates for ''Die naturlichen Pflanzenfamilien''. He also illustrated ''Das Pflanzenreich'' (1900–1953), ''Die Pflanzenwelt Afrikas'' (1908–1910), ''Monographien afrikanischer Pflanzenfamilien'' (1898–1904) and the journals ''Engler's botanische Jahrbücher''.
Biography
![2006-09-02 Botanischer Garten Grab Engler](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/2006-09-02_Botanischer_Garten_Grab_Engler.jpg)
Adolf Engler was born on March 25, 1844, in Sagan, Silesia, now
Żagań
Żagań ( French and german: Sagan, hsb, Zahań, la, Saganum) is a town in western Poland, on the Bóbr river, with 25,731 inhabitants (2019). The town is the capital of Żagań County in the historic region of Silesia. Previously in the Zielon ...
, in western
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
as Heinrich Gustav Adolf Engler, and died in
Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...
,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, on October 10, 1930.
He studied and obtained a PhD from the
University of Breslau
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, th ...
(now
Wrocław
Wrocław (; german: Breslau, or . ; Silesian German: ''Brassel'') is a city in southwestern Poland and the largest city in the historical region of Silesia. It lies on the banks of the River Oder in the Silesian Lowlands of Central Europe, rou ...
, Poland) in 1866. After some years of teaching, he became, in 1871, custodian of botanical collections of the ''Botanische Institute der
Ludwig Maximilian University München'' (Botanical Institute of Munich), remaining there until 1878, when he accepted a professorship at the
University of Kiel
Kiel University, officially the Christian-Albrecht University of Kiel, (german: Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, abbreviated CAU, known informally as Christiana Albertina) is a university in the city of Kiel, Germany. It was founded in ...
, where he stayed until 1884, teaching systematic botany. Also in 1878, Engler was elected into
Leopoldina Leopoldina may refer to:
* Colônia Leopoldina, a Brazilian municipality in the state of Alagoa
* Leopoldina, Minas Gerais, a Brazilian municipality in the state of Minas Gerais
* Maria Leopoldina of Austria (1797-1826), consort of emperor Pedro I ...
, German Academy of Natural History. He went back to Breslau in 1884, as director of the Botanical Garden, succeeding
Goeppert, and appointed professor of botany at the University of Breslau. From 1889 to 1921, Engler was a professor at
University of Berlin
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (german: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, abbreviated HU Berlin) is a German public research university in the central borough of Mitte in Berlin. It was established by Frederick William III on the initiative o ...
, and director of the
Berlin-Dahlem Botanical Garden
The Berlin Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum (german: Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum Berlin) is a botanical garden in the locality of the borough of , Berlin, Germany. Constructed between 1897 and 1910 under the guidance of archi ...
, transforming it into one of the greatest botanical gardens of the world.
He visited several regions of the world, enlarging the knowledge of floristic distribution, especially of Africa.
Works
Plant taxonomy
Besides his important work in general plant taxonomy, he was also an expert in some taxa, such as ''
Saxifraga
''Saxifraga'' is the largest genus in the family Saxifragaceae, containing about 465 species of holarctic perennial plants, known as saxifrages or rockfoils. The Latin word ''saxifraga'' means literally "stone-breaker", from Latin ' ("rock" or " ...
'',
Araceae
The Araceae are a family of monocotyledonous flowering plants in which flowers are borne on a type of inflorescence called a spadix. The spadix is usually accompanied by, and sometimes partially enclosed in, a spathe (or leaf-like bract). Also ...
,
Burseraceae
The Burseraceae are a moderate-sized family of 17-19 genera and about 540 species of flowering plants. The actual numbers differ according to the time period in which a given source is written describing this family. The Burseraceae are also know ...
, and others.
Adolf Engler collaborated with several other great botanists, including
Alphonse 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 ...
on the ''Monographiae Phanerogamarum'' (''Monographs of Flowering Plants''), and
C.F.P. von Martius on the monumental work ''
Flora Brasiliensis
''Flora Brasiliensis'' is a book published between 1840 and 1906 by the editors Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius, August Wilhelm Eichler, Ignatz Urban and many others. It contains taxonomic treatments of 22,767 species, mostly Brazilian angiosp ...
'' (''Flora of
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
'').
He founded the journal ''Botanische Jahrbücher für Systematik, Pflanzengeschichte und Pflanzengeographie'' (''Botanical Yearbook for Systematics, Plant Phylogeny and Phytogeography'', ISSN 0006-8152), published in
Leipzig
Leipzig ( , ; Upper Saxon: ) is the most populous city in the German state of Saxony. Leipzig's population of 605,407 inhabitants (1.1 million in the larger urban zone) as of 2021 places the city as Germany's eighth most populous, as wel ...
, Germany, which has continued in publication from 1881 to the present. In 2010, this publication changed its name to ''Plant Diversity and Evolution: Phylogeny, Biogeography, Structure and Function'', ISSN 1869-6155.
* ''
Die Natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien
''Die Natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien'' (1887–1915) by Adolf Engler (1844–1930) and Karl Anton Prantl is a complete revision of plant families down to generic level and often even further. As such it forms part of the Engler system of plant tax ...
'' (''The Natural Plant Families''), edited with
Karl A. E. Prantl
Karl Anton Eugen Prantl (10 September 1849 – 24 February 1893), also known as Carl Anton Eugen Prantl, was a German botanist.
Prantl was born in Munich, Kingdom of Bavaria, and studied in Munich. In 1870 he graduated with the dissertation ...
, with the collaboration of many notable experts, 1887–1915, 23 volumes: This enormous series is one of the very few detailed works (since Linnaeus) to attempt the classification of plants from algae to flowering plants, and constitutes an invaluable work. A second, incomplete edition was produced (1924–1980) in 28 parts by Duncker und Humblot Verlag, Berlin).
Some volumes have been re-issued in English. The second edition was hard to use for many years because no part of it was indexed until 1984, when an index was published in the
Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden
The ''Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden'' is a long-established major peer-reviewed journal of botany, established in 1914 by the Missouri Botanical Garden, under the directorship of botanist and phycologist, George Thomas Moore, and still p ...
.
* ''Das Pflanzenreich'' (''The Plant Kingdom''), with the collaboration of many notable experts, 1900–1968: This monographic series on the plant kingdom is presently incomplete.
* ''
Syllabus der Pflanzenfamilien
''Syllabus der Pflanzenfamilien'' (1892–) by Adolf Engler (1844–1930) is a complete revision of plant families down to generic level and often even further. As such it forms part of the Engler system of plant taxonomy.
Engler's starting poin ...
'', first published in 1892. The 12th edition, edited by
H. Melchior & E. Werdermann, with the collaboration of many notable experts, was published between 1954 and 1964. This is the most recent summary of the Engler system and gives descriptions of the higher taxonomic levels, in two volumes.
Phytogeography
He was one of the pioneers in this field of science, highlighting the importance of factors such as geology on biodiversity, and defined
biogeographical regions in 1879.
* ''Vegetation der Erde'' (''Vegetation of the Earth''), 1896, with
O. Drude
* ''Die Pflanzenwelt Ost-Afrikas und der Nachbargebiete'' (''The Plant World of Eastern Africa and the Adjacent Regions''), 1895
available at Biodiversity Heritage Library
Recognition
He received the
Linnean Medal
The Linnean Medal of the Linnean Society of London was established in 1888, and is awarded annually to alternately a botanist or a zoologist or (as has been common since 1958) to one of each in the same year. The medal was of gold until 1976, and ...
in 1913. The
International Association for Plant Taxonomy established the Engler Medal in his honour in 1986, to be awarded for outstanding contributions to plant taxonomy.
He was elected a foreign member of the
Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences
The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences ( nl, Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen, abbreviated: KNAW) is an organization dedicated to the advancement of science and literature in the Netherlands. The academy is housed ...
in 1920.
The journal ''Englera'' (ISSN 0170-4818) published by the
Berlin-Dahlem Botanical Garden
The Berlin Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum (german: Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum Berlin) is a botanical garden in the locality of the borough of , Berlin, Germany. Constructed between 1897 and 1910 under the guidance of archi ...
, Germany, is also named after him. Many
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 ...
(in various 'plant' groups) are named in his honour, such as ''Englerarum'', ''Englerastrum'' (now a synonym of
Coleus
''Coleus'' is a genus of annual or perennial herbs or shrubs, sometimes succulent, sometimes with a fleshy or tuberous rootstock, found in the Old World tropics and subtropics. The relationship among the genera ''Coleus'', '' Solenostemon'' and ...
), ''Englerella'' (now a synonym of
Pouteria
''Pouteria'' is a genus of flowering trees in the gutta-percha family, Sapotaceae. The genus is widespread throughout the tropical regions of the world. It includes the canistel ('' P. campechiana''), the mamey sapote ('' P. sapota''), and the lu ...
Aubl.), ''
Engleria'', ''
Englerina
''Englerina'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Loranthaceae.
Its native range is Tropical Africa.
The genus name of ''Englerina'' is in honour of Adolf Engler
Heinrich Gustav Adolf Engler (25 March 1844 – 10 October 19 ...
'', ''
Englerocharis
''Englerocharis'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Brassicaceae.
Its native range is Peru and Bolivia.
The genus name of ''Englerocharis'' is in honour of Adolf Engler (1844–1930), a German botanist, and also; ''charis
...
'', ''
Englerodaphne
''Englerodaphne'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Thymelaeaceae.
Its native range is from southern Sudan to southern Africa; it is found in Cape Provinces, KwaZulu-Natal and Northern Provinces (of South Africa), Kenya, Suda ...
'', ''
Englerodendron'' and ''
Englerophytum
''Englerophytum'' is a group of trees in the family Sapotaceae described as a genus in 1914.
''Englerophytum'' consists primarily of trees. Their leaves are leathery with dense appressed hairs on the undersides. The genus is widespread across t ...
''. He is also honoured with ''
Engleromyces
''Engleromyces'' is a genus of fungi in the family Xylariaceae. The genus contains two species, the type ''Engleromyces goetzei'' (found in Africa and Asia) and ''E. sinensis'' (found in China), described as new in 2010. The genus was circ ...
'',
and ''
Englerodothis
''Englerodothis'' is a genus of fungi in the family Parmulariaceae.
The genus was circumscribed in Ann. Mycol. Vol.13 on page 285 in 1915 by Ferdinand Theissen and Hans Sydow.
The genus name of ''Englerodothis'' is in honour of Heinrich Gusta ...
'' (2
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 ...
of
fungi
A fungus ( : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately from ...
).
Engler is commemorated in the
specific epithet
In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...
''adolphi''.
See also
*
Engler system
One of the prime systems of plant taxonomy, the Engler system was devised by Adolf Engler (1844–1930), and is featured in two major taxonomic texts he authored or co-authored. His influence is reflected in the use of the terms "Engler School" an ...
*
List of plants of Caatinga vegetation of Brazil
This is a list of plants found in the wild in Caatinga vegetation of Brazil.
Acanthaceae
* '' Anisacanthus'' '' brasiliensis'' Lindau
* '' Anisacanthus trilobus'' Lindau
* '' Lophostachys'' '' floribunda'' Ness
* ''Ruellia'' ''asperula'' Benth ...
*
List of plants of Cerrado vegetation of Brazil
This is a list of plants found in the wild in cerrado vegetation of Brazil.
Acanthaceae
* '' Anisacanthus'' ''trilobus'' Lindau
* '' Dicliptera'' '' mucronifolia'' Nees
* '' Dicliptera sericea'' Nees
* '' Geissomeria'' '' ciliata'' Rizzini
* ' ...
*
Phylogenetic system
References
Bibliography
Works by Engler
*
*
* (Published as a series of volumes or fascicles "Hefte" each containing one or more monographs. Each monograph has separate paging and index. The volumes are numbered in sequence of publication. The systematic sequence of the families is indicated on the cover page e.g. ''225: Halorrhagaceae'' 1905 Hefte IV vol. 23), or
**
*
Works about Engler
*
*
*
*
Frans A. Stafleu. "Engler, Heinrich Gustav Adolf." Complete Dictionary of Scientific Biography. 2008.Frans A. Stafleu. An Engler episode. Occasional Papers of the Farlow Herbarium of Cryptogamic Botany No. 16, A Volume in Honor of Geneva Sayre on the Occasion of her 70th Birthday (June, 1981), pp. 147-151Adolf Heinrich Gustav Engler, Botaniker. Berlin 2002
Websites
*
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Engler, Adolf
19th-century German botanists
20th-century German botanists
1844 births
1930 deaths
Botanists active in Africa
Botanists with author abbreviations
Corresponding members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of Sciences
Foreign associates of the National Academy of Sciences
German phytogeographers
German taxonomists
Honorary Members of the USSR Academy of Sciences
Humboldt University of Berlin faculty
Members of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences
People from the Province of Silesia
People from Żagań
University of Breslau alumni
University of Kiel faculty
Members of the Royal Society of Sciences in Uppsala