Antoine Nicolas Duchesne
Encyclopedia
Antoine Nicolas Duchesne (born 7 October 1747 Versailles
; died 18 February 1827 Paris
) was a French botanist known for his keen observation of variation within species, and for demonstrating that species are not immutable, because mutation
s can occur. "As Duchesne's observations were unaided by knowledge of modern concepts of genetics and molecular biology, his insight was truly remarkable." His particular interests were in strawberries and gourds.
Duchesne worked in the gardens of Versailles, where he was a student of Bernard de Jussieu
, and where he established a notable collection of strawberries in the botanical garden of the Petit Trianon
.
The genus Duchesnea Sm.
(Rosaceae) was named after him.
Versailles
Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
; died 18 February 1827 Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
) was a French botanist known for his keen observation of variation within species, and for demonstrating that species are not immutable, because mutation
Mutation
In molecular biology and genetics, mutations are changes in a genomic sequence: the DNA sequence of a cell's genome or the DNA or RNA sequence of a virus. They can be defined as sudden and spontaneous changes in the cell. Mutations are caused by radiation, viruses, transposons and mutagenic...
s can occur. "As Duchesne's observations were unaided by knowledge of modern concepts of genetics and molecular biology, his insight was truly remarkable." His particular interests were in strawberries and gourds.
Duchesne worked in the gardens of Versailles, where he was a student of Bernard de Jussieu
Bernard de Jussieu
Bernard de Jussieu was a French naturalist, younger brother of Antoine de Jussieu.Bernard de Jussieu was born in Lyon...
, and where he established a notable collection of strawberries in the botanical garden of the Petit Trianon
Petit Trianon
The Petit Trianon is a small château located on the grounds of the Palace of Versailles in Versailles, France.-Design and construction:...
.
The genus Duchesnea Sm.
James Edward Smith
Sir James Edward Smith was an English botanist and founder of the Linnean Society.Smith was born in Norwich in 1759, the son of a wealthy wool merchant. He displayed a precocious interest in the natural world...
(Rosaceae) was named after him.
Works (selected)
- Manuel de botanique, contenant les propriétés des plantes utiles, 1764
- Essai sur l’histoire naturelle des courges paru dans l’Encyclopédie méthodique de Jean-Baptiste de Lamarck 1764.
- Histoire naturelle des fraisiers contenant les vues d'économie réunies à la botanique et suivie de remarques particulières sur plusieurs points qui ont rapport à l'histoire naturelle générale, Didot jeune, Paris 1766
- Le Jardinier prévoyant, contenant par forme de tableau, le rapport des opérations journalières avec le temps des récoltes successives qu'elles préparent. 11 vols. P. F. Didot jeune, Paris 1770-1781
- Sur la formation des jardins, Dorez, Paris 1775.
- Le Porte-feuille des enfans, mélange intéressant d'animaux, fruits, fleurs, habillemens, plans, cartes et autres objets.... Mérigot jeune, Paris, [n.d., probably 1784].
- Le Livret du ″Porte-feuille des enfans″, à l'usage des écoles... d'après la loi du 11 germinal an IV. Imprimerie de Gueffier, Paris, an VI – 1797.
- Le Cicerone de Versailles, ou l'Indicateur des curiosités et des établissemens de cette ville.... J.-P. Jacob, Versailles, an XII — 1804; revised and augmented in 1815.
Source
- Adrien Davy de Virville (ed.) (1955) Histoire de la botanique en France. Paris: SEDES 394 p.
Further reading
- Günter Staudt (2003), Les dessins d'Antoine Nicolas Duchesne pour son histoire naturelles des fraisiers. Publications scientifiques du Muséum national d'histoire naturelle (Paris) : 370 p. (coll. Des Planches et des Mots 1) ISBN 2-85653-555-0
- Harry S. Paris (2007), Les dessins d'Antoine Nicolas Duchesne pour son histoire naturelle des courges. Publications scientifiques du Muséum national d'histoire naturelle (Paris) : 454 p. (coll. Des Planches et des Mots 4) ISBN 978-2-85653-604-9