Jens Vahl
Encyclopedia
Jens Laurentius Moestue Vahl (1796–1854) was a Danish
botanist and pharmacist
. He was son of the Danish
-Norwegian
botanist and zoologist Martin Vahl
.
Jens Vahl graduated as a pharmacist in 1819 and then started studying botany
and chemistry
.
expedition to uninhabited areas of East Greenland
in 1828-1830 with the purpose to search for the lost Eastern Norse Settlement
. The expedition - in umiak
s - was largely unsuccessful, but Vahl's botanical collections extended the previous knowledge much. Financial support from king Christian VIII of Denmark
enabled Vahl to continue his investigations. So he travelled in West Greenland
from 1829–1836, visiting all the Danish
colonies from Julianehåb
in the South to Upernavik
in the North. He returned to Copenhagen
in 1836 with very extensive plant collections, which he later donated to the University of Copenhagen
. The Vahl collections added several lengths to the previous investigations by Paul Egede
, Morten Wormskjold
and others, and effectively laid the foundation of knowledge about the flora of Greenland. In contrast to his predecessors, Vahl made meticulous notes on the finding circumstances, like exact location and habitat
of the plants. In 1838-1839, Vahl participated in a French
expedition to Nordkapp
and Spitsbergen
. In 1840, he was made assistant at the Botanic Garden
in Copenhagen
. He described many new species, e.g. Draba arctica
, but he did not finish the planned Greenland
ic flora
before his death. His successor, Johan Lange, picked up the task two decades later, which resulted in the first Flora of Greenland - the Conspectus Florae Groenlandicae (1887–1894).
and Joakim Frederik Schouw
, Vahl was the publisher of Flora Danica
fasc. 38.
Two plant genera have been named in his honour:
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
botanist and pharmacist
Pharmacist
Pharmacists are allied health professionals who practice in pharmacy, the field of health sciences focusing on safe and effective medication use...
. He was son of the Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
-Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
botanist and zoologist Martin Vahl
Martin Vahl
Martin Henrichsen Vahl was a Danish-Norwegian botanist and zoologist.He studied botany in Copenhagen and in Uppsala under Carolus Linnaeus. He edited Flora Danica fasc. XVI-XXI , Symbolæ Botanicæ I-III , Eclogæ Americanæ I-IV and Enumeratio Plantarum I-II...
.
Jens Vahl graduated as a pharmacist in 1819 and then started studying botany
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
and chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
.
Greenlandic exploration
Vahl participated W. A. Graah'sWilhelm August Graah
Wilhelm August Graah was a Danish naval officer and Arctic explorer. Graah had mapped areas of West Greenland when he, in 1828-30, was sent on an expedition to the uninhabited eastern coast with the purpose to search for the lost Eastern Norse Settlement...
expedition to uninhabited areas of East Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
in 1828-1830 with the purpose to search for the lost Eastern Norse Settlement
Eastern Settlement
The Eastern Settlement was the largest and first of the three areas of Greenland, settled in approximately 985 AD by Norse farmers from Iceland . At its peak it contained approximately 4,000 inhabitants...
. The expedition - in umiak
Umiak
The umiak, umialak, umiaq, umiac, oomiac or oomiak is a type of boat used by Eskimo people, both Yupik and Inuit, and was originally found in all coastal areas from Siberia to Greenland. First arising in Thule times, it has traditionally been used in summer to move people and possessions to...
s - was largely unsuccessful, but Vahl's botanical collections extended the previous knowledge much. Financial support from king Christian VIII of Denmark
Christian VIII of Denmark
Christian VIII , was king of Denmark from 1839 to 1848 and, as Christian Frederick, king of Norway in 1814. He was the eldest son of Hereditary Prince Frederick of Denmark and Norway and Sophia Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, born in 1786 at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen...
enabled Vahl to continue his investigations. So he travelled in West Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
from 1829–1836, visiting all the Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
colonies from Julianehåb
Qaqortoq
Qaqortoq is a town in the Kujalleq municipality in southern Greenland. With a population of 3,230 as of 2011, it is the most populous town in southern Greenland, and the fourth-largest town in the country. The name is western Greenlandic and means "[the] white [one]".- History :The area around...
in the South to Upernavik
Upernavik
Upernavik is a small town in the Qaasuitsup municipality in northwestern Greenland, located on a small island of the same name. With 1,129 inhabitants as of 2010, it is the thirteenth-largest town in Greenland. Due to the small size of the settlement, everything is within walking distance...
in the North. He returned to Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
in 1836 with very extensive plant collections, which he later donated to the University of Copenhagen
University of Copenhagen
The University of Copenhagen is the oldest and largest university and research institution in Denmark. Founded in 1479, it has more than 37,000 students, the majority of whom are female , and more than 7,000 employees. The university has several campuses located in and around Copenhagen, with the...
. The Vahl collections added several lengths to the previous investigations by Paul Egede
Paul Egede
Paul Egede was a Danish-Norwegian theologian, missionary to Greenland and scholar of the Greenlandic language....
, Morten Wormskjold
Morten Wormskjold
Morten Wormskjold was a Danish botanist and explorer. He collected plants in Greenland and Kamchatka.- Early life :...
and others, and effectively laid the foundation of knowledge about the flora of Greenland. In contrast to his predecessors, Vahl made meticulous notes on the finding circumstances, like exact location and habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
of the plants. In 1838-1839, Vahl participated in a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
expedition to Nordkapp
Nordkapp
Nordkapp is a municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Honningsvåg.Nordkapp was separated from Porsanger on 1 July 1861...
and Spitsbergen
Spitsbergen
Spitsbergen is the largest and only permanently populated island of the Svalbard archipelago in Norway. Constituting the western-most bulk of the archipelago, it borders the Arctic Ocean, the Norwegian Sea and the Greenland Sea...
. In 1840, he was made assistant at the Botanic Garden
University of Copenhagen Botanical Garden
The University of Copenhagen Botanical Garden , usually referred to simply as Copenhagen Botanical Garden, is a botanical garden located in the centre of Copenhagen, Denmark...
in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
. He described many new species, e.g. Draba arctica
Draba
Draba is a large genus of cruciferous plants, commonly known as whitlow-grasses. There are over 400 species:*Draba abajoensis Windham & Al-Shehbaz*Draba × abiskoensis O.E.Schulz*Draba × abiskojokkensis O.E.Schulz...
, but he did not finish the planned Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
ic flora
Flora
Flora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...
before his death. His successor, Johan Lange, picked up the task two decades later, which resulted in the first Flora of Greenland - the Conspectus Florae Groenlandicae (1887–1894).
Miscellaneous
Together with Salomon DrejerSalomon Drejer
Salomon Thomas Nicolai Drejer was a Danish botanist. He was a friend of Japetus Steenstrup.Together with Jens Vahl and Joakim Frederik Schouw, Salomon Drejer was the publisher of Flora Danica fasc. 38....
and Joakim Frederik Schouw
Joakim Frederik Schouw
Joakim Frederik Schouw was a Danish lawyer, botanist and politician. From 1821, professor in botany at the University of Copenhagen - first extraordinary professor, but after the death of J.W. Hornemann in 1841 ordinary...
, Vahl was the publisher of Flora Danica
Flora Danica
A product of The Age of Enlightenment, Flora Danica is a comprehensive atlas of botany, containing folio-sized pictures of all the wild plants native to Denmark, in the period from 1761-1883....
fasc. 38.
Two plant genera have been named in his honour:
- Vahlodea FriesElias Magnus Fries-External links:*, Authors of fungal names, Mushroom, the Journal of Wild Mushrooming.*...
(1842) in PoaceaePoaceaeThe Poaceae is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of flowering plants. Members of this family are commonly called grasses, although the term "grass" is also applied to plants that are not in the Poaceae lineage, including the rushes and sedges... - Mostuea Didr.Ferdinand DidrichsenDidrik Ferdinand Didrichsen was a Danish botanist and physicist. He participated as botanist in the first Galathea Expedition 1845–1847. In 1875, he succeeded A.S. Ørsted as professor of botany at the University of Copenhagen and director of the Botanic Garden, whereby the already then much better...
(1853) in GelsemiaceaeGelsemiaceaeGelsemiaceae is a family of flowering plants, belonging to order Gentianales. The family contains only two genera: Gelsemium and Mostuea. Gelsemium has three species, one native to Southeast Asia and southern China and two native to Southeastern United States, Mexico and Central America...