Ludolph Christian Treviranus
Encyclopedia
Ludolph Christian Treviranus (September 18, 1779 in Bremen
- May 6, 1864 in Bonn
) was a German botanist who was born in Bremen
. He was a younger brother to naturalist
Gottfried Reinhold Treviranus
(1776-1837).
In 1801 he earned his doctorate at the University of Jena, where he had as instructors; botanist August Batsch
(1761-1802) and philosophers Friedrich Schelling (1775-1854) and Johann Gottlieb Fichte
(1762-1814). In 1807 he was a professor at the Lyceum
at Bremen
, and in 1812 became a professor of natural history
and botany at the University of Rostock
, where he was also director of the Botanical Gardens. In 1816 he replaced Johann Heinrich Friedrich Link
(1767-1851) as professor of botany at the University of Breslau, and in 1820 transferred to the University of Bonn
, where he was successor to Christian Gottfried Daniel Nees von Esenbeck
(1776-1858). Treviranus remained at Bonn
until his death in 1864.
Treviranus specialized in plant anatomy
, physiology
and morphology. He is credited for proposing the hypothesis that plant cells were separable into individual units by an intercellular space (cell division). The botanical genus
Trevirana from the family Gesneriaceae
is named after him.
Bremen
The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...
- May 6, 1864 in Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
) was a German botanist who was born in Bremen
Bremen
The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...
. He was a younger brother to naturalist
Naturalist
Naturalist may refer to:* Practitioner of natural history* Conservationist* Advocate of naturalism * Naturalist , autobiography-See also:* The American Naturalist, periodical* Naturalism...
Gottfried Reinhold Treviranus
Gottfried Reinhold Treviranus
Gottfried Reinhold Treviranus was a German naturalist. He was a proponent of the theory of the transmutation of species, a theory of evolution held by some biologists prior to the work of Charles Darwin...
(1776-1837).
In 1801 he earned his doctorate at the University of Jena, where he had as instructors; botanist August Batsch
August Batsch
Dr August Johann Georg Karl Batsch was a German naturalist. He was a recognised authority on mushrooms, and also described new species of ferns, bryophytes, and seed plants.- Life and career :...
(1761-1802) and philosophers Friedrich Schelling (1775-1854) and Johann Gottlieb Fichte
Johann Gottlieb Fichte
Johann Gottlieb Fichte was a German philosopher. He was one of the founding figures of the philosophical movement known as German idealism, a movement that developed from the theoretical and ethical writings of Immanuel Kant...
(1762-1814). In 1807 he was a professor at the Lyceum
Lyceum
The lyceum is a category of educational institution defined within the education system of many countries, mainly in Europe. The definition varies between countries; usually it is a type of secondary school.-History:...
at Bremen
Bremen
The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...
, and in 1812 became a professor of natural history
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
and botany at the University of Rostock
University of Rostock
The University of Rostock is the university of the city Rostock, in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.Founded in 1419, it is the oldest and largest university in continental northern Europe and the Baltic Sea area...
, where he was also director of the Botanical Gardens. In 1816 he replaced Johann Heinrich Friedrich Link
Johann Heinrich Friedrich Link
Johann Heinrich Friedrich Link was a German naturalist and botanist.Link was born at Hildesheim as a son of the minister August Heinrich Link , who taught him the love for nature through collection of 'natural objects'...
(1767-1851) as professor of botany at the University of Breslau, and in 1820 transferred to the University of Bonn
University of Bonn
The University of Bonn is a public research university located in Bonn, Germany. Founded in its present form in 1818, as the linear successor of earlier academic institutions, the University of Bonn is today one of the leading universities in Germany. The University of Bonn offers a large number...
, where he was successor to Christian Gottfried Daniel Nees von Esenbeck
Christian Gottfried Daniel Nees von Esenbeck
Christian Gottfried Daniel Nees von Esenbeck was a prolific German botanist, physician, zoologist, and natural philosopher. He was a contemporary of Goethe and was born within the lifetime of Linnaeus. He described approximately 7,000 plant species...
(1776-1858). Treviranus remained at Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
until his death in 1864.
Treviranus specialized in plant anatomy
Plant anatomy
Plant anatomy or phytotomy is the general term for the study of the internal structure of plants. While originally it included plant morphology, which is the description of the physical form and external structure of plants, since the mid-20th century the investigations of plant anatomy are...
, physiology
Plant physiology
Plant physiology is a subdiscipline of botany concerned with the functioning, or physiology, of plants. Closely related fields include plant morphology , plant ecology , phytochemistry , cell biology, and molecular biology.Fundamental processes such as photosynthesis, respiration, plant nutrition,...
and morphology. He is credited for proposing the hypothesis that plant cells were separable into individual units by an intercellular space (cell division). The botanical genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Trevirana from the family Gesneriaceae
Gesneriaceae
Gesneriaceae is a family of flowering plants consisting of ca. 150 genera and ca. 3,200 species in the Old World and New World tropics and subtropics, with a very small number extending to temperate areas. Many species have colorful and showy flowers and are cultivated as ornamental plants.Most...
is named after him.
Selected writings
- Vom inwendigen Bau der Gewächse (About the Internal Construction of Plants), (1806)
- Beiträge zur Pflanzenphysiologie (Contributions to Plant Physiology), (1811)
- Von der Entwickelung des Embryo und seiner Umhüllungen im Pflanzenei, (1815)
- De ovo vegetabili ejusque mutationibus observationes recentiores, (1828)
- Physiologie der Gewächse (Physiology of plants, 2 Volumes), (1835-38)
- Die Anwendung des Holzschnittes zur Biolichen Darstellung von Pflanzen, 1855