Everything about Adolf Engler totally explained
Heinrich Gustav Adolf Engler (
1844 –
1930) was a
German botanist. He is notable for his work on
Plant Taxonomy and
Phytogeography, like
Die Natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien (The natural plant families), edited with
Karl A. E. von Prantl.
Even now, his system of plant classification, the
Engler System, is still used by many
herbaria and is followed by writers of many manuals and
floras. It is still the only system that treats all 'plants' (in the wider sense,
algae to
flowering plants) 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 forty 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 jahrbucher.
He received the
Linnean Medal in 1913. The
International Association for Plant Taxonomy (IAPT) established the
Engler Medal in his honour in 1986, to be awarded for outstanding contributions to plant taxonomy (see the list of
Engler Medal awards
).
The journal
Englera (ISSN 0170-4818) published by the
Berlin-Dahlem Botanical Garden, Germany is also named after him. Many genera (in various 'plant' groups) are named in his honour, such as
Englerastrum,
Englerella,
Engleria,
Englerina,
Englerocharis,
Englerodaphne,
Englerodendron and
Englerophytum.
Biography
Adolf Engler was born on
March 25 1844 in Sagan,
Prussia, now
Żagań, in western
Poland as "Heinrich Gustav Adolf Engler", and died in
Berlin,
Germany, on
October 10 1930).
He studied and obtained a Ph.D. from the
University of Breslau (now
Wrocław, Poland) in 1866. After some years of teaching he became, in 1871, custodian of botanical collections of the Botanische Institute der L.M.U. München (
Botanical Institute of Munich), remaining there until 1878, when he accepted a professorship at the
University of Kiel, wherein he stayed until 1884 teaching Systematic Botany. Also in 1878, Engler was elected into
Leopoldina, 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 University of Breslau. From 1889 to 1921 Engler was professor at
University of Berlin, and director of the
Berlin-Dahlem Botanical Garden, 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 works
Besides his important work in General Plant Taxonomy, he was also an expert in some taxa such as
Saxifraga,
Araceae,
Burseraceae and others.
Adolf Engler collaborated with several other great botanists, including
Alphonse de Candolle on the
Monographiae Phanerogamarum (Monographs of flowering plants), and
C.F.P. von Martius on the monumental work
Flora Brasiliensis (Flora of
Brazil).
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, Germany, which has continued in publication since 1881 up to the present.
- Die Natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien (The natural plant families), edited with Karl A. E. Prantl, 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 is being produced (starting in 1924, latest release 1995 by Duncker und Humblot Verlag, Berlin)
- Das Pflanzenreich (The plant kingdom), with the collaboration of many notable experts, 1900-1968. This is a monographic series on the plant kingdom that's presently incomplete
- Syllabus der Pflanzenfamilien, in the 12th ed., edited by H. Melchior & E. Werdermann, with the collaboration of many notable experts, 1954-1964. This is the most recent summary of the Engler System and gives descriptions of the higher taxonomic levels. In two volumes
Phytogeographic works
He was one of the pioneers in this field of science, highlighting the importance of factors like 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 Botanicus.org)Further Information
Get more info on 'Adolf Engler'.
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