Scientist Carl Peter Thunberg (1743-1822)
Swedish naturalist and pupil of Carl Linnaeus. He has been called "the father of South African botany" and the "Japanese Linnaeus". He was commissioned to visit the Dutch colonies and Japan to collect specimens for Dutch botanical gardens. While in Japan he was appointed head surgeon (1775–1776) of a Dutch trading-post. The Dutch were hardly allowed to leave the island trading post, nevertheless, he was one of the few to be allowed to conduct some botanical research ashore. In order to obtain more specimens, he traded his knowledge of European medicine with Japanese interpreters for new specimens. In mid-1776, at last, he was allowed to accompany the director of the Dutch settlement to the shogun in Edo (the old name of Tokyo). During this slow travel, he was able to collect many Japanese plants. His scientific activities resulted in the first detailed description of the flora and fauna of Japan: "Flora Japonica".
Also see hybridizer
Carl Peter Thunberg.
Publications:
Thunberg, C. P., (17##), Dissertatio Irid. 15., Upsala 17##. Iris plumaria =Moraea plumaria
Thunberg, C. P., (1782), Dissertatio Irid. 16., Upsala 1782. Iris foetida
Thunberg, C. P., (17##), Dissertatio Irid. 20., Iris setacea =Moraea setacea
Thunberg, C. P., (17##), Dissertatio Irid. 25., Upsala 17##. Iris polystachya =Moraea polystachya
Thunberg, C. P., (1784), Flora Japonica, Leipzig 1784. I. graminea (I. ensata). Iris squalens
Thunberg, C. P., (1794), Transactions of the Linnean Society, ii. 327. I. japonica; ii. 328, Iris ensata.
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BobPries - 2012-05-18