This is the 300th anniversary of the man who revolutionized our understanding of botany.
Carl Linneaus was the Swedish scientist who invented the modern classification of plants and animals, according to genus and species.
Some misc. excerpts ...
Quoting:
Born on May 23, 1707 in Stenbrohult, Sweden, Carl Linnaeus is credited with creating order out of chaos -- the chaos of naming and identifying plants. Before Linnaeus, no system existed for giving workable, reliable names to plants, and thus no global capability for scientists and others who studied plants to communicate about them.
Quoting:
In the end, the pure notoriety of the Linnaean system in both scientific and popular culture drove new standards for how scientists would come together to give names to plants. By international accord, the foundation for all valid plant names rests on Linnaeus’ 1753 publication, Species plantarum. His legacy resides in the simple abbreviation “L.” that follows the nearly 7,000 plant species he named.
Quoting:
Linnaeus created the mechanism to do so -- a universal system for organizing plants by their shared reproductive characteristics. Moreover, he institutionalized the concept of a two-part formal name (a grouping name known as the genus and a specific name known as the species that applies only to the specific kind of plant) – the same format used to give scientific names to all plants and animals today. Magnolia grandiflora L., for example, is the scientific name he gave to southern magnolia.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Huntington Botanical Center in San Marino, California
> http://www.huntington.org/Information/linnaeus.htm
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Quoting:
Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778) is one of Sweden’s most world-famous historic figures. He is the father of the modern classification of flora and fauna and has been recognized as the “flower king” by generations of botanists around the world.
> http://www.nordicway.com/search/Sweden/Sweden_carl_linneaus.htm
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> http://www.davidlnelson.md/Cazadero/FiveKingdoms.htm
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
And on the National Public Radio ..
Quoting:
Botanist Carl Linneaus (is) Recalled for Classifying Plants
Weekend Edition Saturday, May 26, 2007 · This is the 300th anniversary of the man who revolutionized our understanding of botany. Carl Linneaus was the Swedish scientist who invented the modern classification of plants and animals, according to genus and species.
Dr. Robbin Moran of the New York Botanical Garden speaks with John Ydstie about Linnaeus' contributions to modern science.
Listen (here) > http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10470042
- Magpye