Dominique Alexandre Godron
Dominique Alexandre Godron (born March 25, 1807 in Hayange , Moselle department ; † August 16, 1880 in Nancy , Meurthe-et-Moselle department ) was a French natural scientist , particularly in the field of botany . He was best known for his three-volume work "Flora Frankreichs" ( Flore de France ), which he wrote together with Charles Grenier .
biography
Thanks to a scholarship, Godron was able to attend a secondary school in Paris, the Collège Stanislas . From 1827 he studied medicine and natural sciences at the University of Strasbourg . There he obtained the academic degrees Docteur en médecine and docteur ès-sciences . After completing his studies, he married Louise Hanriot in Nancy in 1834 , born in Thionville (Moselle) in 1811. A year later he was appointed professor at the École de médecine de Nancy. From 1850 he taught at academies in various departments as rector: Recteur de l'Académie départementale de la Haute-Saône (1850), Académie de l'Hérault (1851) and Académie du Doubs (1853). In 1854 he received a call to the Faculty of Sciences ( Faculté des Sciences ) of the University of Nancy as Professor of Natural History (Professeur d'histoire naturelle) and served there as Dean until 1871. In Nancy he founded a museum of natural history and designed the botanical garden new. In his honor it was later named "Jardin Dominique Alexandre Godron" . For his services, Godron was appointed officer of the French Legion of Honor (Officier de la Légion d'Honneur) in 1864. In 1877 he became a corresponding member of the Académie des sciences . At the age of 64 (1871) he retired. He died in 1880. His wife died eight years before him in 1872, also in Nancy.
His botanical excursions led Godron to also conduct geological studies and examine caves. He became honorary president of the French Alpine Club ( Club alpin français ), section Vosges.
Publications (selection)
In addition to the Flore de France , Godron wrote a book on the flora of Lorraine Flore de Lorraine . In the descriptions of the plants it is used with the botanical author abbreviation Godr. quoted. About 12 species have his name suffix godronii . Godron also dealt with the genetics of plants and the phenomenon of hybridization, three years before Gregor Mendel .
Based on his knowledge of plant hybridization - it was already known in animals - he wrote the book De l'espèce et des races dans les êtres organisés et specialement de l'unité de l'espèce humaine , in which he also applied this principle to humans expanded. Charles Darwin became aware of Godron's work and entered into correspondence with him.
Individual evidence
- ^ Charles Grenier, Dominique Godron: Flore de France ou Description des plantes qui croissent naturellement en France et en Corse. Volume 1, JB Baillire, Paris 1848; Volume 2, Sainte-Agathe aîné, Besançon & Charles Savy, Lyon 1850.
- ↑ a b cussenot-fst-nancy.ahp-numerique.fr
- ↑ biodiversitylibrary.org
- ↑ Dominique Alexandre Godron: De l'espèce et des races dans les êtres organisés et specialement de l'unité de l'espèce humaine, 2 volumes, J.-B. Baillière, Paris 1859.
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Godron, Dominique Alexandre |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | French botanist |
| DATE OF BIRTH | March 25, 1807 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Hayange , Moselle department |
| DATE OF DEATH | August 16, 1880 |
| Place of death | Nancy , Meurthe-et-Moselle department |