Francis Guthrie
Francis Guthrie (born January 22, 1831 in London , † October 19, 1899 in Claremont , Cape Town) was a South African mathematician and botanist. He was the brother of the physicist and chemist Frederick Guthrie (1833-1886).
From 1876 to 1898 he was professor of mathematics at the South African College, later the University of Cape Town .
Guthrie was the first to suggest the four-color theorem in 1852 .
Guthrie made a number of first descriptions of South African plants, especially numerous heather species ( Erica ), which he described together with Harry Bolus (1834-1911) in William Henry Harvey's Flora Capensis . Bolus named the genus Guthriea from the Achariaceae family after Guthrie.
literature
- Pieter Maritz, Sonja Mouton: Francis Guthrie: A Colorful Life. In: The Mathematical Intelligencer. 34, 2012, pp. 67-75, doi : 10.1007 / s00283-012-9307-y .
Web links
- The four color theorem (English)
- Author entry and list of the described plant names for Francis Guthrie at the IPNI
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Guthrie, Francis |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | South African mathematician and botanist |
| DATE OF BIRTH | January 22, 1831 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | London |
| DATE OF DEATH | October 19, 1899 |
| Place of death | Claremont , Cape Town |