Pierre Sonnerat
Pierre Sonnerat (born August 18, 1748 - March 31, 1814 ) was a French natural scientist and explorer . Its official botanical author's abbreviation is “ Sonn. ".
Life
His father was Claude Sonnerat, who was married to Benoîte Poivre (1714–1787) since January 29, 1736. Both had four other children, Jeanne Sonnerat (1746–1809), Alexandre Sonnerat (* 1749), Benoîte Elisabeth Sonnerat (* 1751) and Pierrette Sonnerat (* 1753). Sonnerat was a nephew of the botanist Pierre Poivre .
He made several trips: from 1769 to 1772 to Southeast Asia , visiting the Philippines and Moluccas , and from 1774 to 1781 to India and China . Among other things, he was the first to describe the southern Chinese lychee tree .
In addition to observing nature, Sonnerat reported what he learned about the history, society and mythology of the countries visited. He described the Indian caste system , the practice of widow burning and sacrificial rituals. His mention of the Ravanastron , a simple Indian spit violin , led to the belief that stringed instruments were invented in India.
From 1774 he was a corresponding member of the Académie des sciences .
Dedication names
In his honor the Sonnerathuhn ( Gallus sonneratii ), the Sonnerat cuckoo ( Cacomantis sonneratii ) and the genus Sonneratia Lf of the plant family of the loosestrife (Lythraceae) were named.
Works
-
Voyage à la Nouvelle-Guinée. 1776.
- Johann Dietrich Philipp Christian Ebeling (translator). Piere Sonnerat's trip to New Guinea, Weygand, Leipzig 1777 (digitized version)
- Voyage aux Indes orientales et à la Chine, fait depuis 1774 jusqu'à 1781. 1782.
Web links
- Author entry and list of the described plant names for Pierre Sonnerat at the IPNI
- Voyage aux Indes orientales et à la Chine, Volume 1, 1782 , E-Book of the University Library Vienna ( eBooks on Demand )
- Voyage aux Indes orientales et à la Chine, Volume 2, 1782 , E-Book of the University Library Vienna ( eBooks on Demand )
Individual evidence
- ↑ Genealogy of the parents
- ↑ Relationships
- ^ List of members since 1666: Letter S. Académie des sciences, accessed on March 4, 2020 (French).
personal data | |
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SURNAME | Sonnerat, Pierre |
BRIEF DESCRIPTION | French scientist and researcher |
DATE OF BIRTH | August 18, 1748 |
DATE OF DEATH | March 31, 1814 |