Augustus Quirinus Rivinus
Encyclopedia
Augustus Quirinus Rivinus (9 December 1652 – 20 December 1723), also known as August Bachmann, was a German
physician
and botanist.
He was born in Leipzig
, Germany
, and studied at the University of Leipzig
(1669–1671), continued his studies in the University of Helmstedt
(where he received M.D. in 1676). In 1677, he started lecturing in medicine at the University of Leipzig, in 1691 appointed to two chairs, that of physiology and of botany, and made the curator of the University medical garden. In 1701, he became professor of pathology, in 1719, professor of therapeutics and permanent dean of the Faculty of Medicine. The same year he became a Fellow of the Royal Society
. Being interested also in astronomy, by the end of his life (around 1713), he nearly completely blinded himself by looking at sunspots. He died in Leipzig.
In his Introductio generalis in rem herbariam and three books on the plant orders (which comprised but a small part of the whole projected work on a methodical description of plants) he introduced several important innovations which were later used by other botanists (Joseph Pitton de Tournefort
and Carl Linnaeus among them). He classified the plants according to the structure of the flower. Like John Ray
he extensively used dichotomous keys which led first to the higher groups, which he called higher genera (genus summum) of plant orders (ordo), and then to the lower genera. Alongside with Joseph Pitton de Tournefort
he was the first to apply consistently the rule according to which the names of all species belonging to the same genus should start with the same word (generic name). If a genus contains just one species, the generic name would be its only name. If there are more than one species belonging to the genus, their names should consist of the generic name followed by differentia specifica (a brief diagnostic phrase). His nomenclature differed from that by Joseph Pitton de Tournefort
because he did not use differentia specifica with the first plant of a genus, adding differentiae only to the second and subsequent plant species. He corresponded with John Ray
on matters of plant classification.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
and botanist.
He was born in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and studied at the University of Leipzig
University of Leipzig
The University of Leipzig , located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, is one of the oldest universities in the world and the second-oldest university in Germany...
(1669–1671), continued his studies in the University of Helmstedt
University of Helmstedt
The University of Helmstedt, official Latin name: Academia Julia , was a university in Helmstedt in the Duchy of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel that existed from 1576 until 1810....
(where he received M.D. in 1676). In 1677, he started lecturing in medicine at the University of Leipzig, in 1691 appointed to two chairs, that of physiology and of botany, and made the curator of the University medical garden. In 1701, he became professor of pathology, in 1719, professor of therapeutics and permanent dean of the Faculty of Medicine. The same year he became a Fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
. Being interested also in astronomy, by the end of his life (around 1713), he nearly completely blinded himself by looking at sunspots. He died in Leipzig.
In his Introductio generalis in rem herbariam and three books on the plant orders (which comprised but a small part of the whole projected work on a methodical description of plants) he introduced several important innovations which were later used by other botanists (Joseph Pitton de Tournefort
Joseph Pitton de Tournefort
Joseph Pitton de Tournefort was a French botanist, notable as the first to make a clear definition of the concept of genus for plants.- Biography :...
and Carl Linnaeus among them). He classified the plants according to the structure of the flower. Like John Ray
John Ray
John Ray was an English naturalist, sometimes referred to as the father of English natural history. Until 1670, he wrote his name as John Wray. From then on, he used 'Ray', after "having ascertained that such had been the practice of his family before him".He published important works on botany,...
he extensively used dichotomous keys which led first to the higher groups, which he called higher genera (genus summum) of plant orders (ordo), and then to the lower genera. Alongside with Joseph Pitton de Tournefort
Joseph Pitton de Tournefort
Joseph Pitton de Tournefort was a French botanist, notable as the first to make a clear definition of the concept of genus for plants.- Biography :...
he was the first to apply consistently the rule according to which the names of all species belonging to the same genus should start with the same word (generic name). If a genus contains just one species, the generic name would be its only name. If there are more than one species belonging to the genus, their names should consist of the generic name followed by differentia specifica (a brief diagnostic phrase). His nomenclature differed from that by Joseph Pitton de Tournefort
Joseph Pitton de Tournefort
Joseph Pitton de Tournefort was a French botanist, notable as the first to make a clear definition of the concept of genus for plants.- Biography :...
because he did not use differentia specifica with the first plant of a genus, adding differentiae only to the second and subsequent plant species. He corresponded with John Ray
John Ray
John Ray was an English naturalist, sometimes referred to as the father of English natural history. Until 1670, he wrote his name as John Wray. From then on, he used 'Ray', after "having ascertained that such had been the practice of his family before him".He published important works on botany,...
on matters of plant classification.
Principal works
- Introductio generalis in rem herbariam. Lipsiae LeipzigLeipzigLeipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
: Typis Christoph. Güntheri, 1690. [8] + 39 p. - Ordo Plantarum qvae sunt Flore Irregulari Monopetalo. Lipsiae: Typis Christoph. Fleischeri, 1690. 22 + [4] p. + 124 tab.
- Ordo Plantarum qvae sunt Flore Irregulari Tetrapetalo. Lipsiae: Typis Christoph. Fleischeri, 1691. [6] + 20 + [4] p. + 121 tab.
- Ordo Plantarum qvae sunt Flore Irregulari Pentapetalo. Lipsiae: Typis Joh. Heinrici Richteri, 1699. [6] + 28 + [4] p. + 139 tab.
- D.A.Q.R. ad celeberrimum virum dominum Johan. Rajum... Epistola Lipsiae: Prostat apud Davidem Fleisherum, 1694. 24 p.
- Censura medicamentorum officinalium. Lipsiae, J. Fritsch, 1701
Associated Eponyms
- notch of Rivinus: a notch in the upper part of the tympanic portion of the temporal boneTemporal boneThe temporal bones are situated at the sides and base of the skull, and lateral to the temporal lobes of the cerebrum.The temporal bone supports that part of the face known as the temple.-Parts:The temporal bone consists of four parts:* Squama temporalis...
. http://www.bartleby.com/107/pages/page1038.html - Rivinus’ ligament: also known as Shrapnell's membraneShrapnell's membraneIn human anatomy, the Pars flaccida of tympanic membrane or Shrapnell's membrane is the small, triangular, flaccid portion of the tympanic membrane, or eardrum. It lies above the malleolar folds attached directly to the petrous bone at the notch of Rivinus...
; the flaccid portion of the tympanic membrane. - Viola rivinianaViola rivinianaViola riviniana, the Common Dog-violet, is a species of the genus Viola. It is also called wood violet or dog violet. It is a perennial herb of woodland rides, grassland and shady hedge banks...
: a species of violet; its popular name is the common dog violetDog violetDog violet is the common name for various species of the plant genus Viola with unscented flowers. The term arose to differentiate them from the scented sweet violet. Species so named include:*Viola canina - heath dog violet...
. - Ducts of Rivinus: The collective name for the minor submandibular salivary ducts.
- RivinaRivinaRivina is a genus of flowering plants in the pokeweed family, Phytolaccaceae. The name honors German botanist Augustus Quirinus Rivinus .-Selected species:* Rivina humilis L. – Pigeonberry...
, a genus of flowering plantFlowering plantThe flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
s in the pokeweedPokeweedThe pokeweeds, also known as pokebush, pokeberry, pokeroot, poke sallet, polk salad, polk salat, polk sallet, inkberry or ombú, comprise the genus Phytolacca, perennial plants native to North America, South America, East Asia and New Zealand...
family, PhytolaccaceaePhytolaccaceaePhytolaccaceae is the botanical name for a family of flowering plants. Such a family has been almost universally recognized by taxonomists, although its circumscription has varied. It is also known as the Pokeweed family....
.