Cai Xitao
Encyclopedia
Cai Xitao was a Chinese botanist from a village near Dongyang
(东阳) in Zhejiang
province, China.
In 1928, after studying at various institutions in Hangzhou
and Shanghai, though without attaining any formal qualifications, Cai Xitao was able to secure a job at the Jing Sheng Botanic Laboratory in Beijing (北平静生生物调查所) through family connections. In 1932, he was transferred to Yunnan
province, where he worked as a botanist in the province's temperate climate. In 1938, he set up the Yunnan Botany Research Institute (云南农林植物研究所) in Heilongtan (黑龙潭), and acted as the institute's Vice President.
In 1950, Cai Xitao was given charge of the Kunming Institute of Botany
, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) (中国科学院植物分类研究所昆明工作站), and in 1959 the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden
(西双版纳热带植物园) was established under his control.
He died on 9 March 1981.
Some of the specimen he collected are part of Harvard University Herbaria . Note that his name is spelled as Tsai, Hse-Tao and Tsai, Hsi-Tao.
Dongyang
Dongyang is a Chinese city of about 800,000 people in the middle of Zhejiang Province, about 200 kilometers south of Hangzhou. Dongyang lies in the central area of Zhejiang Province, covering an area of 1739 square kilometers...
(东阳) in Zhejiang
Zhejiang
Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...
province, China.
In 1928, after studying at various institutions in Hangzhou
Hangzhou
Hangzhou , formerly transliterated as Hangchow, is the capital and largest city of Zhejiang Province in Eastern China. Governed as a sub-provincial city, and as of 2010, its entire administrative division or prefecture had a registered population of 8.7 million people...
and Shanghai, though without attaining any formal qualifications, Cai Xitao was able to secure a job at the Jing Sheng Botanic Laboratory in Beijing (北平静生生物调查所) through family connections. In 1932, he was transferred to Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
province, where he worked as a botanist in the province's temperate climate. In 1938, he set up the Yunnan Botany Research Institute (云南农林植物研究所) in Heilongtan (黑龙潭), and acted as the institute's Vice President.
In 1950, Cai Xitao was given charge of the Kunming Institute of Botany
Kunming Institute of Botany
Kunming Institute of Botany, or KIB , founded in 1938, is a research institution in the field of Botany, which is located in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province, China. The Institute has a botanical garden....
, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) (中国科学院植物分类研究所昆明工作站), and in 1959 the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden
Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden
Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden , of the Chinese Academy of Sciences , was founded in 1959 is located in Xishuangbanna at 21º55' N, 101º15'E, covering an area of 900 ha...
(西双版纳热带植物园) was established under his control.
He died on 9 March 1981.
Some of the specimen he collected are part of Harvard University Herbaria . Note that his name is spelled as Tsai, Hse-Tao and Tsai, Hsi-Tao.