Johann Jacob Paul Moldenhawer
Encyclopedia
Johann Jacob Paul Moldenhawer (11 February 1766 – 21 August 1827) was a German
botanist who made a number of important discoveries in plant anatomy
.
He was born in Hamburg
, the son of a minister, and started out studying theology and the classics. At some unknown point he became interested in plants, and in 1791 he published Tentamen in historiam plantarum Theophrasti, on Theophrastus
, and the following year he is recorded as "Extraordinary Professor of Botany and Fruit Tree Culture" (außerordentlicher Professor für Botanik und Obstbau) at the University of Kiel
. He studied plant anatomy from 1795 until 1812, when he published Beyträge zur Anatomie der Pflanzen on his results. Immediately subsequently he concentrated on fruit tree
culture. He died in Kiel
.
Moldenhawer's contributions center on the microscopic examination of plant tissues, for which he devised techniques to separate the cells from the middle lamella layer that separates them. He identified vascular
and parenchymatous tissues, described vascular bundles, observed the cells in the cambium
, and interpreted tree rings. He found that stomata were composed pairs of cells, rather than a single cell with a hole. Although Moldenhawer is not credited with the cell theory
, his work provided key documentation for the validity of the theory in plants.
The genus Moldenhawera
is named in his honor.
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...
botanist who made a number of important discoveries in plant anatomy
Plant anatomy
Plant anatomy or phytotomy is the general term for the study of the internal structure of plants. While originally it included plant morphology, which is the description of the physical form and external structure of plants, since the mid-20th century the investigations of plant anatomy are...
.
He was born in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, the son of a minister, and started out studying theology and the classics. At some unknown point he became interested in plants, and in 1791 he published Tentamen in historiam plantarum Theophrasti, on Theophrastus
Theophrastus
Theophrastus , a Greek native of Eresos in Lesbos, was the successor to Aristotle in the Peripatetic school. He came to Athens at a young age, and initially studied in Plato's school. After Plato's death he attached himself to Aristotle. Aristotle bequeathed to Theophrastus his writings, and...
, and the following year he is recorded as "Extraordinary Professor of Botany and Fruit Tree Culture" (außerordentlicher Professor für Botanik und Obstbau) at the University of Kiel
University of Kiel
The University of Kiel is a university in the city of Kiel, Germany. It was founded in 1665 as the Academia Holsatorum Chiloniensis by Christian Albert, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp and has approximately 23,000 students today...
. He studied plant anatomy from 1795 until 1812, when he published Beyträge zur Anatomie der Pflanzen on his results. Immediately subsequently he concentrated on fruit tree
Fruit tree
A fruit tree is a tree which bears fruit that is consumed or used by people — all trees that are flowering plants produce fruit, which are the ripened ovaries of flowers containing one or more seeds. In horticultural usage, the term 'fruit tree' is limited to those that provide fruit for...
culture. He died in Kiel
Kiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
.
Moldenhawer's contributions center on the microscopic examination of plant tissues, for which he devised techniques to separate the cells from the middle lamella layer that separates them. He identified vascular
Vascular tissue
Vascular tissue is a complex conducting tissue, formed of more than one cell type, found in vascular plants. The primary components of vascular tissue are the xylem and phloem. These two tissues transport fluid and nutrients internally. There are also two meristems associated with vascular tissue:...
and parenchymatous tissues, described vascular bundles, observed the cells in the cambium
Cambium (botany)
A cambium , in botany, is a tissue layer that provide undifferentiated cells for plant growth. It forms parallel rows of cells, which result in secondary tissues....
, and interpreted tree rings. He found that stomata were composed pairs of cells, rather than a single cell with a hole. Although Moldenhawer is not credited with the cell theory
Cell theory
Cell theory refers to the idea that cells are the basic unit of structure in every living thing. Development of this theory during the mid 17th century was made possible by advances in microscopy. This theory is one of the foundations of biology...
, his work provided key documentation for the validity of the theory in plants.
The genus Moldenhawera
Moldenhawera
Moldenhawera is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It belongs to the subfamily Caesalpinioideae....
is named in his honor.