Marinus Anton Donk
Encyclopedia
Marinus Anton Donk was a Dutch mycologist
. He specialized in the taxonomy
and nomenclature
of mushrooms. Rolf Singer
wrote in his obituary that he was "one of the most outstanding figures of contemporary mycology."
, East Java
in 1908, and completed secondary school in The Hague
, Netherlands. He studied biology at the University of Utrecht, starting in 1927. As a graduate student in mycology he completed the work for his 1931 "Revisie van de Nederlandse Heterobasidiomyceteae" (Revision of the Dutch Heterobasidiomycetes). He completed his studies and attained a doctorate degree in 1933 with the second part of his work, Revisie van de Nederlandse Heterobasidiomyceteae II. Afterwards he returned to Java, where he worked from 1934 to 1940 as a teacher, and, starting from 1941 as a curator
in the herbarium
of the Buitenzorg Botanical Garden
. He was interned in a Japanese prison camp from 1942 to 1945. During his time there, he managed to culture yeast
that grew in palm inflorescence
s in the camps; he used the yeast to ferment rice, which provided essential vitamins for the prisoners.
of the mushrooms, especially the Aphyllophorales
and Heterobasidiomycetes. He was involved in the development of a modern system to classify the Aphyllophorales and influenced nomenclatural rules for mushrooms.
Donk became Head of the Herbarium Bogoriense from 1947 to 1955, and a Deputy Professor at the University of Indonesia
in 1952. It was around this time when he became interested in nomenclature. After returning to Holland, he was the head of the Mycological Department at Rijksherbarium in Leiden from 1956 to 1972, and a member of the Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences. Donk was also the president of the Nomenclature Committee of the International Botanical Congress
es, in the Committee for Fungi and Lichens. Together with his colleague Rudolph Arnold Maas Geesteranus
, Donk founded the journal Persoonia in 1959.
Mycology
Mycology is the branch of biology concerned with the study of fungi, including their genetic and biochemical properties, their taxonomy and their use to humans as a source for tinder, medicinals , food and entheogens, as well as their dangers, such as poisoning or...
. He specialized in the taxonomy
Taxonomy
Taxonomy is the science of identifying and naming species, and arranging them into a classification. The field of taxonomy, sometimes referred to as "biological taxonomy", revolves around the description and use of taxonomic units, known as taxa...
and nomenclature
Nomenclature
Nomenclature is a term that applies to either a list of names or terms, or to the system of principles, procedures and terms related to naming - which is the assigning of a word or phrase to a particular object or property...
of mushrooms. Rolf Singer
Rolf Singer
Rolf Singer was a German-born mycologist and one of the most important taxonomists of gilled mushrooms in the 20th century....
wrote in his obituary that he was "one of the most outstanding figures of contemporary mycology."
Early life
Donk was born in SitubondoSitubondo
Situbondo is a regency of East Java, Indonesia....
, East Java
East Java
East Java is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the eastern part of the island of Java and includes neighboring Madura and islands to its east and to its north East Java is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the eastern part of the island of Java and includes neighboring Madura and...
in 1908, and completed secondary school in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, Netherlands. He studied biology at the University of Utrecht, starting in 1927. As a graduate student in mycology he completed the work for his 1931 "Revisie van de Nederlandse Heterobasidiomyceteae" (Revision of the Dutch Heterobasidiomycetes). He completed his studies and attained a doctorate degree in 1933 with the second part of his work, Revisie van de Nederlandse Heterobasidiomyceteae II. Afterwards he returned to Java, where he worked from 1934 to 1940 as a teacher, and, starting from 1941 as a curator
Curator
A curator is a manager or overseer. Traditionally, a curator or keeper of a cultural heritage institution is a content specialist responsible for an institution's collections and involved with the interpretation of heritage material...
in the herbarium
Herbarium
In botany, a herbarium – sometimes known by the Anglicized term herbar – is a collection of preserved plant specimens. These specimens may be whole plants or plant parts: these will usually be in a dried form, mounted on a sheet, but depending upon the material may also be kept in...
of the Buitenzorg Botanical Garden
Bogor Botanical Gardens
The Bogor Botanical Gardens are located 60 km south of the capital of Jakarta in Bogor, Indonesia. The botanical gardens are situated in the city center of Bogor and adjoin the Istana Bogor...
. He was interned in a Japanese prison camp from 1942 to 1945. During his time there, he managed to culture yeast
Yeast
Yeasts are eukaryotic micro-organisms classified in the kingdom Fungi, with 1,500 species currently described estimated to be only 1% of all fungal species. Most reproduce asexually by mitosis, and many do so by an asymmetric division process called budding...
that grew in palm inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
s in the camps; he used the yeast to ferment rice, which provided essential vitamins for the prisoners.
Career
Donk's main research area was on the taxonomyTaxonomy
Taxonomy is the science of identifying and naming species, and arranging them into a classification. The field of taxonomy, sometimes referred to as "biological taxonomy", revolves around the description and use of taxonomic units, known as taxa...
of the mushrooms, especially the Aphyllophorales
Aphyllophorales
The Aphyllophorales is an obsolete order of fungi in the Basidiomycota. The order is entirely artificial, bringing together a miscellany of species now grouped among the clavarioid fungi, corticioid fungi, cyphelloid fungi, hydnoid fungi, and poroid fungi....
and Heterobasidiomycetes. He was involved in the development of a modern system to classify the Aphyllophorales and influenced nomenclatural rules for mushrooms.
Donk became Head of the Herbarium Bogoriense from 1947 to 1955, and a Deputy Professor at the University of Indonesia
University of Indonesia
The Universitas Indonesia, is a state, comprehensive world class university located in Depok, West Java and Salemba, Jakarta, Indonesia. Universitas Indonesia is the oldest tertiary-level educational institution in Indonesia...
in 1952. It was around this time when he became interested in nomenclature. After returning to Holland, he was the head of the Mycological Department at Rijksherbarium in Leiden from 1956 to 1972, and a member of the Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences. Donk was also the president of the Nomenclature Committee of the International Botanical Congress
International Botanical Congress
International Botanical Congress is a large-scale meeting of botanists in all scientific fields, from all over the world. Authorized by the International Association of Botanical and Mycological Societies , congresses are held every six years with the venue circulating around the world. The XVIII...
es, in the Committee for Fungi and Lichens. Together with his colleague Rudolph Arnold Maas Geesteranus
Rudolph Arnold Maas Geesteranus
Rudolph Arnold Maas Geesteranus, born 20 January 1911 in The Hague, died May 18 2003 in Oegstgeest, was a Dutch mycologist.-References:...
, Donk founded the journal Persoonia in 1959.
Selected publications
- (1931) Revisie van de Nederlandse Heterobasidiomyceteae (uitgez. Uredinales en Ustilaginales) en Homobasidiomyceteae-Aphyllophraceae : I. (Revision of the Dutch Heterobasidiomycetes (except for the Uredinales and Ustilaginales) and Homobasidiomycetes: Aphyllophraceae) in Mededeelingen van de Nederlandsche Mycologische Vereeniging (Proceedings of the Dutch Mycological Association) 18:20 S. 67–200.
- (1933) Revisie van de Nederlandse Heterobasidiomyceteae (uitgez. Uredinales en Ustilaginales) en Homobasidiomyceteae-Aphyllophraceae : II. in Mededeelingen van het Botanisch Museum en Herbarium van de Rijks Universiteit te Utrecht 9 S. 1–278.
- (1949) New and revised nomina generica conservanda proposed for Basidiomycetes (Fungi) in Annales du Jardin Botanique de Buitenzorg (Annals of the Buitenzorg Botanical Garden) 3rd series, 18 S. 83–168.
- (1949) Nomenclatural notes on generic names of agarics (Fungi: Agaricales) in Annales du Jardin Botanique de Buitenzorg (Annals of the Buitenzorg Botanical Garden) 3rd series, Bd. 18 S. 271–402
- (1959) Notes on Cyphellaceae: 1 in Persoonia 1 S. 25–110.
- (1962) The generic names proposed for the Agaricaceae in Beihefte Nova Hedwigia (supplement to Nova Hedwigia) 5 S. 1–320.
- (1962) Notes on Cyphellaceae: 2 in Persoonia 2 S. 331–348.
- (1964) A conspectus of the families of Aphyllophorales in Persoonia 3 S. 199–324.
- (1964) The generic names proposed for Polyporaceae in Persoonia 1 S. 173–302.
Taxa described
- ClavariadelphusClavariadelphusClavariadelphus is a genus of fungi in the Clavariadelphaceae family. The genus has a widespread distribution in temperate areas, and contains 19 species....
Donk - DatroniaDatroniaDatronia is a genus of fungi in the family Polyporaceae.-External links:* at Index Fungorum...
Donk - OsteinaOsteinaOsteina is a genus of fungi in the family Fomitopsidaceae....
Donk - RamariopsisRamariopsisRamariopsis is a genus of fungi in the Clavariaceae family. The genus has a widespread distribution and contains 44 species.- Species :R. agglutinata –R. alutacea –R. antillarum –R. asperulospora –...
(Donk) Corner (as ClavariaClavariaClavaria is a genus of fungi in the family Clavariaceae. Species of Clavaria produce basidiocarps that are either cylindrical to club-shaped or branched and coral-like. They are often grouped with similar-looking species from other genera, when they are collectively known as the clavarioid fungi...
subg. Ramariopsis) - Thanatephorus Donk
Eponymous taxa
- Donkella Doty 1950 (now ClavulinopsisClavulinopsisClavulinopsis is a genus of fungi in the Clavariaceae family. The genus, first described scientifically by Casper van Overeem in 1923, has a widespread distribution and contains 33 species.-External links:* at Index Fungorum...
) - Donkia Pilat 1937 (now ClimacodonClimacodonClimacodon is a genus of fungi in the family Phanerochaetaceae. The widespread genus contains six species....
) - DonkioporiaDonkioporiaDonkioporia is a genus of fungi in the family Fomitopsidaceae. The genus consists of two resupinate species: the type Donkioporia expansa, and Donkioporia albidofusca , which was transferred to the genus in 2010....
Kotl. & Pouzar 1973