Max Burret
Encyclopedia
Karl Ewald Maximilian Burret, commonly known as Max Burret (6 June 1883 – 19 September 1964) was a German botanist.
Burret was born in Saffig
near Andernach
in the Prussian
Rhine Province
. He originally studied law at Lausanne
and Munich
at the instigation of his father. Burret had a greater interest in natural science
than in law, and he eventually abandoned his law studies to conduct botanical
research in Berlin, where he earned a Ph.D in 1909 for his Taxonomic
thesis, and quickly became one of Germany's most prominent botanists. Burret participated in many botanical science organizations in Germany, taking up leadership positions, such as Assistant at the Berlin Botanical Museum and Garden from 1909 to 1911, as well as Botanical Assistant and Lecturer at the Botanical Institute of the Agricultural College in Berlin in 1911 through 1921. In 1922 he was appointed Custodian of the Botanical Museum and Garden in Berlin, and later appointed to Professor of Botanical Biology
at Berlin University.
Burret made numerous travels in Europe and Africa, as well as South America. He was invited by the Brazil
ian government to make a trip to that country, specifically for the study of the various species of palm
trees indigenous
to the region. Shortly after his return to Germany, he voyaged to the Old World
tropics
, visiting Sri Lanka
, the Malay Peninsula
, Java
, and Sumatra
in 1938 and 1939. Burret was among the first botanists to conduct ground-breaking research on palms, beginning in Africa and later in South America and Indomalaysia. He identified, named and classified dozens of palm species, including Rhapis multifida (finger palm) and Livistona beccariana. He also named and classified other tropical flora
, chiefly those of the linden family. The names of several genera of palm trees were named after him, including the genera Maxburretia
and Burretiokentia
.
Burret is the author of numerous systematic papers on the floral families Tiliaceae
(the linden family) and Palmae
(the palm family). He died in Berlin.
Burret was born in Saffig
Saffig
Saffig is a municipality in the district of Mayen-Koblenz in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.-The emblem:The organ pipes and the ear show St. Cäcilia, the patron saint of the Catholic church of Saffig. The lava dome shows the territory of vulcanos, where Saffig is.-History:The first reference...
near Andernach
Andernach
Andernach is a town in the district of Mayen-Koblenz, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, of currently about 30,000 inhabitants. It is situated towards the end of the Neuwied basin on the left bank of the Rhine between the former tiny fishing village of Fornich in the north and the mouth of the...
in the Prussian
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
Rhine Province
Rhine Province
The Rhine Province , also known as Rhenish Prussia or synonymous to the Rhineland , was the westernmost province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia, within the German Reich, from 1822-1946. It was created from the provinces of the Lower Rhine and Jülich-Cleves-Berg...
. He originally studied law at Lausanne
Lausanne
Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
and Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
at the instigation of his father. Burret had a greater interest in natural science
Natural science
The natural sciences are branches of science that seek to elucidate the rules that govern the natural world by using empirical and scientific methods...
than in law, and he eventually abandoned his law studies to conduct botanical
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
research in Berlin, where he earned a Ph.D in 1909 for his Taxonomic
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...
thesis, and quickly became one of Germany's most prominent botanists. Burret participated in many botanical science organizations in Germany, taking up leadership positions, such as Assistant at the Berlin Botanical Museum and Garden from 1909 to 1911, as well as Botanical Assistant and Lecturer at the Botanical Institute of the Agricultural College in Berlin in 1911 through 1921. In 1922 he was appointed Custodian of the Botanical Museum and Garden in Berlin, and later appointed to Professor of Botanical Biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
at Berlin University.
Burret made numerous travels in Europe and Africa, as well as South America. He was invited by the Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian government to make a trip to that country, specifically for the study of the various species of palm
Arecaceae
Arecaceae or Palmae , are a family of flowering plants, the only family in the monocot order Arecales. There are roughly 202 currently known genera with around 2600 species, most of which are restricted to tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate climates...
trees indigenous
Indigenous (ecology)
In biogeography, a species is defined as native to a given region or ecosystem if its presence in that region is the result of only natural processes, with no human intervention. Every natural organism has its own natural range of distribution in which it is regarded as native...
to the region. Shortly after his return to Germany, he voyaged to the Old World
Old World
The Old World consists of those parts of the world known to classical antiquity and the European Middle Ages. It is used in the context of, and contrast with, the "New World" ....
tropics
Tropics
The tropics is a region of the Earth surrounding the Equator. It is limited in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere at approximately N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere at S; these latitudes correspond to the axial tilt of the Earth...
, visiting Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, the Malay Peninsula
Malay Peninsula
The Malay Peninsula or Thai-Malay Peninsula is a peninsula in Southeast Asia. The land mass runs approximately north-south and, at its terminus, is the southern-most point of the Asian mainland...
, Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
, and Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
in 1938 and 1939. Burret was among the first botanists to conduct ground-breaking research on palms, beginning in Africa and later in South America and Indomalaysia. He identified, named and classified dozens of palm species, including Rhapis multifida (finger palm) and Livistona beccariana. He also named and classified other tropical flora
Flora
Flora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...
, chiefly those of the linden family. The names of several genera of palm trees were named after him, including the genera Maxburretia
Maxburretia
Maxburretia is a genus of three rare species of palms found in southern Thailand and Malaysia. The genus is named in honor of Max Burret....
and Burretiokentia
Burretiokentia
Burretiokentia is a genus of New Caledonian palms containing five species:* Burretiokentia dumasii* Burretiokentia grandiflora* Burretiokentia hapala* Burretiokentia koghiensis* Burretiokentia vieillardii- References :...
.
Burret is the author of numerous systematic papers on the floral families Tiliaceae
Tiliaceae
Tiliaceae is a botanical name for a family of flowering plants. Such a family is not part of APG II, but it is found all through the botanical literature and remains prominently listed by nomenclatural databases such as IPNI....
(the linden family) and Palmae
Arecaceae
Arecaceae or Palmae , are a family of flowering plants, the only family in the monocot order Arecales. There are roughly 202 currently known genera with around 2600 species, most of which are restricted to tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate climates...
(the palm family). He died in Berlin.