Lucien Quélet

Lucien Quélet (* July 14, 1832; † August 25, 1899 ) was a world-renowned French mycologist and naturalist who discovered several new species. He was the founder of the Société mycologique de France, an organization which has mycological studies devoted himself.

Quélet, born in Montécheroux, Doubs, the son of a farmer, soon became orphans. He spent his childhood with his aunt who raised him. In his youth he showed great interest in mycology and the general botany. He also was interested in ornithology and malacology. He was informed on Montbéliard College. Later he studied medicine in Strasbourg.

In 1884 he founded the Mycological Association, better known under the name Société mycologique de France, whose first president he was. A few years later he wrote a book called Mycological Flora of France.

Quélet described several species within its mycological research. Some are listed here:

• Agaricus bitorquis
• Amanita aspera
• Bondarzewia montana
• Clavariadelphus truncatus
• Collybia cirrhata
• Lepiota aspera
• Lepiota castanea
• Russula amethystina
• Tricholoma pardinum

Russula and Boletus queletii queletii were named after Quélet or in honor of his contributions to mycology.

Quélet itself has been described by some as a combination of Karsten and Paul Kummer; which concerned his studies, his skills in the field of mycological research, and the number of new species found by him. Much of Quélets work turns out to still be useful and many names widespread fungi date back to the work of Quélet.

Quélet broadened the scope of his studies in the course of his last years; he began to find interest in things that fascinated him in his youth - among other things Ornithology and malacology. Lucien Quélet died in 1899 at the age of 67 years.