August Batsch

August Johann Georg Karl Batsch ( born October 28, 1761 Jena, † September 29, 1802 ) was a German botanist, physician and writer. Its official botanical author abbreviation is " Batsch ".

Life and work

In Batsch, who was educated in the city schools, and later took private lessons, was shown early at the inclination to the natural sciences, particularly botany. In 1772, he began the study of medicine and natural history at the University of Jena, where he in 1781 Dr. phil. received his doctorate. From 1782 to 1783 he worked as a lecturer in botany and zoology at the University of Jena from 1784 to 1786 and was administrator of the Counts of Reuss - Plauischen natural history collection in Koestritz.

1786, he received his doctorate at Justus Christian Loder as MD in 1788, he became associate professor (especially for botany and chemistry ) and in 1792 professor of natural history at the Faculty of Medicine. He founded in 1793 the Society for Natural Sciences Jena. In 1794 he founded the botanical garden in Jena, whose leadership as director, he took over. In addition Batsch Johann Wolfgang von Goethe advised in botanical questions.

In his work Elenchus fungorum ..., comprising three volumes, about 200 species of fungi are described and shown on colored panels. As often quite accurate location information is provided, the work has not only important for fungal systematics, but also for the floral decorations mushrooms.

Under the name, a knight Tribus rosis ' he was a member of the Masonic obedience of the Strict Observance. Also the Illuminati, he was joined by his religious name, Flavian ', respectively, Florian ' and became secretary of the Minervalkirche in Weimar; 1783, presbyters '.

Taxonomic ceremony

The plant genus of Joseph Cölestus Mutis newly discovered was named in his honor Batschia. She comes from the legume family ( Fabaceae ). Wilhelm Zopf named the brown acorn cup Ling ( Ciboria batschiana ) after him.

Writings

• Elenchus Fungorum. From 1783 to 1789.
• Natural history of the tapeworm genus at all and their species in particular, written by the more recent observations in a systematic exodus. JJ Gebauer, Hall 1786, 298 pp., digitized online at Göttingen Digitization Center.
• Attempt at a guide to the knowledge and history of the plants. From 1787 to 1788.