John Ray

John Ray, also romanized John Raius (* November 29, 1627 in Black Notley, Braintree, Essex, † January 17, 1705 ) was a British theologian, classical scholar and naturalist and is known as the father of English botany. Before 1670 he enrolled " John Wray ". Its official botanical author abbreviation is " Ray".

Life and work

John Ray published important works on the natural history of animals and plants as well as natural theology.

In his three -volume work Historia generalis plantarum (1686-1704) John Ray summarizes the botanical results of his trip through Western Europe from 1663 to 1666 along with around 18,000 descriptions of about 6000 species. His work as animal and plant taxonomists provided a basis for the systematics Linnéische. In particular, his method of systematization according to morphological features created a new system of botany and founded a natural classification. In the name of the organisms he was nearing the binary nomenclature. His definition of a species as a reproductive community (1686) was already close to the currently valid definition.

He also distinguished 1682 on and dicotyledonous plants apart and carried it for monocots and dicots, the terms a. In zoology, he marked off the fish in De Historia Piscium (1686) from the other aquatic animals and thus further away from the Aristotelian order after habitats. 1671 isolated the first researcher Ray formic acid, distilled by a large number of ants. In an English Garden John Ray discovered in 1696, the most healing peppermint (Mentha x piperita)

After the death of Francis Willughby, John Ray continued his zoological work.

Honor

Charles Plumier named in his honor one genus Ian raia the plant family of Yamswurzelgewächse ( Dioscorea ). Linnaeus later changed the name in Rajania.

Writings (selection )

• The Wisdom of God Manifested in the Works of the Creation. 1st edition, London 1691 ( 7th revised edition, London 1717, PDF)
• L' histoire naturelle éclaircie dans une de ses principales parties, l' ornithology. Paris 1767 (online).

Letters

• Edwin Lankester (ed.): The Correspondence of John Ray. Consisting of selections from the philosophical letters published by Dr. Derham, and original letters of John Ray in the collection of the British Museum. Ray Society, London 1848 (online).