Gustave Thuret
Encyclopedia
Gustave Adolphe Thuret (23 May 1817 - 10 May 1875) was a noted French
botanist
, and founder of the Jardin botanique de la Villa Thuret
.
, he belonged to an old Huguenot
family, which had sought refuge for a time in Holland after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes
. Thuret's mother was brought up in England
; English was the first language that he learnt, and he appears to have retained strong sympathies with Great Britain
throughout his life. As a young man he studied Law, while being an amateur musician, and it was from a musical friend, de Villers, that he received, in 1837, his first initiation into botany. Beginning simply as a collector, he soon came under the influence of Joseph Decaisne
, whose pupil he became. It was Decaisne who first encouraged him to undertake those algological
studies which were to become the chief work of his life.
Thuret twice visited Istanbul
in company with the French ambassador, Edouard Pontois, and was for a time attache to the French embassy to the Ottoman Empire
. His diplomatic career, though of short duration, gave him a valuable opportunity of studying the Oriental flora. After travelling in Syria
and Egypt
in the autumn of 1841, he returned to France.
Giving up his intention of entering the civil service, he retired to his father's country house at Rentilly, and thereafter devoted himself to scientific research. He had already, in 1840, published his first scientific paper, Notes sur 1ère anthere de Chara et les animalcules qu'elle renferme, in which he first accurately described the organs of motion of the "animalcules" or spermatozoids of these plants. He continued his studies of the zoospore
s and male cells of Algae and other similar plants, and contributed to the understanding of such motile stages
in vegetable life.
Thuret spent a great part of his time, up to 1857, on the Atlantic coast
of France, carrying out an intense observation of marine Algae in their natural habitat at all seasons. In conjunction with his friend Edouard Bornet, he became the recognized authority on this important group of plants, of which the two colleagues acquired an unrivalled knowledge. Their work, while remarkable for taxonomic
accuracy, was more especially concentrated on the natural history
, development and modes of reproduction of the plants investigated. They did much work in the area of sexual reproduction
in seaweed
s.
The researches on the fecundation
of the Fucaceae
were published by Thuret in 1853 and 1855; the complicated and difficult question of the sexual reproduction in Floridae was solved by the joint work of Thuret and Bornet (1867). Alongside the important discoveries in this area, the two scientists' researches helped elucidate every group of marine Algae. Thuret's style in expounding his results was hailed as singularly clear and concise; a man of thorough education, he was also noted for expressing his ideas with literary skill. Much of his best work remained unpublished during his life. A portion of the material accumulated by himself and his colleague was embodied in two magnificent works published after his death the Notes algologiques (1876–1880), and Études phycologiques (1878). These volumes, as well as earlier memoirs, are illustrated by accurate drawings by the artist Alfred Riocreux, whom Thuret employed.
In 1857 Thuret moved his research to Antibes
(on the Mediterranean coast), where, on a once barren promontory, he established a botanical garden
which became famous throughout the scientific world. Since his death the garden (now known as the Jardin botanique de la Villa Thuret
) has been placed at the disposal of botanical workers as an institute for research.
Thuret died suddenly, while on a visit to Nice
. He was a man of considerable wealth, which, together with his time and interest, he devoted to science.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
botanist
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...
, and founder of the Jardin botanique de la Villa Thuret
Jardin botanique de la Villa Thuret
The Jardin botanique de la Villa Thuret is a renowned botanical garden located on the grounds of the Villa Thuret, 90, chemin Raymond, Antibes Juan-les-Pins, Alpes-Maritimes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France...
.
Biography
Born in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, he belonged to an old Huguenot
Huguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
family, which had sought refuge for a time in Holland after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes
Edict of Nantes
The Edict of Nantes, issued on 13 April 1598, by Henry IV of France, granted the Calvinist Protestants of France substantial rights in a nation still considered essentially Catholic. In the Edict, Henry aimed primarily to promote civil unity...
. Thuret's mother was brought up in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
; English was the first language that he learnt, and he appears to have retained strong sympathies with Great Britain
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
throughout his life. As a young man he studied Law, while being an amateur musician, and it was from a musical friend, de Villers, that he received, in 1837, his first initiation into botany. Beginning simply as a collector, he soon came under the influence of Joseph Decaisne
Joseph Decaisne
Joseph Decaisne was a French botanist and agronomist.Although he was born in Brussels, Belgium, he exercised his activity exclusively in Paris...
, whose pupil he became. It was Decaisne who first encouraged him to undertake those algological
Algae
Algae are a large and diverse group of simple, typically autotrophic organisms, ranging from unicellular to multicellular forms, such as the giant kelps that grow to 65 meters in length. They are photosynthetic like plants, and "simple" because their tissues are not organized into the many...
studies which were to become the chief work of his life.
Thuret twice visited Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
in company with the French ambassador, Edouard Pontois, and was for a time attache to the French embassy to the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. His diplomatic career, though of short duration, gave him a valuable opportunity of studying the Oriental flora. After travelling in Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
in the autumn of 1841, he returned to France.
Giving up his intention of entering the civil service, he retired to his father's country house at Rentilly, and thereafter devoted himself to scientific research. He had already, in 1840, published his first scientific paper, Notes sur 1ère anthere de Chara et les animalcules qu'elle renferme, in which he first accurately described the organs of motion of the "animalcules" or spermatozoids of these plants. He continued his studies of the zoospore
Zoospore
A zoospore is a motile asexual spore that uses a flagellum for locomotion. Also called a swarm spore, these spores are created by some algae, bacteria and fungi to propagate themselves.-Flagella:...
s and male cells of Algae and other similar plants, and contributed to the understanding of such motile stages
Motility
Motility is a biological term which refers to the ability to move spontaneously and actively, consuming energy in the process. Most animals are motile but the term applies to single-celled and simple multicellular organisms, as well as to some mechanisms of fluid flow in multicellular organs, in...
in vegetable life.
Thuret spent a great part of his time, up to 1857, on the Atlantic coast
Atlantic Coast
The Atlantic Coast is any coast fronting the Atlantic Ocean. The term differentiates the coasts of countries or continents with coastlines on more than one body of water, such as North America, South America, Africa and Europe.-See also:*Indian Ocean...
of France, carrying out an intense observation of marine Algae in their natural habitat at all seasons. In conjunction with his friend Edouard Bornet, he became the recognized authority on this important group of plants, of which the two colleagues acquired an unrivalled knowledge. Their work, while remarkable for 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...
accuracy, was more especially concentrated on the natural history
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
, development and modes of reproduction of the plants investigated. They did much work in the area of sexual reproduction
Sexual reproduction
Sexual reproduction is the creation of a new organism by combining the genetic material of two organisms. There are two main processes during sexual reproduction; they are: meiosis, involving the halving of the number of chromosomes; and fertilization, involving the fusion of two gametes and the...
in seaweed
Seaweed
Seaweed is a loose, colloquial term encompassing macroscopic, multicellular, benthic marine algae. The term includes some members of the red, brown and green algae...
s.
The researches on the fecundation
Fertilisation
Fertilisation is the fusion of gametes to produce a new organism. In animals, the process involves the fusion of an ovum with a sperm, which eventually leads to the development of an embryo...
of the Fucaceae
Fucaceae
Fucaceae are a family of brown algae. There are seven genera in the family, most notably Fucus, which includes several common seaweeds....
were published by Thuret in 1853 and 1855; the complicated and difficult question of the sexual reproduction in Floridae was solved by the joint work of Thuret and Bornet (1867). Alongside the important discoveries in this area, the two scientists' researches helped elucidate every group of marine Algae. Thuret's style in expounding his results was hailed as singularly clear and concise; a man of thorough education, he was also noted for expressing his ideas with literary skill. Much of his best work remained unpublished during his life. A portion of the material accumulated by himself and his colleague was embodied in two magnificent works published after his death the Notes algologiques (1876–1880), and Études phycologiques (1878). These volumes, as well as earlier memoirs, are illustrated by accurate drawings by the artist Alfred Riocreux, whom Thuret employed.
In 1857 Thuret moved his research to Antibes
Antibes
Antibes is a resort town in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France.It lies on the Mediterranean in the Côte d'Azur, located between Cannes and Nice. The town of Juan-les-Pins is within the commune of Antibes...
(on the Mediterranean coast), where, on a once barren promontory, he established a botanical garden
Botanical garden
A botanical garden The terms botanic and botanical, and garden or gardens are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word botanic is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is a well-tended area displaying a wide range of plants labelled with their botanical names...
which became famous throughout the scientific world. Since his death the garden (now known as the Jardin botanique de la Villa Thuret
Jardin botanique de la Villa Thuret
The Jardin botanique de la Villa Thuret is a renowned botanical garden located on the grounds of the Villa Thuret, 90, chemin Raymond, Antibes Juan-les-Pins, Alpes-Maritimes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France...
) has been placed at the disposal of botanical workers as an institute for research.
Thuret died suddenly, while on a visit to Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
. He was a man of considerable wealth, which, together with his time and interest, he devoted to science.