Leo Lesquereux
Encyclopedia
Charles Léo Lesquereux (November 18, 1806 - October 25, 1889) was a Swiss bryologist and a pioneer of American paleobotany
. He was born in the town of Fleurier
, located in the canton of Neuchâtel
.
Due to a childhood accident, Lesquereux suffered from progressive hearing loss that eventually led to total deafness. Despite the fact he lacked formal training in botany
, he became a celebrated figure in the field of paleobotany. Until 1827 he took classes at the academy at Neuchâtel, and subsequently worked as a tutor of French language in Eisenach
. Afterwards he returned to Switzerland as a schoolteacher, and later principal in the town of Locle. Within three years his hearing had deteriorated to the point he had to give up his teaching job.
As a young man he took many excursions collecting rare moss
es in the Jura Mountains
, which eventually led to investigations of peat bogs. His pioneer research and analysis regarding the origin, composition
and development of peat
resulted in a close friendship with famed scientist Louis Agassiz
(1807-1873). Soon afterwards, Lesquereux was commissioned by the Prussian government to perform scientific studies of peat bogs throughout Europe.
In 1847 Lesquereux followed Agassiz to the United States, where he performed bryological research with William Starling Sullivant
(1803-1873) in Columbus, Ohio
. With Sullivant, he published two editions of a treatise called Musci Exsiccati Americani (1856, 1865). Another important work on American bryology by Lesquereux was the two volume Icones Muscorum (1864), which was a summary of mosses found in the eastern United States.
Based on his past studies of European peat bogs, Lesquereux developed theories concerning the origin of coal formations. As a consultant for state geological surveys in several U.S. states, he performed pioneer investigations of Paleozoic
flora. From these paleobotanical studies, his best work was a study of carboniferous
flora of Pennsylvania
titled "Description of the Coal Flora of the Carboniferous Formation in Pennsylvania and throughout the United States" (1879-84), which was a three-volume publication that became the standard for U.S. carboniferous flora.
The plant genus Lesquerella
from the family Brassicaceae
is named in his honor. Lesquereux died at the age of 82 on October 25, 1889 in Columbus.
Paleobotany
Paleobotany, also spelled as palaeobotany , is the branch of paleontology or paleobiology dealing with the recovery and identification of plant remains from geological contexts, and their use for the biological reconstruction of past environments , and both the evolutionary history of plants, with a...
. He was born in the town of Fleurier
Fleurier
Fleurier was a municipality in the district of Val-de-Travers in the canton of Neuchâtel in Switzerland. On 1 January 2009, the former municipalities of Boveresse, Buttes, Couvet, Fleurier, Les Bayards, Môtiers, Noiraigue, Saint-Sulpice and Travers merged to form Val-de-Travers.The Nobel...
, located in the canton of Neuchâtel
Canton of Neuchâtel
Neuchâtel is a canton of French speaking western Switzerland. In 2007, its population was 169,782 of which 39,654 were foreigners. The capital is Neuchâtel.-History:...
.
Due to a childhood accident, Lesquereux suffered from progressive hearing loss that eventually led to total deafness. Despite the fact he lacked formal training in botany
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...
, he became a celebrated figure in the field of paleobotany. Until 1827 he took classes at the academy at Neuchâtel, and subsequently worked as a tutor of French language in Eisenach
Eisenach
Eisenach is a city in Thuringia, Germany. It is situated between the northern foothills of the Thuringian Forest and the Hainich National Park. Its population in 2006 was 43,626.-History:...
. Afterwards he returned to Switzerland as a schoolteacher, and later principal in the town of Locle. Within three years his hearing had deteriorated to the point he had to give up his teaching job.
As a young man he took many excursions collecting rare moss
Moss
Mosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wiry stems...
es in the Jura Mountains
Jura mountains
The Jura Mountains are a small mountain range located north of the Alps, separating the Rhine and Rhone rivers and forming part of the watershed of each...
, which eventually led to investigations of peat bogs. His pioneer research and analysis regarding the origin, composition
and development of peat
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
resulted in a close friendship with famed scientist Louis Agassiz
Louis Agassiz
Jean Louis Rodolphe Agassiz was a Swiss paleontologist, glaciologist, geologist and a prominent innovator in the study of the Earth's natural history. He grew up in Switzerland and became a professor of natural history at University of Neuchâtel...
(1807-1873). Soon afterwards, Lesquereux was commissioned by the Prussian government to perform scientific studies of peat bogs throughout Europe.
In 1847 Lesquereux followed Agassiz to the United States, where he performed bryological research with William Starling Sullivant
William Starling Sullivant
William Starling Sullivant was a US bryologist.He was the son of Lucas Sullivant and Sarah Starling. He studied at Ohio University at Athens, Ohio. He made Bachelor of Arts in 1823 at Yale.Sullivant became the leading expert on mosses and liverworts of his time...
(1803-1873) in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
. With Sullivant, he published two editions of a treatise called Musci Exsiccati Americani (1856, 1865). Another important work on American bryology by Lesquereux was the two volume Icones Muscorum (1864), which was a summary of mosses found in the eastern United States.
Based on his past studies of European peat bogs, Lesquereux developed theories concerning the origin of coal formations. As a consultant for state geological surveys in several U.S. states, he performed pioneer investigations of Paleozoic
Paleozoic
The Paleozoic era is the earliest of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic eon, spanning from roughly...
flora. From these paleobotanical studies, his best work was a study of carboniferous
Carboniferous
The Carboniferous is a geologic period and system that extends from the end of the Devonian Period, about 359.2 ± 2.5 Mya , to the beginning of the Permian Period, about 299.0 ± 0.8 Mya . The name is derived from the Latin word for coal, carbo. Carboniferous means "coal-bearing"...
flora of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
titled "Description of the Coal Flora of the Carboniferous Formation in Pennsylvania and throughout the United States" (1879-84), which was a three-volume publication that became the standard for U.S. carboniferous flora.
The plant genus Lesquerella
Lesquerella
Lesquerella is a genus of flowering plants in the familyBrassicaceae. Some are referred to by the common name Bladderpod and bladderpod oil is extracted from the seeds of Lesquerella fendleri and certain other species in the genus....
from the family Brassicaceae
Brassicaceae
Brassicaceae, a medium sized and economically important family of flowering plants , are informally known as the mustards, mustard flowers, the crucifers or the cabbage family....
is named in his honor. Lesquereux died at the age of 82 on October 25, 1889 in Columbus.