Pius Font i Quer
Encyclopedia
Pius Font i Quer was a Catalan botanist, pharmacist
and chemist
.
He spent his childhood in Manresa
(where there's a public high school with his name). He got his doctorate in pharmacy
(1905) with his thesis about the Flora of Bages
. He was professor on pharmacy and botany at Universitat de Barcelona and at Barcelonan Escola d'Agricultura.
He organized the Institut Botànic de Barcelona and founded Jardí Botànic in this city. In 1911 he joined the Health Military Corporation, in which he got the military rank of tinent coronel farmacèutic. He was on a botanic expedition in Albarracín
(Aragon
) with his fellowship, when the Francisco Franco
's 1936 coup d'état failed and began the Spanish Civil War
. When he want back to Barcelona, he had to go through the war front; this is the reason he was accused of being a member of the military rebellion, resulting in him losing all his honours, which made continuation of his scientific work difficult.
He was president of the Institució Catalana d'Història Natural (1931–1934), member of the Institut d'Estudis Catalans
in 1942 and of the Société Botanique at Geneve, honour vice president of the International Botany Congresses at Paris
(1954) and Edinburgh
(1964) and doctor honoris causa at the University of Montpellier
.
Pius Font i Quer was the main creator of scientific botanical terminology in Catalan
and Spanish
. His most well-known works are: Diccionario de Botánica (1953), which is the reference work for botany students in Spain; Plantas medicinales (1961); and Botánica pintoresca (1958). His research took place in the whole Catalan countries
, but specially in southern Valencian Community
and the Balearic Islands, mainly in Iviza and Formentera
.
Some species and subspecies have been named in honour of Font i Quer and bear the species epithet fontqueri.
Pharmacist
Pharmacists are allied health professionals who practice in pharmacy, the field of health sciences focusing on safe and effective medication use...
and chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
.
He spent his childhood in Manresa
Manresa
Manresa is the capital of the Comarca of Bages, located in the geographic centre of Catalonia, Spain, and crossed by the river Cardener. It is an industrial area with textile, metallurgical, and glass industries. The houses of Manresa are arranged around the basilica of Santa María de la Seo....
(where there's a public high school with his name). He got his doctorate in pharmacy
Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
(1905) with his thesis about the Flora of Bages
Bages
Bages is a comarca in the center of Catalonia, Spain. It includes two subcomarques, el Moianès and el Lluçanès.Industries include the mining of potash at Súria and Sallent, and the manufacture of textiles along the rivers Llobregat and Cardener...
. He was professor on pharmacy and botany at Universitat de Barcelona and at Barcelonan Escola d'Agricultura.
He organized the Institut Botànic de Barcelona and founded Jardí Botànic in this city. In 1911 he joined the Health Military Corporation, in which he got the military rank of tinent coronel farmacèutic. He was on a botanic expedition in Albarracín
Albarracín
Albarracín is Spanish town, in the province of Teruel, part of the autonomous community of Aragon. According to the 2007 census , the municipality had a population of 1075 inhabitants...
(Aragon
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
) with his fellowship, when the Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
's 1936 coup d'état failed and began the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
. When he want back to Barcelona, he had to go through the war front; this is the reason he was accused of being a member of the military rebellion, resulting in him losing all his honours, which made continuation of his scientific work difficult.
He was president of the Institució Catalana d'Història Natural (1931–1934), member of the Institut d'Estudis Catalans
Institut d'Estudis Catalans
The Institut d'Estudis Catalans , also known by the acronym IEC, is an academic institution which seeks to undertake research and study into "all elements of Catalan culture"....
in 1942 and of the Société Botanique at Geneve, honour vice president of the International Botany Congresses at Paris
Paris
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...
(1954) and Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
(1964) and doctor honoris causa at the University of Montpellier
Montpellier
-Neighbourhoods:Since 2001, Montpellier has been divided into seven official neighbourhoods, themselves divided into sub-neighbourhoods. Each of them possesses a neighbourhood council....
.
Pius Font i Quer was the main creator of scientific botanical terminology in Catalan
Catalan language
Catalan is a Romance language, the national and only official language of Andorra and a co-official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Valencian Community, where it is known as Valencian , as well as in the city of Alghero, on the Italian island...
and Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
. His most well-known works are: Diccionario de Botánica (1953), which is the reference work for botany students in Spain; Plantas medicinales (1961); and Botánica pintoresca (1958). His research took place in the whole Catalan countries
Catalan Countries
The Catalan term Països Catalans refers to the territories where the Catalan language is spoken.The first mentions of the term date back to the late 19th century, but it never surpassed the limits of a small circle of Catalan authors until its strictly cultural dimension became increasingly...
, but specially in southern Valencian Community
Valencian Community
The Valencian Community is an autonomous community of Spain located in central and south-eastern Iberian Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Valencia...
and the Balearic Islands, mainly in Iviza and Formentera
Formentera
Formentera is the smaller and more southerly island of the Pine Islands group , which belongs to the Balearic Islands autonomous community .-Geography:...
.
Some species and subspecies have been named in honour of Font i Quer and bear the species epithet fontqueri.