Wilhelm Schimper
Encyclopedia
Georg Heinrich Wilhelm Schimper (19 August 1804 – October 1878) was a German
botanist and naturalist
born in Reichenschwand
. He was a brother to naturalist
Karl Friedrich Schimper
.
Wilhelm Schimper studied natural history
in Munich
, and for a short period of time worked with geologist
Louis Agassiz
as a draftsman and illustrator. In the 1830s he performed botanical research throughout northern Africa, and published his findings in his book Reise nach Algier 1831-1832 ("Journey to Algiers 1831-1832"). In 1836 he settled in Ethiopia
, and during his subsequent career had residences in Tigray
and Semien province
s. For a period of time he was governor of Enticho
, a district in Tigray, under the rule of Dejazmach Wube Haile Maryam. Dejazmach Wube also had him marry Mirritsit, a woman from a prominent family in Adwa
, who bore him several children. Although he was imprisoned at Magdala
by Emperor Tewodros II
, otherwise he suffered no serious losses during that unsettled time.
While in Ethiopia, he maintained correspondence with botanists in Europe, and made valuable contributions to natural history
collections in Paris
and Berlin
and was a collector for Unio Itineraria
in Württemberg. Schimper died in Adwa
.
The species name schimperiana is attached to a number of plants; a few examples being Habenaria
schimperiana, Pyrrosia schimperiana and Festuca schimperiana.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
botanist and naturalist
Naturalist
Naturalist may refer to:* Practitioner of natural history* Conservationist* Advocate of naturalism * Naturalist , autobiography-See also:* The American Naturalist, periodical* Naturalism...
born in Reichenschwand
Reichenschwand
Reichenschwand is a municipality in the district of Nürnberger Land in Bavaria in Germany....
. He was a brother to naturalist
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...
Karl Friedrich Schimper
Karl Friedrich Schimper
Karl Friedrich Schimper was a German naturalist and poet. Born in Mannheim, he was a theology student at Heidelberg University and taught at Munich University. He pioneered research in the field of plant morphology, particularly phyllotaxis...
.
Wilhelm Schimper studied 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...
in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, and for a short period of time worked with geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
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...
as a draftsman and illustrator. In the 1830s he performed botanical research throughout northern Africa, and published his findings in his book Reise nach Algier 1831-1832 ("Journey to Algiers 1831-1832"). In 1836 he settled in Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
, and during his subsequent career had residences in Tigray
Tigray Province
Tigray was a province of Ethiopia. The Tigray Region superseded the province with the adoption of the new constitution in 1995. The province of Tigre merged with its neighboring provinces, including Semien, Tembien, Agame and the prominent Enderta province and towards the end of 19th century it...
and Semien province
Semien province
Semien Province was a historical province of northwest Ethiopia, often called Gondar. It was located south and west of the Tekezé River, and north of Lake Tsana. It was south west of Enderta Province, west of Tembien Province, and east of the Sudan. To some extent it covered the territory of the...
s. For a period of time he was governor of Enticho
Enticho (woreda)
Enticho is one of the 36 woredas in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Mehakelegnaw Zone, Enticho is bordered on the south by Werie Lehe, on the southwest by Adwa, on the west by Mereb Lehe, on the north by Eritrea, and on the east by the Misraqawi Zone...
, a district in Tigray, under the rule of Dejazmach Wube Haile Maryam. Dejazmach Wube also had him marry Mirritsit, a woman from a prominent family in Adwa
Adwa
Adwa is a market town in northern Ethiopia, and best known as the community closest to the decisive Battle of Adowa fought in 1896 with Italian troops. Notably, Ethiopian soldiers won the battle, thus being the only African nation to thwart European colonialism...
, who bore him several children. Although he was imprisoned at Magdala
Magdala
Magdala is the name of at least two places in ancient Israel mentioned in the Jewish Talmud and one place that may be mentioned in the Christian New Testament...
by Emperor Tewodros II
Tewodros II of Ethiopia
Tewodros II was the Emperor of Ethiopia from 1855 until his death....
, otherwise he suffered no serious losses during that unsettled time.
While in Ethiopia, he maintained correspondence with botanists in Europe, and made valuable contributions to 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...
collections in 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...
and Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
and was a collector for Unio Itineraria
Unio Itineraria
Unio Itineraria was a German Scientific Society.Supported by William I of Württemberg, Unio Itineraria was established to promote scientific investigation through the collection and distribution of determined plant specimens....
in Württemberg. Schimper died in Adwa
Adwa
Adwa is a market town in northern Ethiopia, and best known as the community closest to the decisive Battle of Adowa fought in 1896 with Italian troops. Notably, Ethiopian soldiers won the battle, thus being the only African nation to thwart European colonialism...
.
The species name schimperiana is attached to a number of plants; a few examples being Habenaria
Habenaria
Habenaria, commonly called bog orchids, are a far ranging genus of orchid, one of approximately 800 described Orchidaceae genera within that large and diverse family. There are species in both tropical and temperate zones.-Description:...
schimperiana, Pyrrosia schimperiana and Festuca schimperiana.