Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach

Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach
Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach
Born	3 January 1823(1823-01-03) Dresden,Saxony,German Confederation
Died	6 May 1889(1889-05-06)(aged 66) Hamburg,German Empire
Occupation(s)	botanist and ornithologist
Spouse	Kathelijne de Bruyn(e)
Father	Heinrich Gottlieb Ludwig Reichenbach

Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach(Dresden,3 January 1823 –Hamburg,6 May 1889) was abotanistand the foremostGermanorchidologistof the 19th century. His fatherHeinrich Gottlieb Ludwig Reichenbach(author ofIcones Florae Germanicae et Helveticae) was also a well-known botanist.

Biography

He started his study of orchids at the age of 18 and assisted his father in the writing ofIcones.He became a Doctor inBotanywith his work on thepollenof orchids (see ‘Selected Works’).

Soon after his graduation, Reichenbach was appointed to the post of extraordinaryprofessorof botany at theLeipzigin 1855. He then became director of thebotanical gardensat theHamburg University(1863-1889).

At that time, thousands of newly discovered orchids were being sent back to Europe. He was responsible for identifying, describing, classifying. Reichenbach named and recorded many of these new discoveries. He probably was not the easiest of personalities, and used to boast about his many descriptions, some of which were superficial, leading to a great deal of taxonomic confusion.

H.G. Reichenbach became the world's leading authority on orchids, after the death of his friend, the 'father of orchidology'John Lindleyin 1865. Reichenbach spoke English extremely well. He made many visits, sometimes lasting many weeks, to Kew and theherbarium of the British Museum,as well as visits to English professional and private growers of orchids. His last visit to England was in the autumn of 1887.

"Orchid specimens from all over the world were sent to him for identification, and these, together with his copious notes and drawings, forms an immense herbarium which rivaled that of Lindley at Kew" (Reinikka, 'A history of the orchid', p. 215).

His immenseherbariumandlibrarywere bequeathed to the 'Naturhistorisches Museum' inVienna,Austria (instead, as expected, to theKew Gardens), on the condition that it would not be consulted during the first 25 years after his death. Reichenbach probably acted this way out of resentment of the appointment ofRobert Allen Rolfe,a self-taught orchid expert, as the toptaxonomistat Kew. This resulted in a great number of double or multiple descriptions of orchid species, which had to be corrected afterwards.

After Reichenbach's death, his work was continued byFriedrich Wilhelm Ludwig ( “Fritz” ) Kraenzlin(1847-1934).

In 1886,Frederick SandercommissionedHenry George Moon(1857-1905), a pure colourist, to paint 192watercolourplates of orchids with descriptions by Reichenbach (1888-1894). These monthly publications became known as theReichenbachiaand are the richest reference sources on orchids ever produced.

Eponymous taxa

• Reichenbachanthus
• Chondrorhyncha reichenbachiana(now a synonym ofBenzingia reichenbachiana(Schltr.) Dressler 2005)
• Masdevalliareichenbachiana
• Microstylis reichenbachiana
• Phalaenopsisreichenbachiana
• Pinguiculalongifoliasubsp.reichenbachiana
• Restrepiopsis reichenbachiana
• Sievekingia reichenbachiana
• Stanhopeareichenbachiana

Selected works

• Reichenbach, H. G. (1852).De pollinis Orchidearum genesi ac structura et de Orchideis in artem ac systema redigendis. Commentatio quam ex auctoritate amplissimi philosophorum ordinis die mensis julii decimo hora decima MDCCCLII illustris ictorum ordinis concessu in auditorio juridico provenia docendiimpetranda publice defendet. (on the origin and structure of orchid pollen).Leipzig: F. Hofmeister.
• Reichenbach, H. G. (1866).Beiträge zu einer Orchideenkunde Central-Amerika's.Hamburg: T. G. Meissner.
• Reichenbach, H. G.; Kraenzlin, W. L. (1858–1900).Xenia Orchidacea. Beiträge zur Kenntniss der Orchideen.Leipzig: F. A. Brockhaus.

See also

• Phalaenopsis hieroglyphica,an orchid first described by Reichenbach as a variety ofP. lueddemanniana

References

• Reinikka, M. A.A History of the Orchid,p. 215, Timber Press, Oregon, 1995
• Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie[1]

External links

• Books by H. G. Reichenbachat theBiodiversity Heritage Library
• List of plants described by H. G. ReichenbachonIPNI