Johannes Theodor Schmalhausen


Johannes Theodor Schmalhausen was a Russian botanist of German descent, known for his studies of East-European plants.

Early life and education

Johannes Theodor Schmalhausen was born in St Petersburg. His father was a librarian at the Russian Academy of Sciences.
After attending teh Gymnasium, he studied botany at the University of St. Petersburg graduating with a magister degree in 1874 "On plant hybrids. Observations from St. Petersburg Flora ”. For a botanical essay he received the Gold Medal of the University, was selected for a Professorial career and sent abroad from 1874 to 1876. He studied in Strasbourg, Zurich, Vienna, Prague, Munich, Berlin, visited the Alps, Northern Italy and Southern France.
In 1877 he became a conservator at the herbarium of the Imperial Botanical Garden in Saint Petersburg and was ordained as a professor.

Career

From 1878 he was associate professor at Vladimir University of Kiev and later professor of botany. For several years he was director of the botanical garden at the University of Kiev.
His youngest son was the evolutionary biologist Ivan Schmalhausen.

Legacy

The genus Schmalhausenia is named in his honor.

Published works