What is meant by Taxonomy?
Taxonomy is a classification of organisms into groups based on similarities of structure or origin etc.
Carolus Linnaeus (Carl Linnaeus), the “father of modern Taxonomy and the Prince of Botanists”, was born on May 23, 1707 in Rashult village, Smaland, Sweden.
He is also honoured as one of the founders of modern ecology (the study of the relationships between living organisms and environment).
Carl Linnaeus was a botanist, zoologist, physician and explorer. The abbreviation L stands for Linnaeus in botany and zoology.
His higher education was completed in Uppsala University, a public research university in Uppsala, Sweden (founded in 1477).
His books and publications:
- ‘Systema Naturae’ (his first book on binomial nomenclature) in 1735,
- Fundamenta Botanica in 1736,
- Critica Botanica in 1737,
- Genera Plantarum in 1737,
- Hortus Cliffortiannus ( a catalogue of botanical holdings) in 1738,
- ‘Philosophia Botanica’ (a complete book on nomenclature) in 1751,
- Species Plantarum (the foundation for modern botanical nomenclature) in 1753.
- Systema Naturae (10th edition, starting of zoological nomenclature) in 1758
Linnaeus became the Head (Rector) of Uppsala University in 1750.
Linnaeus promoted breast-feeding for babies by mothers of upper class section advising to avoid wet nurses.
At Uppsala University he called his devoted students “apostles”. Upon his instructions his apostles collected and organized new plants, animals and minerals according to Linnaeus system of nomenclature.
Some well-known apostles were:
- Christopher Tamstrom (the first apostle),
- Pehr Lofling,
- Pehr Kalm,
- Carl Peter Thunberg,
- Peter Forsskal,
- Daniel Solander, and
- Joseph Banks and so on.
Most of his apostles came back and submitted their work to Linnaeus, but many of them, unfortunately, died during their expeditions.
William T. Steam said, famous British botanist said that all this was possible to apostles only with the help of Linnaeus’s taxonomy.
By the great efforts of these apostles Linnaeus system of nomenclature spread through the world.
He was officially relieved from the Royal Swedish Academy of Science in 1763.
He was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 1769.
Due to deteriorating health condition, he retired from the post of rector at Uppsala University in 1772.
He suffered from Sciatica from 1773 onwards. A stroke in 1774 made him partially paralysed (right side). He got second stroke in 1776 and lost his memory and was unable to recognise his own works.
He died of stroke for 3rd time on 10th January 1778 in Hammarby and was buried in Uppsala Cathedral.
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