John Isaac Briquet

{{Short description|Swiss botanist}} thumb|right '''John Isaac Briquet''' (13 March 1870 in Geneva – 26 October 1931 in Geneva) was a Swiss botanist, director of the ''Conservatoire Botanique'' at Geneva.<ref name=Gleason>{{cite journal| last=Gleason | first=H. A. | year=1932 | title=Obituary | journal=Science | pages=247–248 | doi=10.1126/science.76.1968.247| volume=76| pmid=17731050| issue=1968}}</ref> <ref>{{cite web| url=http://kiki.huh.harvard.edu/databases/botanist_search.php?mode=details&botanistid=2062| title=Index of Botanists | publisher=Harvard University Herbaria | accessdate=2008-06-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://plants.jstor.org/person/bm000001057|publisher=Aluka| title=Briquet, John Isaac (1870–1931) | accessdate=2008-06-20}}</ref>

He received his education in natural sciences at Geneva and Berlin,<ref name=SC>[http://www.hls-dhs-dss.ch/textes/f/F28789.php Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz] (biography)</ref> and studied botany with Simon Schwendener, Adolf Engler, Marc Thury, Johannes Müller Argoviensis, and Alphonse de Candolle.<ref name=Gleason/> In 1896 he became a curator at the ''Conservatoire Botanique'', later serving as its director (1906–1931). From 1912 to 1921, he was president of the Swiss Botanical Society.<ref name=SC/>

Between 1895 and 1917, with Émile Burnat, he participated in a number of botanical trips, journeying to Corsica, Dalmatia, the Maritime Alps (France and Italy), Montenegro, et al.<ref name=SC/>

Besides his floristic work, he had a particular interest in the genus ''Galeopsis'', and family Lamiaceae (Labiatae).<ref name=Gleason/> He is especially remembered for his contributions to the "Rules of Nomenclature", the precursors of the modern International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants, with which he took a leading role from 1900, at a time when four sets of rules were competing for acceptance:<ref>{{cite journal|author=Weatherby, C.A.|year=1949|title=Botanical Nomenclature Since 1867|journal=American Journal of Botany|volume=36|issue=1|pages=5–7|jstor=2438113|doi=10.2307/2438113|pmid=18124191}}</ref><blockquote>... for more than 30 years [he] was to take de Candolle's place as the leader in nomenclatural matters and ... by his clear-headedness, good nature, and judicial attitude was to contribute much to the solution of their problems.</blockquote>

== Selected works == [[File:John Isaac Briquet by Elisabeth Gross-Fulpius-jardin botanique-IMG 0140-gradient.jpg|thumb|Bust of John Isaac Briquet by Elisabeth Gross-Fulpius, on display on the grounds of the Conservatory and Botanical Garden of the City of Geneva.]] * ''Flore des Alpes Maritimes'', 7 volumes (with Émile Burnat and François Cavillier); 1892–1931; Flora of the Maritime Alps. * ''Monographie du genre Galeopsis'', 1893 – Monograph on the genus ''Galeopsis''. * ''Études sur les Cytises des Alpes maritimes'', 1894 – Studies of ''Cytisus'' of the Maritime Alps. * ''Biographies de botanistes suisses'', 1906 – Biographies of Swiss botanists. * ''Prodrome de la flore Corse, comprenant les résultats botaniques de six voyages exécutés en Corse sour les auspices de M. Emile Burnat'', 1910 (with René Verriet de Litardière) – Prodome of Corsican flora.<ref>[http://www.worldcat.org/identities/lccn-n91101177/ WorldCat Identities] Most widely held works by John Briquet</ref>

==References== {{reflist}} *{{HDS|28789|John Briquet|author= Luc Lienhard}}

==External links== * {{Internet Archive author |sname=John Isaac Briquet}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Briquet, John Isaac}} Category:1870 births Category:1931 deaths Category:19th-century Swiss botanists Category:Scientists from Geneva Category:20th-century Swiss botanists