{{Short description|German naturalist (1799–1837)}} {{hatnote|Not to be confused with the botanist Georg Zenker who founded Jaunde Station in Cameroon.}}
'''Jonathan Carl''' (or '''Karl''') '''Zenker''' (1 March 1799 – 6 November 1837) was a German naturalist born in Sundremda, located in the Saalfeld-Rudolstadt district. {{Botanist|Zenker|Zenker, Jonathan Carl|border=0|inline=1}}
Originally a student of theology at the University of Jena, he subsequently devoted his energies to science and medicine. From 1823 he lived in Dresden, later returning to Jena, where on the basis of his dissertation "Batrachomyologia", he became a privat-docent of natural history. In 1828 he became an associate professor of botany and natural history,<ref>[http://www.zeno.org/Pierer-1857/A/Zenker Pierer's Universal-Lexicon, 19th Volume Altenburg, 1865, pp. 574] (biography)</ref> followed by a full professorship in 1836 (one year prior to his death at the age of 38).
A genus of grasses called ''Zenkeria'' is named in his honour.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=zIOvJSJs-IkC&pg=PA2872 CRC World Dictionary of Plant Names: Common Names, Scientific Names, Eponyms] ... by Umberto Quattrocchi</ref> Also, he named the genus of fossil broad-leaf trees ''Credneria'' in honor of Karl August Credner.
== Selected writings == * ''Musci Thuringici: vivis exemplaribus exhibuerunt et illustraverunt'', 1821–1825, exsiccata work (with David Nathanael Friedrich Dietrich, 1799–1888).<ref>{{cite web |title=Musci Thuringici vivis exemplaribus exhibuerunt et illustraverunt Jonathan Carolus Zenker et Fridericus David Dietrich: IndExs ExsiccataID=1358056959 |website=IndExs – Index of Exsiccatae |publisher=Botanische Staatssammlung München |url=https://www.botanischestaatssammlung.de/DatabaseClients/IndExs/Exsiccatae_IndExs_Details.jsp?ExsiccataID=1358056959 |access-date=19 May 2024}}</ref> * ''Die Pflanzen und ihr wissenschaftliches Studium überhaupt : ein botanischer Grundriss zum Gebrauche academischer Vorträge und zum Selbststudium'', 1830 - Scientific study of plants in general, etc. * ''Zwei neue fossile Corallenarten'', 1833 - Two new fossil coral-types. * ''Beiträge zur Naturgeschichte der Urwelt. Organische Reste (Petrefacten) aus der Altenburger Braunkohlen-Formation, dem Blankenburger Quadersandtein, jenaischen bunten Sandstein und Böhmischen Übergangsgebirge'', 1833 - Contributions to the natural history of the prehistoric world. Organic residues (petrifactions) from the Altenburg lignite formation, the Blankenburg blocks of sandstone, Jena's colorful sandstone and the Bohemian Übergangsgebirge. * ''Flora von Thüringen und den angrenzenden Provinzen'', (with Diederich Franz Leonhard von Schlechtendal (1794–1866), Christian Eduard Langethal (1806–1878) and Ernst Schenk) - Flora of Thuringia and neighboring provinces.
== See also == * :Category:Taxa named by Jonathan Carl Zenker
== References == * [http://www.deutsche-biographie.de/sfz86552.html Deutsche Biographie] Zenker, Jonathan Karl. {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Zenker, Jonathan Carl}} Category:19th-century German botanists Category:19th-century German naturalists Category:Academic staff of the University of Jena Category:University of Jena alumni Category:People from Saalfeld-Rudolstadt Category:1837 deaths Category:1799 births