Jacques Denys Choisy

Jacques Denys (Denis) Choisy (5 April 1799, Jussy – 26 November 1859, Geneva) was a Swiss Protestant clergyman and botanist.[1]

He studied theology, law, humanities and sciences at the Académie de Genève. In 1821 he became ordained as a minister, and during the following year, furthered his education in Paris. During his stay in Paris, he was accepted as a member of the Société d'histoire naturelle. Following his return to Geneva in 1824, he was named chair of rational philosophy at the Academy, a position he maintained until 1847.[2]

As a student in Geneva, he came under the influence of Augustin Pyramus de Candolle, and in the process, developed a lifelong passion for botany.[2] He was a principal contributor towards Candolle's publication of "Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis", being the author of the sections involving the plant families Marcgraviaceae, Convolvulaceae, Hydroleaceae, Selaginaceae, Nyctaginaceae, Hypericineae and Guttiferae.[3] The botanical genus Choisya (family Rutaceae) is named in his honor.[4]

As a theologian/philosopher he published works with titles such as, "Des doctrines exclusives en philosophie rationelle" (1828) and "Les lois morales: Fragment d'un cours de philosophie morale" (1836).[5]

Selected botanical works

  • Prodromus d'une monographie de la famille des hypéricinées, (9 editions issued from 1821 to 1983) – Prodomus of a monograph on Hypericineae.
  • Descriptions des Hydroléacées, 1830 – Descriptions of Hydroleaceae.
  • Convolvulaceae orientales, 1834 – Convolvulaceae Oriental
  • Mémoire sur les familles des Ternstroemiacées et Camelliacées, 1854 – Treatise on the families Ternstroemiaceae and Camelliaceae.[6]
The standard author abbreviation Choisy is used to indicate this person as the author when citing a botanical name.[7]

References

  1. ^ Google Books Meyers Grosses Konversations-Lexikon, Volume 4
  2. ^ a b Bulletin de la Société Botanique de France: publication mensuelle ..., Volume 7 by Société Botanique de France
  3. ^ Bibdigital.rjb Archived 2014-03-13 at the Wayback Machine biographical information
  4. ^ The Names of Plants by D. Gledhill
  5. ^ Google Search publications
  6. ^ OCLC Classify published works
  7. ^ International Plant Names Index.  Choisy.
  • IPNI List of taxa described & co-described by Choisy (many entries).