Abstract
DANIEL CHARLES SOLANDER, the famous botanist, the bicentenary of whose birth occurs on February 28, was born in Norrland, Sweden, and ultimately became the favourite pupil of Linnaeus. The son of a country parson, Solander attracted the attention of Linnaeus while studying at the University of Uppsala, and was welcomed into the master's household, where he was treated with every consideration. It was the practice of Linnaeus to accompany his pupils into the fields and woods in order to give them an intimate acquaintance with Nature, and Solander showed remarkable aptitude and understanding in his observations. A collection of plants which he made in his native province is still to be seen in the Linnaean Herbarium. It elicited the warm commendation of the Consistory for his diligence and skill. When the zealous London naturalists, John Ell is and Peter Collinson, requested Linnseus to send some of his pupils to encourage the study of natural history in England in 1760, Solander was selected, Linimis recommending him as his “much loved pupil”. Solander became devotedly attached to England and never again returned to his fatherland. In fact, when Linnaeus procured for him the offer of the post of professor of botany at St. Petersburg, he first consulted his English friends and then declined the appointment “for many reasons” which were not given. Solander was, as a matter of fact, engaged in classifying and cataloguing in the British Museum, and he also undertook to arrange the Duchess of Portland's museum. At the British Museum, Solander became successively assistant librarian, under-librarian and keeper of the printed books.
Article PDF
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
D. C. Solander (1736–82). Nature 137, 306 (1936). https://doi.org/10.1038/137306b0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/137306b0