David de Gorter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
David de Gorter
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David de Gorter
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| Born | April 30, 1717 Enkhuizen, Netherlands
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| Died | April 8, 1783 (aged 65) Zutphen, Netherlands
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| Occupation | Botanist |
David de Gorter (born April 30, 1717 – died April 8, 1783) was a smart Dutch doctor and a scientist who studied plants, called a botanist. He made important contributions to how we name and understand plants today.
Contents
Who Was David de Gorter?
David de Gorter was a very respected person in his time. He worked as a professor at the University of Harderwijk in the Netherlands. He was also the personal doctor for Empress Elizabeth of Russia. This shows how important and trusted he was.
His Important Roles
De Gorter was part of many famous science groups. He was a member of the Imperial Academy of Sciences in St Petersburg. He also joined the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. These groups were for the smartest scientists of the day.
Friend of a Famous Plant Scientist
While at Harderwijk, David de Gorter became friends with a young scientist named Carl Linnaeus. Linnaeus later became very famous for creating the system we use to name all living things.
How Linnaeus Honored De Gorter
Linnaeus honored David de Gorter and his father, Johannes de Gorter, in a special way. He named a whole group of plants, called a genus, Gorteria, after them. This is a big honor in the world of science.
His Work on Plant Books
In Russia, David de Gorter helped publish a book called Flora Ingrica. This book was about the plants found in a certain area. He also wrote one of the first plant books, Flora Belgica (from 1767), that used Linnaeus's new naming system. This system is called binomial nomenclature. It means every plant has two names, like a first and last name, which helps scientists around the world understand each other.
His Family and Legacy
On May 21, 1775, David de Gorter married Mary Elizabeth Schultz. She was a friend of a well-known writer named Betje Wolff.
What Happened to His Plant Collection?
After David de Gorter passed away, his wife gave his special collection of dried plants, called a herbarium, to the Academy in Harderwijk. A herbarium is like a library of plants. Today, this valuable collection is kept at the National Herbarium of the Netherlands.
His Last Years and Another Plant Book
De Gorter spent his final years in a town called Zutphen. There, he wrote another important plant book. It was called Flora of the Seven Provinces. This book described the plants in different parts of the Netherlands.
A Journal Named After Him
Even today, a Dutch plant science magazine is named in his honor. It is called Gorteria. This shows how much he is still remembered in the world of botany.
