Eric Ragnor Sventenius facts for kids
Eric Ragnor Sventenius (born Erik Ragnar Svensson) was a famous Swedish botanist who also lived in Spain. He was born on October 10, 1910, and passed away on June 23, 1973. He is best known for creating a very special botanical garden in the Canary Islands.
Contents
Early Life and Studies
Eric was born in a small town called Skirö in Sweden. He loved learning about plants and studied at different universities across Europe. In Spain, he learned at the Marimurta Botanical Garden in Blanes. This garden was started in 1920 by Karl Faust.
Working with Plants in the Canary Islands
In 1931, Eric traveled to the beautiful Canary Islands. These islands are known for their many unique plants. In 1952, he started working at the Botanical Garden of Tenerife, which was also called Jardín de Aclimatación de la Orotava. While there, he carefully studied and listed many types of plants from the Canary Islands that had not been officially named yet.
Creating a Special Garden
Eric Sventenius had a big idea: he wanted to create a botanical garden just for the plants that grow naturally in the Canary Islands. He wanted to continue the important work started by José de Viera y Clavijo, another famous plant expert.
In 1952, Eric founded the Jardín Botánico Canario Viera y Clavijo on the island of Gran Canaria. It was built in a place called Tafira Alta, about 7 kilometers (around 4 miles) southwest of Las Palmas. This amazing garden opened its doors to the public in 1959.
His Legacy
Eric Sventenius was the director of the Canarian Botanical Garden until he passed away in 1973. He died in a car accident. His grave is located right inside the Canarian Botanical Garden "Viera y Clavijo". It's next to a rock where he often sat to think, relax, and listen to the birds.
When you see a plant's scientific name, sometimes you'll see "Svent." after it. This is a special short way to show that Eric Sventenius was the person who first described or named that plant species.
See also
