Anders Fredrik Regnell

Anders Fredrik Regnell (8 June 1807 – 12 September 1884) was a Swedish physician and botanist. He studied in Uppsala and received his medical doctorate in 1837. As a student he served as assistant to Anders Retzius in Stockholm. He served in various capacities at the Serafimerlasarettet in Stockholm, and participated as ship surgeon aboard the corvette "Jarramas” on its expedition in the Mediterranean Sea during 1839–40.

Anders Regnell
Anders Regnell
Born(1807-06-08)8 June 1807
Died12 September 1884(1884-09-12) (aged 77)
NationalitySwedish
Alma materUniversity of Uppsala
Scientific career
Fieldsbotany

Regnell was born in Stockholm, Sweden, but because of poor health, he suffered from a serious lung disease. He left Sweden for Brazil in 1840 and settled in Caldas, in the province of Minas Gerais, where he spent the rest of his life. There Regnell acquired considerable reputation as a practicing physician and consequently a substantial fortune.

Regnell made substantial collections of plants which he sent to Europe, in particular to Scandinavian museums. He also studied the Brazilian fauna and made extensive geological and meteorological observations.

Having accumulated considerable wealth, he financially supported several European botanists and donated large sums to various scientific institutions at home. He bequeathed his estate to the University of Uppsala.[1]

Honors

The plant genera of Regnellia Barb.Rodr. (a synonym of Bletia Ruiz & Pav. Orchidaceae,[2]), Regnellidium Lindm. (Marsileaceae,[3]) and Neoregnellia (family Malvaceae,[4]) as well as many species were named in his honor.

Regnell was an honorary member of the Learned Societies of Uppsala and Gothenburg, and of the Swedish and Uppsala Medical Associations. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Philosophy from the University of Uppsala in 1877.

Regnell died in Caldas, Brazil, and is buried in Uppsala’s old cemetery. In 1903 a memorial monument in Caldas, Brazil was dedicated to him. In Uppsala, the building housing the Dag Hammarskjöld and Law Library of the University of Uppsala is named Regnellianum.

Sources

  1. "Nordic family". Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  2. "Regnellia Barb.Rodr. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  3. "Regnellidium Lindm. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  4. "Neoregnellia Urb. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  • K.V. Ossian Dahlgren Anders Fredrik Regnell and his Swedish guests in Brazil. Svensk. Botan. Tidskr. 56:3, 1962.
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