Conrad Moench

Conrad Moench (sometimes written Konrad Mönch; 15 August 1744 – 6 January 1805) was a German botanist, professor of botany at Marburg University from 1786 until his death.

He wrote Methodus Plantas horti botanici et agri Marburgensis; in 1794, an arranged account of plants in the fields and gardens of Marburg. Largely in this work, and in a supplement published in 1802, Moench published over 1,500 original scientific names of plants, including about 150 genera. The genera include Bergenia, Echinacea, Galactites, Kniphofia, Olearia, and Sorghum.

The botanical genus Moenchia (family Caryophyllaceae) is named in his honor.

The standard botanical author abbreviation Moench is applied to plants he described.

Principal writings

Enumeratio plantarum indigenarum Hassiae praesertim inferioris, secundum methodum sexualem dispositarum, 1777. (published in several editions) Systematische Lehre von denen gebräuchlichsten Einfachen und zusammengesezten Arzney-Mitteln : zum Gebrauch Akademischer Vorlesungen, 1795 – Systematic teaching of simple and compound medicines; academic lectures. Einleitung zur Pflanzen-Kunde, 1798 – Introduction to botany.