Gustav Niessl von Mayendorf

Gustav Niessl von Mayendorf (26 April 1839 in Verona – 1 September 1919 in Hütteldorf, Vienna; often cited as G. von Niessl), was an astronomer and mycologist from Austria-Hungary. Niessl developed interests in botany, astronomy, and mathematics from a young age. His academic career began in 1859 as an assistant professor at the polytechnic institute in Brno, where he later became a full professor and served as rector (1877–1878). As an astronomer, he conducted research on meteor orbits that earned him membership in the Austrian Academy of Sciences, while his mycological work focused on microscopic fungi, resulting in an extensive herbarium and the description of several species. Niessl was instrumental in founding the Natural Science Society in Brno, serving as its secretary for over four decades (1865–1907), and received numerous honours throughout his career, including a government medal in 1883, appointment as court councillor in 1889, and an honorary doctorate upon his retirement in 1907.

Early life and education

Niessl was born on 26 April 1839 in Verona, the son of an Austrian artillery officer and passionate naturalist who maintained extensive natural history collections. His family moved shortly after his birth to Štýrský Hradec, where Niessl began his schooling. From the age of twenty, he developed a particular interest in botany, astronomy, and mathematics. He studied initially at a technical secondary school (reálka) and later attended the polytechnic institute in Vienna, where he began specialising in cryptogams, particularly microscopic fungi.

On the basis of a testamentary disposition by Niessl, a foundation for the benefit of botany and mycology at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München was established in 1929. Since 1930, his large fungarium is integrated in the collections of the Botanische Staatssammlung München .