About Martinus Houttuyn
Lived 1720 – 1798 (aged 77–78). Martinus Houttuyn was a Dutch botanist, physician, zoologist, entomologist and naturalist.
Maarten Houttuyn or Houttuijn (1720 – 2 May 1798; Latinised as Martinus Houttuyn) was a Dutch naturalist.
Houttuyn was born in Hoorn, studied medicine in Leiden and moved to Amsterdam in 1753. He published many books on natural history, e.g. Natuurlyke Historie of uitvoerige Beschryving der Dieren, Planten en Mineraalen, volgens het Samenstel van den Heer Linnaeus, in 37 volumes (1761-1773), following Carl Linnaeus' division into the animal kingdom, the plant kingdom, and the mineral kingdom. His areas of interest encompassed Pteridophytes, Bryophytes and Spermatophytes. He died in Amsterdam. In botanical nomenclature, the standard author abbreviation Houtt. is applied to plants described by him. He is commemorated by the genus Houttuynia, a member of the Saururaceae from China and Japan.
Martinus Houttuyn was the co-writer of the volumes 2, 3, 4 and 5 of Nederlandsche Vogelen. The first author was Cornelius Nozeman.
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Martinus Houttuyn?
Dutch naturalist (1720-1798)
When was Martinus Houttuyn born?
Martinus Houttuyn was born in 1720 in Hoorn.
When did Martinus Houttuyn die?
Martinus Houttuyn died on 2 May 1798 in Amsterdam.
What was Martinus Houttuyn's occupation?
Martinus Houttuyn was a botanist, physician, zoologist, entomologist and naturalist.
What nationality was Martinus Houttuyn?
Martinus Houttuyn was Dutch.
Sources & further reading
· Wikipedia: Martinus Houttuyn
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Martinus Houttuyn. https://biography.guide/martinus-houttuyn/
MLA: "Martinus Houttuyn." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/martinus-houttuyn/.
Chicago: "Martinus Houttuyn." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/martinus-houttuyn/.
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