Thaddäus Haenke

Thaddäus Xaverius Peregrinus Haenke (also Thaddeus Haenke; ; ; 5 October 1761 – 4 November 1816) was a Czech botanist and explorer. He participated in the Malaspina Expedition, exploring a significant portion of the Pacific basin including the coasts of North and South America, Australia, the Philippines, New Zealand, and the Marianas. His collections of botanical specimens were the basis for the initial scientific descriptions of many plants in these regions, particularly South America and the Philippines. His extensive botanical work and far-ranging travel have prompted some to liken him to a "Bohemian Humboldt", named after Alexander von Humboldt, who made himself familiar with some of Haenke's findings before embarking on his journey to the Americas in 1799.

Biography

Haenke was born 5 October 1761 in the village of Kreibitz, Kingdom of Bohemia (now Chřibská, Czech Republic). His parents were German Bohemians and his father, Elias George Thomas Haenke, was a successful lawyer and farmer who also served as mayor. A keen observer of nature from childhood, Haenke pursued this interest throughout his education. He studied natural science and philosophy at the University of Prague where his mentor was Joseph Gottfried Mikan, the resident professor of botany. He served as an assistant to Mikan, helping care for the school's botanic gardens. Haenke received a doctorate in 1782, continued to study in Prague until 1786 and then became a student at the University of Vienna where he studied medicine and botany under Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin.

While still a student, Haenke made extensive botanical collections from what is now the Czech Republic; wrote a treatise on the botany of the Giant Mountains; edited an edition of Linnaeus' Genera Plantarum (published in 1791); and was awarded a silver medal from the Royal Czech Scientific Society. He was also an accomplished musician, a capable illustrator, and spoke five languages.

Malaspina expedition Map showing the route of Malaspina's ship Descubierta with the return to Spain from Tonga omitted. The route of Bustamante's Atrevida was mostly the same, but deviated in some places. By 1789 Haenke was a prominent young scholar whose name was put forward by Jacquin and Ignaz von Born when Spain was recruiting a scientific corps for the Malaspina expedition. Emperor Joseph II had met Haenke before and he approved the appointment. Thus Haenke became "Naturalist-Botánico de Su Magestad" for the expedition. A long, roundabout journey from Vienna brought Haenke to Cádiz on 30 July 1789, just hours after the two ships of the expedition, the Descubierta and Atrevida, had set sail. Six volumes were produced but ultimately the work remained unfinished due to a lack of funds.

Presl, Carl Borivoj. Reliquiae Haenkeanae: seu descriptiones et icones plantarum, quas in America meridionali et boreali, in insulis Philippinis et Marianis collegit Thaddaeus Haenke. J.G. Calve, Prague, 1830. Presl, Carl Borivoj. Reliquiae Haenkeanae volume I

Haenke Island and Haenke Glacier in Alaska are named in his honour. A small private museum, "Muzeum Tadeáše Haenkeho", was established at Haenke's birth home in Chřibská, Czech Republic.

Around 240 taxa carry his name, including:

Alpinia haenkei C.Presl Berberis haenkeana Presl ex Schult. f. Bromus haenkeanus (J.Presl) Kunth, Carex haenkeana C.Presl Ceratochloa haenkeana J.Presl Hymenoxys haenkeana DC. Leptosolena haenkei C.Presl Lobelia haenkeana A.DC. Loranthus haenkeanus Presl ex Schult.f. Mascagnia haenkeana W.R.Anderson Pseudogynoxys haenkei (DC.) Cabrera Pteris haenkeana C.Presl Salvia haenkei Benth. Schinopsis haenkeana Engl. Waltheria haenkeana D.Dietr.