Johannes Loesel

Johannes Loesel was a German botanist and physician who was an expert on the natural flora of Prussia.

Biography

Loesel was born in Brandenberg, Prussia on 26 August 1607. He earned his PhD at the University of Königsberg in 1632, and attained his MD at University of Leiden in 1639. Loesel travelled around Europe, specifically visiting France, England, and Holland, before returning to the University of Königsberg as a professor of anatomy and botany.
Near the end of his life, Loesel was working on his opus; a Flora of the natural plants of Prussia. However, he was plagued by poor health and never saw to its completion. The manuscript was published by Loesel's son of the same name as Plantas in Borussia sponte nascentes e manuscriptis Parentis mei divulgo Johannes Loeselius in 1654. Loesel died on 30 March 1655 in Königsberg, Prussia.

Legacy

Loesel was honored in the name of the genus Loeselia by Linnaeus in 1753, as well as in the orchid species Liparis loeselii and mustard species Sisymbrium loeselii.
His Plantas in Borussia was again revised in 1703 by.