Ludwig Jost

Ludwig Jost ForMemRS was a German botanist, and university professor.

Life and work

Jost was born on November 13, 1865, in Karlsruhe, which was then part of the Grand Duchy of Baden.
After attending the gymnasium in Karlsruhe, Jost studied natural sciences at the University of Heidelberg, then from 1885, was a student at Kaiser Wilhelm University in Strasbourg. In 1887 he obtained his PhD as a student of Anton [de Bary], and later on, worked as an assistant to Karl von Goebel at the University of Marburg. Afterwards, he returned to Strasbourg, where in 1891, he received his habilitation under the sponsorship of Hermann zu Solms-Laubach. In 1894 he became an associate professor, and from 1919 to 1934, he held the chair of botany at the University of Heidelberg.
He earlier research largely dealt with morphological and histological issues — later on, his main field of study involved the physiology of plants; working with subjects such as: growth rhythm, nyctinasty, geotropism, leaf positioning, electrical potential differences on cell walls, et al.
He died February 22, 1947, in Heidelberg.

. Fischer, Jena, 1904.

He edited sections on physiology in seven editions of Eduard Strasburger's Lehrbuch der Botanik für Hochschulen.Der Kampf ums Dasein im Pflanzenreich. Heitz, Strasbourg 1916.Führer durch den Botanischen Garten in Heidelberg. Heidelberg 1922
with Gerta von Ubisch: Zur Windefrage. W. de Gruyter & Co., Berlin, 1926.Die Entstehung der großen Entdeckungen in der Botanik. Speech at the inauguration ceremony on the 18th kingdom January, 1930. Carl Winter, Heidelberg, 1930.Zum hundertsten Geburtstag Anton de Barys. Lebenswerk eines Botanikers des 19. Jahrhunderts. G. Fischer, Jena, 1930.Baum und Wald ; J. Springer, Berlin 1936, 2nd, revised edition by Fritz Overbeck. Springer, Berlin / New York / Paris 1952.