Jean Henri Jaume Saint-Hilaire

Jean Henri Jaume Saint-Hilaire (October 29 1772 – 1845) was a French naturalist and artist, born in Grasse, France.

Biography

Born as "Jaume", he added "Saint-Hilaire" later. Some biographers indicate that this addition was to distinguish himself from a family member, Henri-Honore Jaume, a Jacobin who had been involved in the Reign of Terror, during the French Revolution. He served in the French Army during the , before returning to civilian life in 1800. He then returned to Paris and resumed his studies, especially natural history. He wrote a guide to the new "Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle", and learned floral painting from Gérard van Spaendonck (1746-1822).

In 1805 he wrote his first important publication: "Exposition des familles naturelles et de la germination des plantes, contentant la description de 2 337 genres et d'environ 4 000 espèces, 112 planches dont les figures ont ete dessinées par l'auteur" [An exposition about natural families and the germination of plants, containing the description of 2,337 genera and about 4,000 species, 112 plates whose figures were drawn by the author] . In it, he popularized the classification of Antoine-Laurent de Jussieu (1748-1836). During 1808-1809 and 1819-1822, Jaume published ten volumes about French plants: "Plantes de la France décrites et peintes d’après nature" [French plants described and painted from nature] , grouping together one thousand engravings that he had made himself.

Jaume was quite interested in forests, and became a member of "Société Royale d’Agriculture" in 1831. He also became interested in the culture of "Wrightia tinctoria", a member of the plant family Apocynaceae used for its dyeing qualities.

Partial list of his publications

* "La flore et la pomone françaises: histoire et figure en couleur, des fleurs et des fruits de France ou naturalisés sur le sol français". (Published by the author: Paris, Rue Furstemberg, 1828-1833).

* "Traité des arbres forestiers: ou histoire et description des arbres indigènes ou naturalisés". A work preceded by "une instruction sur la culture des arbres", by M. Thouin. (Printed by Firmin Didot, Paris, 1824).

* "Traité des arbrisseaux et des arbustes cultivés en France et en pleine terre". (Published by the author: Paris, 1825).

ource

* Roger L. Williams (1988), Gerard and Jaume: Two Neglected Figures in the History of Jussiaean Classification (Part Three). "Taxon", "Vol. 37" (2, May, 1988) : 233-271.

External links

* [http://www.botanicus.org/creator.asp?creatorid=47 Works of high quality digitized by the Missouri Botanical Garden]