CAMILLE MONTAGNE (1784-1866) AND HIS BRYOPHYTE SPECIMENS FROM SOUTH AMERICA

Abstract

  Camille Montagne (D.M.) was a military surgeon in the Napoleon army. After his retirement in 1834 he moved to live in Paris, not far from the Museum and the Delessert's collections. Since 1821, he was interested in studying the cryptogams that he collected from places where he was posted and the many that he had received in exchange. He was soon recognized as the cryptogamist of Paris. He identified all the cryptogams from a number of expeditions organized by the French government or by the Museum. His contribution to the bryoflora of South America is obvious as seen by the publication of many short notes and his contributions to the major floras of Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Peru, Guyana, etc. His herbarium, including many types, contains more than 13,700 bryophyte specimens, 16% of which are from South America. On the basis of unpublished sources (correspondence, notes, labels of herbarium) and of his publications, the contributions of Montagne to the knowledge of South American bryophytes is reported and analyzed.