André Thouin

Who was André Thouin?

André Thouin was a French botanist born in Paris. His younger brother, Gabriel Thouin, was a noted landscape architect.

He studied botany under Bernard de Jussieu, and in 1793 attained the chair of horticulture at the "Muséum national d'histoire naturelle" in Paris. He was a good friend of U.S. President Thomas Jefferson, and the godfather of Jean Baptiste Lamarck's son Andre. He is denoted by the author abbreviation Thouin when citing a botanical name.

Thouin is remembered for contributions made in the field of agronomy, including scientific studies that involved improved grafting techniques and seed selection. He was a pioneer conservationalist, stressing the importance of replacing woodlands to compensate for their destruction due to human encroachment.