Louis Claude Richard

Who was Louis Claude Richard?

Louis Claude Marie Richard was a French botanist and botanical illustrator.

Richard was born at Versailles. Between 1781 and 1789 he collected botanical specimens in Central America and the West Indies. On his return he became a professor at the École de médecine in Paris.

His books included Demonstrations botaniques, De Orchideis europaeis, Commentatio botanica de Conifereis et Cycadeis and De Musaceis commentatio botanica.

He gave us the special description terminology for the orchids, such as pollinium and gynostemium.

The genus Richardia Kunth, was named in his honor. It is now a synonym of the genus Zantedeschia . This botanist is denoted by the author abbreviation Rich. when citing a botanical name.

His son was another notable botanist, Achille Richard.