John Ellis (Naturforscher)

John Ellis (* ca. 1710; † 15. Oktober 1776 in London) war ein irischer Botaniker und Zoologe, der auch als Leinenhändler tätig war und in London für die irische Leinenwirtschaft lobbyierte. Sein offizielles botanisches Autorenkürzel lautet „J.Ellis“.

Leben und Wirken

1754 wurde er Mitglied der Royal Society und veröffentlichte ein Jahr später An essay towards the Natural History of the Corallines. 1770 verfasste er eine Monographie zum schonenden Transport von Samen und Pflanzen (Directions for bringing over seeds and plants, from the East Indies). 1774 ließ er eine Geschichte des Kaffees (Historical Account of Coffee) drucken. Posthum erschien 1776 A Natural History of Many Uncommon and Curious Zoophytes, gemeinsam verfasst mit dem schwedischen Naturforscher Daniel Solander. Insgesamt publizierte er über dreißig naturkundliche Schriften.

1764 wurde er „Royal Agent“ in West Florida und 1770 „Colonial Agent“ auf der Karibikinsel Dominica. Er korrespondierte mit vielen Naturforschern seiner Zeit und übersandte zahlreiche Samen- und Pflanzenproben nach Europa. 1767 wurde er mit der Copley-Medaille geehrt.

1768 beschrieb er die Venusfliegenfalle (Dionaea muscipula). In der Antwort auf einen späteren Brief an Carl von Linné lehnte Linné die Idee der Karnivorie jedoch ab, er war der Meinung, die Dionaea fange die Insekten nur und lasse sie dann wieder frei. Die zeitgenössische Fachwelt übernahm die Linné'sche Auffassung bis Charles Darwin sie rund hundert Jahre später in seiner Studie über insektenfressende Pflanzen (Insectivorous Plants, 1875) berichtigte.

Ehrentaxon

Carl von Linné benannte ihm zu Ehren die Art Ellisia aus der Familie der Wasserblattgewächse (Hydrophyllaceae).

Schriften

Werke

• An essay towards a natural history of the Corallines, and other productions of the like kind, commonly found on the coasts of Great Britain and Ireland, to which is added the description of a large marine polype taken near the North Pole, by whale-fishers, in the summer 1753. A. Millar, J. and J. Rivington, and R. & J. Dodsley, London 1755; online

deutsche Übersetzung: Versuch einer Natur-Geschichte der Corall-Arten und anderer dergleichen Mer-Cörper, welche gemeiniglich an den Küsten von Groß-Britannien und Irrland (!) gefunden werden; Nebst der Beschreibung eines großen Büschel-Polypen, welcher in dem Eis-Mere (!) gefangen worden. G. N. Raspe, Nürnberg 1767

• Directions for bringing over seeds and plants, from the East Indies and other distant countries, in a state of vegetation: together with a catalogue of such foreign plants as are worthy of being encouraged in our American colonies, for the purposes of medicine, agriculture, and commerce. To which is added, the figure and botanical description of a new sensitive plant, called Dionaea muscipula: or, Venus's fly-trap. L. Davis, London 1770
• An historical account of coffee : with an engraving, and botanical description of the tree : to which are added sundry papers relative to its culture and use, as an article of diet and of commerce. Edward and Charles Dilly, London 1774
• The natural history of many curious and uncommon zoophytes, collected from various parts of the globe. B. White & son, London 1786 - posthum mit Daniel Solander 1786; online

Zeitschriftenbeiträge

• A Letter to Mr. Peter Collinson, F. R. S. concerning a Particular Species of Coralline. By Mr. John Ellis, F. R. S. In: Philosophical Transactions. Band 48, 1753/1754
• A Letter from Mr. John Ellis to Mr. Peter Collinson, F. R. S. concerning a Cluster-Polype, Found in the Sea Near the Coast of Greenland. In: Philosophical Transactions. Band 48, 1753/1754
• A Letter from Mr. John Ellis, F. R. S. to Mr. Peter Collinson, F. R. S. concerning the Animal Life of Those Coral-Lines, That Look Like Minute Trees, and Grow upon Oysters and Fucus's All Round the Sea-Coast of This Kingdom. In: Philosophical Transactions. Band 48, 1753/1754
• Observations on a Remarkable Coral-Line, in a Letter from Mr. John Ellis to the Rev. Thomas Birch, D. D. Secret. R. S. In: Philosophical Transactions. Band 48, 1753/1754
• A Letter from Mr. John Ellis, F. R. S. to Philip Carteret Webb, Esq; F. R. S. Attempting to Ascertain the Tree That Yields the Common Varnish Used in China and Japan; to Promote Its Propagation in Our American Colonies; And to Set Right Some Mistakes Botanists Appear to Have Entertained concerning It. In: Philosophical Transactions. Band 49, 1755/1756
• An Account of a Curious, Fleshy, Coral-Like Substance; In a Letter to Mr. Peter Collinson, F. R. S. from Dr. John Albert Schlosser, M. D. F. R. S. with Some Observations on It Communicated to Mr. Collinson by Mr. John Ellis, F. R. S. In: Philosophical Transactions. Band 49, 1755/1756 - mit John Albert Schlosser
• An Account of a Red Coral from the East-Indies, of a Very Singular Kind: In a Letter from Mr. John Ellis, F.R.S. to Mr. Peter Collinson, F.R.S. In: Philosophical Transactions. Band 50, 1757/1758
• An Answer to the Preceding Remarks. By Mr. John Ellis, F. R. S. In: Philosophical Transactions. Band 50, 1757/1758
• Remarks upon the Letter of Mr. John Ellis, F. R. S. to Philip Carteret Webb, Esq; F. R. S. Printed in the Philosophical Transactions, Vol. xlix. Part ii. p. 806. By Mr. Philip Miller, F. R. S. In: Philosophical Transactions. Band 50, 1757/1758 - mit Philip Miller
• The Method of Making Sal Ammoniac in Egypt; As Communicated by Dr. Linnaeus, from His Pupil Dr. Hasselquist, Who Had Been Lately in Those Parts: By John Ellis, Esq; F. R. S. In: Philosophical Transactions. Band 51, 1759/1760 - mit Carl von Linné
• An Account of the Plants Halesia and Gardenia: In a Letter from John Ellis, Esq; F. R. S. to Philip Carteret Webb, Esq; F. R. S. In: Philosophical Transactions. Band 51, 1759/1760
• An Account of Some Experiments Relating to the Preservation of Seeds: In Two Letters to the Right Honourable the Earl of Macclesfield, President of the Royal Society. From John Ellis, Esq; F. R. S. In: Philosophical Transactions. Band 51, 1759/1760
• An Account of the Male and Female Cochineal Insects, That Breed on the Cactus Opuntia, or Indian Fig, in South Carolina and Georgia: In a Letter from John Ellis, Esq; to Peter Wych, Esq. In: Philosophical Transactions. Band 52, 1761/1762
• An Account of an Encrinus, or Starfish, with a Jointed Stem, Taken on the Coast of Barbadoes, Which Explains to What Kind of Animal Those Fossils Belong, Called Starstones, Asteriae, and Astropodia, Which Have been Found in Many Parts of This Kingdom: In a Letter to Mr. Emanuel Mendes da Costa, F. R. S. By John Ellis, Esq; F. R. S. In: Philosophical Transactions. Band 52 - 1761/1762
• An Account of the Sea Pen, or Pennatula Phosphorea of Linnaeus; Likewise a Description of a New Species of Sea Pen, Found on the Coast of South-Carolina, with Observations on Sea-Pens in General. In a Letter to the Honourable Coote Molesworth, Esq; M. D. and F. R. S. from John Ellis, Esq; F. R. S. and Member of the Royal Academy at Upsal. In: Philosophical Transactions. Band 53, 1763
• On the Nature and Formation of Sponges: In a Letter from John Ellis, Esquire, F. R. S. to Dr. Solander, F. R. S. In: Philosophical Transactions. Band 55, 1765
• An Account of an Amphibious Bipes; By John Ellis, Esq; F. R. S. To the Royal Society. In: Philosophical Transactions. Band 56, 1766
• Extract of a Letter from John Ellis, Esquire, F. R. S. to Dr. Linnaeus, of Upsal, F. R. S. on the Animal Nature of the Genus of Zoophytes, Called Corallina. In: Philosophical Transactions. Band 57, 1767 - mit Peter Woulfe
• An Account of the Actinia Sociata, or Clustered Animal-Flower, Lately Found on the Sea-Coasts of the New-Ceded Islands: In a Letter from John Ellis, Esquire, F. R. S. to the Right Honourable the Earl of Hillsborough, F. R. S. In: Philosophical Transactions. Band 57, 1767 online
• A Letter from John Ellis, Esquire, F. R. S. to the President, on the Success of His Experiments for Preserving Acorns for a Whole Year without Planting Them, so as to be in a State Fit for Vegetation, with a View to Bring Over Some of the Most Valuable Seeds from the East Indies, to Plant for the Benefit of Our American Colonies. In: Philosophical Transactions. Band 58, 1768 - mit William Aiton
• Observations on a Particular Manner of Increase in the Animalcula of Vegetable Infusions, with the Discovery of an Indissoluble Salt Arising from Hemp-Seed Put into Water Till It Becomes Putrid. By John Ellis, Esq; F. R. S. In: Philosophical Transactions. Band 59, 1769
• A Copy of a Letter from John Ellis, Esq; F. R. S. to Dr. Linnaeus, F. R. S. &c. With the Figure and Characters of That Elegant American Evergreentree, Called by the Gardiners the Loblolly-Bay, Taken from Blossoms Blown Near London, and Shewing That It is not an Hibiscus, as Mr. Miller Calls It; Nor an Hypericum, as Dr. Linnaeus Supposes It; But an Intire New Genus, to Which Mr. Ellis Gives the Name of Gordonia. In: Philosophical Transactions. Band 60, 1770
• The Copy of a Letter from John Ellis, Esq; F.R.S. to Mr. William Aiton, Botanic Gardener to Her Royal Highness the Princess Dowager of Wales, at Kew, on a New Species of Illicium Linnaei, or Starry Aniseed Tree, Lately Discovered in West Florida. In: Philosophical Transactions. Band 60, 1770
• On the Nature of the Gorgonia; That It is a Real Marine Animal, and Not of a Mixed Nature, between Animal and Vegetable. By John Ellis, Esq. F. R. S. in a Letter to Daniel Solander, M. D. F. R. S. In: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Band 66, 1776

Literatur

• Asa Gray: Darwinia: Essays and Reviews pertaining to Darwinism. New York 1888
• Ray Desmond: Dictionary of British and Irish Botanists and Horticulturists including Plant Collectors, Flower Painters and Garden Designers. London 1993
• Roy A. Rauschenberg: John Ellis, F.R.S.: Eighteenth Century Naturalist and Royal Agent to West Florida. In: Notes and Records of the Royal Society of London. Band 32, Nr. 2, März 1978, S. 149-164

Weblinks

• Vorlage:PND
• Autoreintrag für John Ellis (Naturforscher) beim IPNI
• Vorlage:LCL
• Eintrag im Archiv der Royal Society