George Engelmann (Fráncfort del Meno, 2 de febrero de 1809-San Luis, Misuri, 4 de febrero de 1884) fue un médico y botánico de origen alemán, nacido en Fráncfort del Meno, ya a los quince se apasiona por la botánica, pero estudia medicina obteniendo su doctorado en 1831. Emigra a EE. UU. en 1832, falleciendo en Saint-Louis, Misuri. Allí desarrolló la mayor parte de su carrera profesional.
Desarrolla una granja en Illinois, luego va a St. Louis donde se establece practicando la medicina. En 1840 visita Alemania, donde se casa con una prima, Dorothea Horstmann, retornando juntos a EE. UU. (Su hijo George Julius Engelmann fue un notable ginecólogo.)
Sus estudios sobre biología y botánica lo hicieron operar observaciones meteorológicas desde 1836 hasta su muerte. Fue el primero en señalar que las viñas americanas estaban inmunizadas contra la filoxera. Estudió largamente la flora local, interesándose en particular por las cactáceas, los robles y las coníferas.
Algunas publicaciones
- Botánica
- De Antholysi Prodromus. Dissertatio inauguralis phytomorphologica. Frankfurt am Main 1832, (online)
- A Monography of North American Cuscutineae. In: American Journal of Science and Arts. Band 43, 1842, S. 333–345, (online)
- Catalogue of a collection of Plants made in Illinois and Missouri. by Charles A. Geyer; with critical remarks, &c. En: American Journal of Science and Arts 46, 1844, pp. 94–104, (online)
- Plantae Lindheimerianae: An Enumeration of the Plans collected in Texas, and distributed to Subscribers, by F. Lindheimer, with Remarks, and Descriptions of new Species, &c. En: Boston Journal of Natural History 5, 1845, pp. 210–264, (online). Con Asa Gray
- Botanical Appendix. En: Friedrich Adolph Wislizenus: Memoir of a Tour to Northern Mexico: Connected with Col. Doniphan's Expedition, in 1846 and 1847. Tippin & Streeper, Washington 1848, pp. 87–115, (online)
- [Cactaceae]. En: William Hemsley Emory: Notes of a Military Recomnoissance from Fort Leavenworth, in Missouri, to San Diego in California. Wendell & Benthuysen, Washington 1848, pp. 155–159, (online)
- Systematic Arrangement of the Species of the Genus Cuscuta, with critical Remarks on old species and Descriptions of new ones. En: Trans. of the Academy of Science of St. Louis 1, 1859, PP. 453–523, (online)
- Notes on the Cereus giganteus of South Eastern California and some other Californian Cactaceae. En: Am. J. of Science and Arts (2ª época) 14, 1852, pp. 335–339, y p. 446, (online)
- Further Notes on Cereus giganteus of Southeastern California, with a short account of another allied species of Sonora. En: Am. J. of Science and Arts (2ª época) 17, 1854, pp. 231–235, (online)
- Description Of The Cactaceae. En: Route near the thirty-fifth parallel explored by Lieutenant A. W. Whipple, Topographical Engineers, in 1853 and 1854, 4 ( 5), Report Of The Botany Of The Expedition, B. Tucker, Washington 1856, S. 27–58, (online). Con John Milton Bigelow
- Cactaceae of the Boundary. En: United States and Mexican Boundary Survey, under the Order of Lietu. Col. W. H. Emory, Major first Cavalry, and United States Commissioner 2 ( 1), Cornelius Wendell, Washington 1859, (online) Archivado el 28 de abril de 2015 en Wayback Machine.
- Cactaceae. En: Report upon the Colorado River of the West, explored in 1857 and 1858 by Lieutenant Joseph C. Ives, Corps of Topographical Engineers under the direction of the Office of explorations and surveys, A. A. Humphreys, Captain Topographical Engineers, in charge; By order of the Secretary of War. Government Printing Office, Washington 1861, Botany, pp. 12–14, (online)
- Euphorbiaceae. En: Report upon the Colorado River of the West, explored in 1857 and 1858 by Lieutenant Joseph C. Ives, Corps of Topographical Engineers under the direction of the Office of explorations and surveys, A. A. Humphreys, Captain Topographical Engineers, in charge; By order of the Secretary of War. Government Printing Office, Washington 1861, Botany, pp. 26–27, (online)
- A Revision of the North American Species of the Genus Juncus, with a Description of new or imperfectly known Species. En: Trans. of the Academy of Science of St. Louis 2, 1868, pp. 424–498, y p. 590, (online)
- Notes on the Genus Yucca. En: Trans. of the Academy of Science of St. Louis 3. 1873, pp. 17–64, (online)
- Notes on Agave. En: Trans. of the Academy of Science of St. Louis 3, 1878, pp. 291–322, (online)
- About the Oaks of the United States. En: Trans. of the Academy of Science of St. Louis 3, 1876/1877, pp. 372–400, y p. 539–543, (online)
- The genus Isoetes in North America. En: Trans. of the Academy of Science of St. Louis 4, 1882, pp. 358–390, (online)
- The true Grape Vines of the United States. En: Bush & Son & Meissner: Illustrated Descriptive Catalogue of American Grape Vines. A Grape Growers' Manual. 3.ª ed. R. P. Studley & Co. St. Louis 1883, pp. 9–20, (en línea).
- The Diseases of Grape Vines. En: Bush & Son & Meissner: Illustrated Descriptive Catalogue of American Grape Vines. A Grape Growers' Manual. 3ª ed. R. P. Studley & Co. St. Louis 1883, pp. 47–48, (online)
- William Trelease, Asa Gray (eds.) The botanical works of the late George Engelmann, collected for Henry Shaw, esq. J. Wilson and Son, Cambridge (MA) 1887, (online). Póstumo
- Fall of Rain in St. Louis During Twenty Three Years - 1839 to 1861. En: Trans. of the Academy of Science of St. Louis 2 ( 1), 1861, pp. 75, (online)
- Fall of Snow (melted) in St. Louis in 23 Years, from 1839 to 1861. En: Trans. of the Academy of Science of St. Louis 2 ( 1), 1861, pp. 76, (online)
- Fall of Rain (including melted Snow) in St. Louis, from 1839 to 1861. En: Trans. of the Academy of Science of St. Louis 2 ( 1), 1861, pp. 77–79, (online)
- Altitude of Pike's Peak and other points in Colorado Territory. En: Trans. of the Academy of Science of St. Louis 2 ( 1), pp. 126–133, (online)
- The mean and extreme daily Temperatures in St. Louis during forty seven years, as calculated from daily observations. En: Trans. of the Academy of Science of St. Louis 4, 1883, pp. 496–508, (online)
- Otros
- Das Westland. Nordamerikanische Zeitschrift für Deutschland. Heidelberg 1837. Como escritor y editor asociado
Honores
Eponimia
Con su nombre se bautizaron más de 260 especies, como:
- (Agavaceae) Hesperaloe engelmannii Krauskopf ex Baker
- (Asteraceae) Aster engelmannii (D.C.Eaton) A.Gray
- (Brassicaceae) Lesquerella engelmannii (A.Gray) S.Watson
- (Euphorbiaceae) Chamaesyce engelmannii (Boiss.) Soják
- (Pinophyta) Picea engelmannii Parry ex Engelm. pino de Engelmann
- La abreviatura «Engelm.» se emplea para indicar a George Engelmann como autoridad en la descripción y clasificación científica de los vegetales.
