Ernst Hugo Heinrich Pfitzer ( 1846 - 1906 )

The scientific and technical aspects of orchidology had actually only been touched upon by the late 1800s. Evolutionary development in the Orchid Family, Particularly as it pertained to the morphology and importance of vegetative peculiarities, had received small attention in so far as classification was concerned. Years earlier Sir Joseph Hooker had advocated that the study of botany was in serious need of revision, but few workers in the field distinguished themselves in orchid research and study until Ernst Hugo Heinrich Pfitzer, professor of botany and director of the Botanic Garden in the University of Heidelberg, developed a widely accepted system of classification based on morphological and vegetative characteristics.

Pfitzer was born on 26 March 1846, at Konigsberg, prussia, and from the beginning he was trained by distinguished educators in the field of biology - Sanio, von Caspary, and Wilhelm Hofmeister, among others. Thus, with a sound background of preparation for scienticic research, in 1872 - at the age of twenty - six - Pfitzer was appointed professor of botany and director of the Botanic Garden.

The Botanic Garden contained a large collection of orchids, giving Pfitzer ample opportunity to study a diversity of floral and vegetative structures. the natural arrangement of orchids was not quite settled at that time, and Pfitzer became increasingly convinced that relationships based on these structures - almost entirely neglected by earlier botanists- did exist. John Lindley's system of orchid classification was still in use at the time, and though Lindley was a pioneer who made substantial progress in this respect, his system fell short of later expanded needs. Pfitzser agreed that the floral characteristics were essential guides to a natural system of classification, but he insisted that the leaf and stem characteristics were equally important in the indication of evolutionary trends. Preliminary studies and papers supporting his views were published from time to time in German botanical journals and elsewhere, and by 1880 he had received widespread recognition as a leading orchidologist.

The main results of his studies were published in outline form in the l1 December 1880 issue of the Gardeners' Chronicle. He was also assigned the orchids in the copilation of Engler and Prantl's Die naturalichen pflazenfamilien . In 1882 his Grundlage einer vergleichenden Morphologie der Orchideen appeared , a large quarto volume 194 pages long. This was the forerunner of several important following works and was quickly recognized as a scholarly and instructive book. This was followed in 1886 by Morphologische Studien uber die Orchideen . His contribution to Engler and Prantl's work as published in 1889 ,and in 1895 he wrote a paper entitled " Beitrage zur Sysstematik der Orchideen " for the ninteenth volume of Engler's P flanzenreich . In connection with this work he paid several visits tothe herbarium and libraries at Kew and the British Museum ,where he was much respected and well received . In many respects his good-natured bearing and congeniality won people over to him . Engaging in manner and bright in conversation . Pfitser was of a most cheerful disposition ,seeming always to be enjoying what he was involved in ,whether it be work or recreation .

Pfitzer's philosophical work on the morphology and classification of the ROchidaceae became well known and his system of arrangement of genera, in which he abandoned the importance given by Lindley to the character of the reproductive parts and took in to account the vegetative development of the plants, was considered remarkable. He accepted the traditional division of the orchids into two sufamilies : the Diandrae (Cypripedium tribe ) and the Monandrae (all others than Cypripedium ), but opened up new vistas in his treatment of the latter . In disposing of the ophyridian genera by varying characteristics in the anthers and pollen masses ,he recognized about twenty -eight additional groups of genera that depend almost entirely on vegetative structures. He further proposed and designated two dominant sections as sympodial and monopodial.In sympodial matures fully in one growing season ,continuous development being made by lateral buds that repeat the cycle of the original growth. The monopodials develop in such a way that the terminal growing point continues to extend indefinitely ,the flower spikes emerging laterally.

Having laid the foundations of his system , in 1886 he undertook the preparation of a monograph of the paphiopedilums which was published in 1903. It was adopted in a more restricted sense than first proposed ,however, because Pfitzer had also included the tropical American species , later agreeing to their separation .

In the summer of 1906 he was invited to speak at the International Conference on Hybridization and Cross-breeding , convened by the Royal Horticultural Society in London . In his talk ," Hybridisation as a Proof of Natural Affinity Among Orchids," he pointed out differences of classification based on both floral and vegetative characteristics ,also the significance of recognizing genera that interhybridize . Though the natural arrangement of the Orchid Family remained yet unsettled , Pfitzer maintained that genera which could be hybridized together were certainly closely related. Several instances were cited , however , in which inexplicable results occurred . The possibility of parthogenesis was suggested in several such cases , but orchid hybridization was yet such a new practice that further experimentation was indicated.

While attending the conference he did some study and work at Kew ; later he attended the Berlin Association meetings . By his increasing interest and masterly accomplishments , it was fully expected that a whole series of monographs might follow,but this was not to be , for he suddenly and unexpectedly died of heart failure on 3 December 1906 ,leaving a widow and daughter -and a whole scientific field-to mourn his loss.

References

Ames , Oakes . 1934. Ernst Hugo Heinrich Pfitzer -1846-1906 .Amer . Orch. Soc. Bull. 2 ,no. 4 .

Dillon ,Gordon W. 1957. Development of a System of Orchid Classification . Understanding the Orchid Family -II.Amer .Orch. Soc. Bull. 26,no. 4 .

Journal of Botany . 1907.Book-Notes ,News ,etc. Vol. 45,no. 529.

Kew Bulletin , 1907 .Miscellaneous Notes -Ernest Pfitzer .No.2.

Orchid Review ,The . 1907. Obituary.Vol. 15 ,no.169.

Orchid Review , The 1956. Notes .Vol. 44,no. 758.