Julius Oscar Brefeld

Julius Oscar Brefeld (August 19, 1839 - January 12, 1925) was a German botanist and mycologist who was a native of Telgte. He studied pharmacy in Heidelberg and Berlin, and afterwards became an assistant to Anton de Bary at the University of Halle. In 1878 he came a lecturer of botany at the Forestry Academy at Eberswalde, and in 1882 was a professor of botany at the University of Munster, as well as manager of its botanical gardens. In 1898 he succeeded Ferdinand Cohn as professor at the the University of Breslau. In 1898 Brefeld was stricken by glaucoma, and subsequently became totally blind. His eye problems caused him to retire from the university in 1909.

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Brefeld was a prolific author of works in the field of mycology, and is remembered for his writings about the heteroecious nature of fungal rusts and smuts. He pioneered culture techniques in the growth of fungi, and is credited with providing nomenclature for several genera and species of fungi.

Originally a scientific supporter of Anton de Bary, Brefeld had later disagreements with the famed botanist concerning the sexual nature of fungi. The mycological genus Brefeldia from the family Stemonitaceae is named after him.

Selected writings

• (1872 - 1881) Botanische Untersuchungen über Schimmelpilze (Botanical investigations into molds)
• (1874) Botanische Untersuchungen über Schimmelpilze: Die Entwicklungsgeschichte von Penicillium; (Botanical studies on mold: The History of Penicillium)
• (1877) Botanische Untersuchungen über Schimmelpilze: Basidiomyceten, (Botanical studies on mold: Basidiomycetes)
• (1881) Botanische Untersuchungen über Hefenpilze: Die Brandpilze, (Botanical studies of yeast fungi: the rusts)
• (1883) Botanische Untersuchungen über Hefenpilze. (Botanical studies of yeast fungi).
• (1884 - 1912) Untersuchungen aus dem Gesammtgebiete der Mykologie (Examinations from the field of mycology) - 15 volumes.
• (1888) Untersuchungen aus dem Gesammtgebiete der Mykologie: Basidiomyceten II: Protobasidiomyceten Studies (Research of the field of mycology: Basidiomycetes II: Protobasidiomycetes).
• (1889) Untersuchungen aus dem Gesammtgebiete der Mykologie: Basidiomyceten III: Autobasidiomyceten und die Begründung des natürlichen Systemes der Pilze - (Studies from the field of mycology: Basidiomycetes III: Autobasidiomycetes and the foundation of a natural taxonomic system of the mushroom).
• (1895) Untersuchungen aus dem Gesammtgebiete der Mykologie: Hemibasidii: Brnadpilze III (Studies from the field of mycology: Hemibasidii: - Rusts III).
• (1895) Untersuchungen aus dem Gesammtgebiete der Mykologie: Die Brandpilze II (Studies from the field of mycology: The Rusts II).
• (1905) Untersuchungen aus dem Gesammtgebiete der Mykologie: Brandpilze (Hemibasidii) IV (Studies from the field of mycology: The Rusts (Hemibasidii IV).
• (1912) Untersuchungen aus dem Gesammtgebiete der Mykologie: Die Brandpilze V (Studies from the field of mycology: The Rusts V).

References

• This article is based on a translation of an article from the German and French Wikipedia.