Edmond Boissier

Pierre Edmond Boissier was a prominent Swiss botanist and explorer. He was the son of Jacques Boissier (1784-1857) and Caroline Butini (1786-1836), daughter of Pierre Butini (1759-1838), a well-known naturalist from Geneva. With his sister, Valérie Boissier (1813-1894), he received a strict education with lessons delivered in Italian and Latin. Edmond's interest in natural history stemmed from holidays in the company of his mother and his grandfather, Pierre Butini at Valeyres-sous-Rances. His hikes in the Jura and the Alps laid the foundation of his later zest for exploration and adventure. He attended a course at the Academy of Geneva given by Augustin Pyramus de Candolle.