Gunnar Seidenfaden

Gunnar Seidenfaden was a Danish diplomat and botanist. He was Danish ambassador in Thailand 1955–1959, and in the U.S.S.R. 1959–1961. He was an expert on Southeast Asia Orchidaceae. He published several multi-volume works on orchids, e.g. The Orchids of Thailand – A Preliminary List and Orchid Genera in Thailand vol. I- XIV. These works are strictly taxonomic and floristic, but decorated with Seidenfaden's own drawings of flower parts as seen under the dissection microscope. His collection of more than 10,000 specimens was donated to the University of Copenhagen, together with original drawings by Katja Anker and others.