Julius von Flotow

Julius von Flotow; full name- Julius Christian Gottlieb Ulrich Gustav Georg Adam Ernst Friedrich von Flotow was a German military officer, botanist, lichenologist, and bryologist. Following a serious injury at the Battle of Lützen in 1813 that left his right arm partially paralysed, von Flotow developed his botanical interests during his convalescence and subsequent military service in France. After retiring from the Prussian cavalry in 1832, he settled in Hirschberg, where he advanced knowledge of the local lichen funga. His contributions included producing exsiccata collections, describing numerous lichen genera and species, coining the term epithecium, and mentoring lichenologists such as Gustav Wilhelm Körber. A member of several learned societies, von Flotow was awarded the Iron Cross and received an honorary doctorate from the University of Breslau shortly before his death. His extensive herbarium was acquired by the Botanical Museum in Berlin-Dahlem but was largely destroyed during World War II bombings.