Swiss Botanist 1767-1845

Nicolas-Théodore de Saussure was one of the early founders of plant physiology. He introduced new and rigorous experimental methods to the study of plants, and his work helped to improve the science of botany. De Saussure was born in Geneva, Switzerland, on October 14, 1767. His father, Horace-Bénédict de Saussure (1740-1799), was also a scientist and he supervised his son's early experiments. Nicolas-Théodore accompanied his father on many expeditions to the tops of mountains to study the composition and density of air, and he made many weather and air measurements on these trips with his father in the Alps. This research led to his appointment as a professor of mineralogy and geology at the Geneva Academy.

At this time de Saussure had become interested in plant physiology, particularly in the way that plants use air...