The publication of Anatomy of Plants in 1682 established a foundation for botanical study by detailing plant morphology through eighty-two illustrative plates. Nehemiah Grew, a physician and scientist operating within the Kingdom of Great Britain, utilized the microscope to classify biological structures, including the first recorded observations of pollen grains and the intricate patterns found on human skin.
Academic Foundation and Early Research
Born in 1641 in Manduessedum, Warwickshire, Grew was the son of the vicar Obadiah Grew. He received his education at Pembroke College, graduating in 1661, before securing his medical degree at Leiden University. His doctoral thesis was titled Disputatio medico-physica de liquore nervoso. By 1664, he began systemic investigations into the anatomy of vegetation, an interest that eventually brought him to the attention of the Royal Society.
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Bishop Wilkins recommended Grew for election as a Fellow of the Royal Society in the year following the 1670 submission of his initial essay, The Anatomy of Vegetables begun. After relocating to London in 1672 to establish his medical practice, Grew became increasingly involved in the society’s administrative functions. He served as secretary starting in 1677, succeeding Henry Oldenburg, and managed the editorial work for Philosophical Transactions between 1678 and 1679.
Plant Anatomy and Palynology
His magnum opus, Anatomy of Plants, integrated his previous research into four distinct volumes focusing on vegetables, roots, trunks, and the combination of leaves, flowers, fruits, and seeds. His microscopic scrutiny revealed that Asteraceae flowers consist of multiple units and identified stamens as male organs. Furthermore, his comparative study of pollen size and shape across various species provided the basis for the field of palynology.
Forensics and Additional Scientific Inquiry
Beyond botany, Grew pioneered the study of dactyloscopy. In 1684, he produced precise drawings documenting the ridges, pores, and furrows present on hands and feet. His intellectual output was diverse, encompassing publications such as Seawater made Fresh, works on the properties of Epsom salts including Tractatus de salis, and the theological text Cosmologia Sacra. He remained a proponent of mercantilism until his death in London in 1712.
Fast facts
- Born: 1641, Warwickshire
- Died: 1712, London
- Education: Pembroke College; Leiden University
- Known as: Father of Plant Anatomy
- Field: Physician; Botanist
- Membership: Royal Society
- Notable Work: Anatomy of Plants (1682)
- Genus named in honor: Grewia
Questions readers ask
What significant discovery did Nehemiah Grew make regarding plants?
He identified stamens as the male organs of flowers and provided the first microscopic descriptions of pollen, noting that size and shape vary by species.
Did Nehemiah Grew contribute to forensic science?
Yes, he is considered a pioneer of dactyloscopy, having published the first accurate drawings of the ridges and pores on human hands and feet in 1684.
Achievements
- Fellow of the Royal Society
