Takenoshin NAKAI 1882-1952

By Hiroshi HARA

Dr. Takenoshin Nakai, the director of the National Science Museum and Pro- fessor Emeritus of the University of Tokyo, passed away on December 6, 1952 in Tokyo. We have now lost one of the most active leaders of Japan in -. Internationally known, particularly as the authority on Korean flora, he devoted himself with equal success and enthusiasm to research, to teaching, and to the administration of the University and of the Museum. He was born in the city of Gifu on November 9, 1882, and his interest in botany from his boyhood was greatly influenced by his father, Seitaro Hori, who was a pioneer in agriculture in Japan. He entered the Department of Botany, the Science 2 植 物 學 雑 誌 第66巻 第775-776号 昭 和28年1-2月

College of the Tokyo Imperial University, and graduated from the University in 1907. He started his long academic career as Assistant from 1908 to 1917. He held the position of Lecturer from 1917 to 1922, of Assistant Professor from 1922 to 1927, and of Professor from 1927 to 1942, and became Professor Emeritus in 1947. He received the degree of Rigakuhakushi (Doctor of Science) from the University in 1914. From 1906 by the suggestion of his Professor Jinzo Matsumura, he began as his lifelong work to investigate Korean flora which was only very poorly known in those days. Facing many difficulties and dangers, he took about 18 collecting trips from 1909 to 1940 in the alpine region of North Korea, Is. Dagelet, Is. Quelpaert, moun- tains of south Korea, etc., and made extensive botanical collections including a large number of new . His Flora Koreana Vol. 1 and 2 were published in 1909 and 1911 respectively, and a long series of important articles was successively forthcoming in the Botanical Magazine (Tokyo), etc., and in later years in Journal of Japanese Botany. Among them were established such distinct new genera, Chosenia, Abelio- phyllum, Hanabusaya, Pentactina, Echinosophora, etc. He was named Government Botanist from the Chosen (Korean) Government General in 1913. His monumental work, Flora Sylvatica Koreana 22 volumes (1915--1939), containing detailed descrip- tions of 1839 pages and 569 accurate plates in total, has taken its place as one of the most outstanding contributions to the East Asiatic flora. In 1927 he was awarded a memorial prize of Prince Katsura from the Imperial Academy of Japan for his researches on Korean Plants. Now Korea became one of the best known district in East Asia botanically, and in May 1952 his lifelong work on Korean plants was summarized in his last paper, Synoptical Sketch of Korean Flora, in which 3176 , 841 varieties and 174 formae were enumerated. In 1919 he made a short trip to Java and Ceylon for the investigation of medi- cinal plants. Then from 1923 to 1925, he visited principal botanical institutions in Sweden, Germany, Austria, France, Holland, Switzerland, England and United States of America. He carefully examined many type specimens of Asiatic plants preserved in those herbaria, and corrected many historical errors based on his keen observa- tions. His critical monographic researches, especially on Aconiturn, Viola, Lespedeza, Arisaema, Vaccinium, Euonymus, Camellia, Polygonaceae, Caprifoliaceae, Bambusaceae, Pteridophyta, etc. drew great attention internationally. The revised edition of his Trees and Shrubs indigenous in Japan Proper Vol. 1 in 1927 was an important con- tribution with many new opinions. While he held office in the University of Tokyo, specimens in the herbarium increased more than 10 times, comprising his large collection from Korea all critically determined, and a complete library of taxonomic literature on East Asiatic plants accumulated. And these herbarium and library have become an active center for plant-taxonomy in Japan. His lecture on systematic botany including many critical and original interpretations inspired students very much. He revised the whole system of vascular plants, and proposed new classifications particularly of Salicaceae, Jan.--Feb. 1953 Bot. Mag. Tokyo, Vol. 66, No. 775---776 3

Bambusaceae, Lauraceae, Liliales, Pteridophyta, etc. He was also deeply interested in phytogeographical problems in East Asia, and established the fourth chair of botany in the University. In addition he had close relations to the Botanic Gardens of the University, and was named as Director of the Gardens from 1930 to 1942. Under his administrative activities, the scope of the Gardens was strikingly increased and new buildings were added. In 1925 he was named as Membre correspondant du Museum national d'histoire naturelle de Paris and de la 5ociete Botanique de . Geneve, in 1926 International Committee of Botanical Nomenclature at the International Botanical Congress at Ithaca, and in 1930 General Committee of Botanical Nomenclature. In 1933, he took part in the First Scientific Expedition to Manchoukuo as the head of botanical party. In 1939 he was appointed Committee of the Council for Investigation of Historical Monuments, Beautiful Sceneries and Natural Monuments, in 1941 as a member of National Research Council of Japan, and in 1942 as a councillor of Research Institute for Natural Resources. In 1950, he attended the 7th International Botanical Congress at Stockholm as Honorary President and Committee of Botanical Nomenclature, representing Japanese botanists, and also the Second International Biennial Congress of the Council of Museums at London. In these various fields he devoted himself to the advancement of scientific researches in Japan. From 1943 to 1945, he served as Director of the Buitenzorg Botanical Gardens in Java, and made great efforts for the protection of scientists there and for the preservation and rebuilding of the Gardens against military actions during the Second World War. In 1947 he was appointed Director of the National Science Museum in Tokyo which position he held until his death, and under his management the activities of the Museum were greatly expanded. In July 1952, he directed as the head a scientific expedition of the Museum to Is. 'Yakushima in spite of old age, and he energetically continued to investigate the materials collected there by himself until he was sud- denly confined to bed on August 28th by cerebral haemorrage. All his friends and students will remember the outstanding characteristic of his per,sonality, the enthusiasm for research and discovery and the intolerance of any deviation from his opinion, and yet he had a real respect for seniors and a strong power of stimulating and leading his followers with paternal love. During the whole period, he had written over 500 botanical papers, and those published up to 1942 were listed in the memorial publication' at the 60th anniversary of his birth, with a list of more than 4000 new plant-names proposed by him. The following bibliography which is a supplement of the list, includes principal papers published from 1942 until his death. He also compiled Iconographia Piantarum Asiae Orientalis (1935-) and Nova Flora Japonica (1938--). 4 植 物 学 雑 誌 第66巻 第775一 一776号 昭 和28年1-2月

Additional Bibliography 1942 Notulae ad Plantas Asiae Orientalis. (21). Journ. Jap. Bot. 18 : 421-437, fig. 1-5 ; (22). 18: 601-619. 19431)Ordines, f amiliae, tribi, genera, sectiones, species, varietates, formae et combinationes novae a Prof. Nakai-Takenoshin adhuc ut novis edita. Appendix. Quaestiones characterium naturalium plantarum, vel extractus ex praelectionibus pro aluminis botanicis Universitatis Imperialis Tokyoensis per annos 1926-1941. Portr. i-viii, 1-256, errata 1-4. Genitia, gn. novum Celastracearum. (Appendix) Systema novum generis Euonymus Nipponensis. Acta Phytotax. et Geobot. 13 : 20-32, fig. 1-4. Ardisiaceae. Nova Flora Japonica 9 : 1-3, 1-170, fig. 1-42. Notulae ad Plantas Asiae Orientalis. (23). Journ. Jap. Bot. 19 : 5-19 ; (24). 19 : 85 92 ; (25). 19 : 155-165 ; (26). 19 : 245-251; (27). 19 : 265-278 ; (28). 19 : 312-319 ; (29). 19 : 361-380. :iL1ttf ±J r p j ~ < 1 . r j,TJ Y 3 ; ~-. Journ. Jap. Bot. 19: 84. Nabal us ex Prenanthes distinctus est. Journ. Jap. Bot. 19 : 146. Natural Monuments of Plants in Miyagi and Six Other Prefectures, which were newly ap- pointed, or are to be appointed by the Minister of Education. Tennen-Kinenbutsu-Cho- sahokoku 20 : 1-40, pl. 1--30. 1944 grandiflorum et ejus afl^initates vel, sectionis Macroceras in Imperio Nipponico sponte nascentes. Journ. Jap. Bot. 20: 65-84. Notulae ad Plantas Asiae Orientalis. (30). Journ. Jap. Bot. 20 : 135-143 ; (31). 20 : 185--191. (Guide Book of Bogor Botanic Gardens). (Scientific Name of Sealing-wax Palm). Journ. Jap. Bot. 20 : 310-311. (Amorphophallus Titanun and A. Decus Silvae). Collect. & Breed. 6 (1) 2-4, fig. 1-4. Lagraea imperialis as an ant-plant. Collect. & Breed. 6 (4) : 113--115,fig. 1-3. 1945 Further remarks on Pneumatopteris callosa (Blume) Nakai. Journ. Jap. Bot: 20: 297-300, fig. l-4. (Japanese species of Angiopteris). Journ. Jap. Bot. 20: 182-184. 1946 Dammaropsis Kingiana, planta dicotyledonis cum foliis maximis. Collect. & Breed. 8 (1) : 24 &21,fig. 1. 1947 (Scientific Name of Johimbe Tree). Journ. Jap. Bot. 21 (1/2) : 21. 1948 Nepenthes of Galang Island, Rio Archipelago (abstr.). Bot. Mag. Tokyo 60: 86. Essential Results obtained from my Observations on Tropical Plants in Java, Galang Island of Rio Archipelago, and on Japanese plants in the surroundings of Beppu Hotspring, Province of Bungo, Kyushu. Bull. Sci. Museum Tokyo 22: 1-43. 1949 Notulae ad Plantas Asiae Orientalis. (32).. Journ. Jap. Bot. 22: 150-159; (33). 23: 13-19; (34). 23: 98-101. Classes, Ordines, Familiae, Tribus, Genera nova quae attinent ad plantas Koreanas. Journ. Jap. Bot. 24: 8-14. Miscellaneous notes on Japanese plants. Bull. Sci. Museum Tokyo 27: 1-49, fig. 1-3. Mountain Cherries of Japan. Nat. Sci. & Museum 16: 2-11, fig. 1-5. Special Number of Cherries. Iconographia Plantarum Asiae Orientalis. 4 (4) : 411-449, tab. 132-137. 1950 I. A new Classification of Gleicheniales ; 11, Contributions to the Knowledge of Flowering Plants. Bull. Sci. Museum Tokyo 29: 1--98, 4 pl. On Camellia japonica, C. Sasanqua and tea-plants. Nat. Sci. & Museum 17 (1/2) : 1-17, fig. 1--9. Primula sect. Fallaces Pax. Shokubutsugaku-Senshu, commemorating Dr. K. Miyabe's 90th Anniversary (Bot. Soc. Japan) : 26-30. Classes, Ordines, Familiae, Subfamiliae, Tribus, Genera nova quae attinent ad plantas Koreana (Supplementum). Journ. Jap. Bot. 25: 5-7. Notulae ad Plantas Asiae Orientalis. (35). Journ. Jap. Bot. 25: 129-137. A new Classification of Aconitum-group of Manchuria, Korea, Japan, Formosa, Saghalien and the Kuriles (abstr.). Bot. Mag. Tokyo 63: 53-57. 1950-1952 Narrative of Journey to Stockholm and London. Part 1-13. Nat. Sci. & Museum 17 (4) 11-16; (5) : 16-22; 18 (2) : 23-29; (3) : 23-30; (4) : 30-48; (5-6) : 14-31; (7) ; 20- 37; (8-9) : 14-27; (12) : 21-28; 19(1/2): 28-39; (3/4) : 17-24; (5-6) : 30-41; (7/8) : 24-34. 1951 Miscellaneous Notes on Scientific Names of Japanese Plants. Journ. Jap. Bot. 26: 321-328, 1952 The Scientific Name of Japanese Gledjtsia. Journ. Jap. Bot. 27: 129--130. A Synoptical Sketch of Korean Flora. Bull. Sci. Museum Tokyo 31: 1-152.