Personalities of Russian Amateur Botany, 3. Ivan M. Schvetzov and Theodor S
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48Memoranda Soc. Fauna Flora Fennica 97:Sennikov 48–63. et2021 al. • Memoranda Soc. Fauna FloraISSN Fennica 0373-6873 97, (print)2021 Helsinki 31 July 2021 ISSN 1796-9816 (online) Personalities of Russian amateur botany, 3. Ivan M. Schvetzov and Theodor S. Nenukow, prominent experts in the flora of Nizhni Novgorod Region, and the taxonomic identity of plant species described by Nenukow Alexander N. Sennikov, Valery N. Tikhomirov, Olga V. Biryukova & Ilya L. Mininzon Sennikov, A.N., Botanical Museum, Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Finland & Herbarium, Komarov Botanical Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, St Petersburg, Russia. [email protected] Tikhomirov, V.N., Belarusian State University, Minsk, Belarus. Biryukova, O.V. & Mininzon, I.L., Nizhni Novgorod State University, Russia. Ivan Schvetzov collected many specimens of vascular plants, fungi, mosses and lichens mostly from the western part of Nizhni Novgorod Region of Russia, including the original collections of Cytisus ruthenicus var. zingeri Nenukow. Theodor Nenukow was a prominent amateur bota- nist from Nizhni Novgorod. He studied the flora of Nizhni Novgorod Region, weed and meadow flora of Central Russia and vascular plants of Estonia. He described a few infraspecific taxa and two species of vascular plants, Valeriana estonica Nenukow (synonymised here with V. officinalis subsp. tenuifolia (Vahl) Schübl. & G.Martens) and Odontites estonicus Nenukow (a synonym of O. vulgaris Moench), and the basionym for Cytisus zingeri (Nenukow) V.I.Krecz. (a glabrous variety of C. ruthenicus Fisch. ex Otto). The places of valid publication are clarified for C. ruthenicus var. zingeri and Persicaria linicola, and the lectotype is designated for C. ruthenicus var. zingeri. There is no need to be an expert in order to be en- operation of the Nizhny Novgorod Fair, a large gaged with success and benefit into the studies of our commerce centre of international significance, national flora; for this purpose one needs just the very the town was an informal capital of Russian mer- zeal for this task and desire that turn a considerable chants. Besides the trade, the town was noted as a and not always easy work of plant collection and large transport node, most remarkably for steam identification into a favourite and habitual occupation boats carrying goods and passengers along the and little by little make an experienced expert out of Volga and Oka rivers. With the Sormovo shipyard an ordinary amateur. and machine factory, a large industrial shipbuild- ing and, subsequently, steam locomotive build- Zinger 1885: 6 ing factory, which was situated close to the town, Nizhni Novgorod was among the largest Russian In the 19th century Nizhni Novgorod played an industrial centres. As a town of cultural signifi- important role in the Russian Empire. Due to the cance, Nizhni Novgorod hosted theatres and mu- Memoranda Soc. Fauna Flora Fennica 97, 2021 • Sennikov et al. 49 seums; among the latter, the Museum of Natural History was open in 1885 to study the local flora, fauna and soils, to keep the scientific collections and to provide education to the public. The Museum of Natural History in Nizhni Novgorod was established on the basis of mate- rials collected in the expedition that studied the soil cover of Nizhni Novgorod Region in 1882– 1884. The expedition was led by V.V. Dokuchaev, who submitted his proposal to establish the Mu- seum to the local government. The Museum be- came an important and active centre of botanical studies in the region; it accumulated the collec- tions made by numerous amateurs, and provided guidance and even employment to the most skil- ful enthusiasts. Several local botanists contributed to botani- cal studies in Nizhni Novgorod Region in the pe- riod of the Museum of Natural History, whose collections were dissolved in the end of the 1920s in favour of other institutions (notably, the her- barium went to the Nizhni Novgorod State Uni- Figure 1. Ivan Markelovitsch Schvetzov. versity). In the present contribution, we would like to give a brief essay on the activities of Th.S. Nenukow and I.M. Schvetzov, avid amateur bota- extensively. In 1919, Schvetzov became a techni- nists notable for their contributions to the studies cal assistant at the Department of plant taxonomy of vascular plants in Nizhni Novgorod Region, and morphology of the Nizhni Novgorod State whose names are linked with the history of Cyti University, where he was promoted to the level of sus zingeri (Nenukow) V.I.Krecz. (Fabaceae), an teacher in 1921. Schvetzov died in 1924, aged 72. alleged endemic of this territory (Tzvelev 1987). Schvetzov amassed rich herbarium collec- tions, mostly vascular plants (over 1 350 speci- mens) but also mosses, lichens and fungi, large- The botanical passion of Ivan ly from Balakhna District but also from other Schvetzov districts of Nizhni Novgorod Region (Averkiev 1927; Stankov & Elevterskaya 1927). The plants According to the brief biography (Averkiev 1927), were nicely pressed and accompanied by calli- Ivan Markelovitsch Schvetzov (Fig. 1) was born graphically handwritten (Fig. 2) or stamped la- in Nizhni Novgorod in 1852. He was graduated bels. from the Gory-Gorki agricultural school (the pre- Because of his last employment, the main her- cursor of Belarusian State Agricultural Acade- barium collections of Schvetzov are kept at the my, Gorki, Belarus) in 1877 to become a teach- Herbarium of the Nizhni Novgorod State Univer- er of geography and natural sciences. Since 1885, sity (NNSU) but were also present at the former Schvet zov took a job at the excise tax depart- Museum of Natural History in Nizhni Novgorod ment of Nizhni Novgorod and Vladimir regions (Stankov & Elevterskaya 1927) before its trans- and made some herbarium collections during his fer to NNSU. Only few specimens of these col- duty travels. Having retired in 1889, he lived in lections were distributed, mostly as part of Her- Vladimir Region but continued collecting activi- barium Florae Rossicae (Korshinsky 1898; Litvi- ties in his home land. Since 1912, Schvetzov per- nov 1922). manently resided in Chernoe (now Dzerzhinsk) Although Schvetzov collected plants with a of Nizhni Novgorod Region, where he botanised great passion and dedication and found sever- 50 Sennikov et al. • Memoranda Soc. Fauna Flora Fennica 97, 2021 al species new to Nizhni Novgorod Region, he based on his manuscripts (Averkiev 1927). The deliberately avoided any writing on this subject only publication authored by Schvetzov, a list of (Averkiev 1927). He communicated a number of mosses collected by him and identified by V.F. new plant records to Th. Nenukow and Litvinov Brotherus, appeared posthumously (Schvetzov (1917), and some records were published later 1929). Figure 2. Herbarium specimen of Cytisus nigricans L. collected by I. M. Schvetzov (NNSU). Memoranda Soc. Fauna Flora Fennica 97, 2021 • Sennikov et al. 51 Theodor Nenukow: botanist, (Volin et al. 1974). This also implied the end of intellectual and bohemian his Russian education (Fedotova & Goncharov 2015). Fedor Stepanovich Nenyukov, who usually trans- In May of 1904, Nenukow’s mother died (Ne- literated his name as Theodor Nenukow (Figs. nyukov 2005) and her children received the fami- 3 and 4), or Nenjukov (Nenjukow) in Estonian ly’s property by intestate laws. The share of The- spelling, was born on May 13, 1883 to a family odor was reportedly ”a million” (Serpinskaya of wealthy merchants in Nizhni Novgorod (Ne- 2003); with this fortune, he paid ransom for his nyukov 2005). In early years he was taught by a freedom (Serpinskaya 2003) and, in October of French governess, and then attended a school in 1904, moved to Moscow (Volin et al. 1974). Ne- Yaroslavl (Üksip 1934). To complete his school nukow abandoned the ideas of social justice and education, he was sent to Saint-Petersburg, the rented an apartment in the city centre, where he Gymnasium of Y.G. Gurevich (Üksip 1934) was noted for ten years of prodigal spending and which was among the best private schools in the hard drinking in a circle of jeunesse dorée (Üksip country. 1934; Loks 1994; Serpinskaya 2003). Nenukow’s father died when he was 7 years In cultural life, Nenukow was part of the lit- old (Üksip 1934). His mother much restrict- erary society ”Serdarda” that was established and ed children in finances and spending habits (Ne- run by Yulian Anisimov, a poet of the Silver age nyukov 2005); this may be one reason why the of Russian poetry; this society witnessed the rise young boy went to the politics as high as to be- of Boris Pasternak (Polivanov 2013). Some poet- come a member of the executive committee of the ry was dedicated to Nenukow by Anisimov and Northern Union of School Pupils (this illegal or- Arkady Guriev (Polivanov 2013). ganisation tended to support the Russian Social Nenukow lived life to the fullest but also paid Democratic Labour Party (RSDLP), which fol- serious attention to his scientific passions. While lowed the course developed by V.I. Lenin) (Volin studying at the Gymnasium, he already became et al. 1974). In August of 1903, at the time of the interested in botany and worked at the profes- 2nd Congress of the RSDLP, Theodor Nenukow sional level. In 1900, at the age of 17, Nenukow was arrested and imprisoned in Nizhni Novgorod made his first scientific collection of vascular Figure 3. Theodor Nenukow in 1921 (source: http://russiane- Figure 4. Theodor Nenukow in the 1930s (reproduced from stonia.eu). Üksip 1934). 52 Sennikov et al. • Memoranda Soc. Fauna Flora Fennica 97, 2021 plants, among the steppe vegetation at the man- his uncompromising (and sometimes harsh) crit- or of his parents in Nikitino near Pochinki (now icism towards established authorities of Russian Pochinki District, Nizhni Novgorod Region). He academic botany. Quite peculiar was a ping pong also collected ruderal plants in populated places, of personal critical attacks between A.F.