Wilhelm Hofmeister (Hofmeister Wilhelm)

(1824-1877)
Born May 18, 1824 in Leipzig. He was educated at the universities of Leipzig and Hamburg, for several years worked as assistant to his father - the publisher, booksellers and musical instruments. Botany studied independently. In 1863 he was promoted to professor of botany at Heidelberg University and director of the botanical garden, in 1872-1876 headed the Department of Botany, University of Tц?bingen.
The most significant results Hofmeister received in the field of comparative morphology of plants. In 1851 published his work a comparative study of growth, . development and fruiting in higher plants and cryptogams to seed in coniferous trees (Vergleichende Untersuchen der Keimung, . Entfaltung und Fruchtbildung hherer Kryptogamen und der Samenbildung der Coniferen), . outcome research Chamberlain comparative embryology arhegonialnyh plants (from mosses to paporotnikoobraznyh and conifers),
. In it the scientist reported made them open - the presence of these plants alternation of generations, asexual and sexual, has established ties of kinship between and seed plants. Hofmeister - the author of several works on plant physiology, mainly on the processes of delivery of water and nutrients through the roots.

Died Hofmeister in Lindenau, near Leipzig, January 12, 1877.