Julius Vincenz von Krombholz (1782 - 1843) - a brief biography
The information below is derived from many sources; major reference texts are listed at the foot of the page.
Born in 1782 Oberpolitz (now part of the Czech Republic), Julius Vincenz von Krombholz studied medicine at the University of Prague, receiving a doctorate in 1814. Continuing his work at the university, Krombholz was appointed professor of special pathology and therapy in 1828, and in 1831 he became rector of the university.
When he was not working to advance his medical career, von Krombholz pursued his other big passion, which was mycology. He took a particular interest in the tovicity of various toadstools, and published several significant works on the subject.
The abbreviation Krombh. is used to indicate Julius Vincenz von Krombholz as the author when citing a mycological species name.
Major Mycological Works
The most famous of von Krombholz' works was the beautifully illustrated Naturgetreue Abbildungen und Beschreibungen der essbaren, schädlichen und verdächtigen Schwämme (1831–1846). On of the colour plates is shown below, and all 76 colour plates of mushrooms and other fungi with von Krombholz' observations (in German) are viewable online via the Biodiversity Heritage Library website - BHL...
Julius von Krombholz died before finishing this work, and it was completed by Johann Baptist Zobel (1812-1865) and published after von Krombholz' death.
Selected Sources:
Heinrich Dörfelt & Heike Heklau (1998) Die Geschichte der Mykologie
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