Camerarius
was a German botanist, traveler, and professor.
He was born in Tubingen, Germany. At 33 he became
Professor and Director of the Botanic Garden. In
1691-1694 he published his extraordinary researches on
the sexuality of plants. He demonstrated that "the
substance carried by pollen is indispensable for the
production of seeds capable of germination."
Previously Grew and others had likened the pollen
"granules" to the male element, but Camerarius went
further; by prolonged observations and repeated
experiments he showed that the cooperation of pollen
is necessary for the production of perfect
seeds. It was thus demonstrated that in plants, as in
animals, there is the egg and the fertilizing agent,
and that "fertilization is indispensable for formation
of an embryo."
He reported that when he removed the male flowers
of Ricinus and Zea Mays he obtained no
seeds. From this he concluded that no ovules could
ever develop into seeds without first being fertilized
by the pollen which is borne in the stamens. "It
therefore follows," he said, "that the stamens are the
male sexual organs in which that powder which is the
most su(b) tile part of the plant, is secreted and
collected."
Sachs stated that his De Sexu Plantarium
epistola (August 25, 1694), "contains more
profound observations than were made by any other
botanist before Koelreuter."
