Joseph Decaisne

Joseph Decaisne (7 March 1807 – 8 January 1882) was a French botanist and agronomist.
He became an "aide-naturaliste" to Adrien-Henri de Jussieu (1797-1853), who served as the chair of rural botany. It was during this time that he began to study plants brought back by various travelers like those of Victor Jacquemont (1801-1832) from Asia.
Dacaisne used applied research, most notably on the agronomy of the madder, the yam and the ramie. He was also interested in algae.
Biography.
Although born in Brussels, Belgium, he exercised his activity exclusively in Paris. He entered in 1824 as a gardener at the "Muséum national d'histoire naturelle" (French museum of natural history) and became, in 1832, head of the "carré des semis" section. He also worked at the "Jardin des Plantes" and collaborated with Asa Gray.
In 1847 he chaired Statistical Agriculture department in the College de France.
In 1850, Decaisne followed Charles-François Brisseau de Mirbel (1776-1854) as the chair of horticulture at the Museum. In 1854 he participated in the creation of the "Société botanique de France".
The genera "Decaisnea" Hook.f. & Thomson (Lardizabalaceae), "Decaisnea" Brongn. syn. of "Prescottia" Lindl., "Decaisnina" Tiegh. (Loranthaceae), and "Decaisnea" Lindl. syn. of "Tropidia" Lindl. (Orchidaceae), were named in his honour.
He died in Paris on 8 January 1882.
Contributions to plant taxonomy.
He described the following genera of flowering plants: "Capanea" (now part of "Kohleria") and "Chrysothemis" of the family Gesneriaceae; "Sautiera" (Acanthaceae); "Lepinia", "Rhazya" (Apocynaceae); "Vancouveria" (with C.Morren) (Berberidaceae); "Ostryopsis" (Betulaceae); "Dipterygium" (Capparidaceae); "Brassaiopsis", "Cuphocarpus"*, "Dendropanax"*, "Didymopanax"*, "Fatsia"*, "Oreopanax"*, "Stilbocarpa"*, (* with Planch.) (Araliaceae); "Berneuxia" (Diapensiaceae); "Scyphogyne" (Ericaceae); "Akebia", "Boquila" (Lardizabalaceae); "Galtonia" (Liliaceae s. l. or Hyacinthaceae); "Treculia" Decne. ex Trecul (Moraceae; "Camptotheca" (Nyssaceae or Cornaceae); "Ephippiandra" (Monimiaceae); "Pseudais" (Thymelaeaceae); "Allardia", "Lecocarpus", "Wollastonia" DC. ex Decne. (Asteraceae); "Gymnotheca" (Saururaceae); "Bougueria" (Plantaginaceae); "Docynia" (Rosaceae); "Seetzenia" R.Br. ex Decne.(Zygophyllaceae); "Deherainia" (Theophrastaceae); "Lopholepis" (Poaceae); "Asterostemma", "Atherandra", "Baeolepis" Decne. ex Moq., "Barjonia", "Blepharodon", "Calostigma", "Camptocarpus",
"Decabelone", "Decanema", "Dictyanthus", "Glossonema", "Gongronema" (Endl.) Decne., "Harpanema", "Hemipogon", "Hoodia" Sweet ex Decne., "Ibatia", "Macropetalum" Burch. ex Decne., "Melinia", "Mitostigma", "Nautonia", "Nephradenia", "Orthosia", "Pentopetia", "Peplonia", "Periglossum", "Pherotrichis", "Polystemma", "Ptycanthera", "Pycnoneurum", "Pycnostelma" Bunge ex Decne.,
"Rhyssostelma", "Riocreuxia", "Tacazzea", "Tassadia", "Trichosandra" ( Asclepiadaceae or Apocynaceae s. l.); "Amorphophallus" Blume ex Decne. (Araceae) and "Leptopus" (Euphorbiaceae s. l. or Phyllanthaceae).