Karl Sigismund Kunth was a German botanist renowned for his contributions to plant classification and the study of South American flora. Born in Leipzig on June 18, 1788, Kunth studied at the University of Leipzig before working under the tutelage of the famous botanist Alexander de Humboldt.

He played an important role in classifying the plants collected by Alexander de Humboldt and Aimé Bonpland during their expedition to South America between 1799 and 1804. After Humboldt and Bonpland returned to France, Kunth was invited to Paris to analyze and classify the thousands of specimens collected. This collaboration led to the publication of several important works, notably the "Nova Genera et Species Plantarum" (1815-1825), in which over 4,500 new species were described. In 1829, Kunth was appointed professor of botany at the University of Berlin and became director of the herbarium at the Berlin Botanical Garden. He continued his research into South American flora and published several other scientific works, making a major contribution to the expansion of botanical knowledge at the time.

In recognition of his contributions to botany, many plants bear his scientific name, including the genus Kunthia. He died on March 22, 1850 in Berlin, leaving behind a rich scientific legacy that continues to influence modern botany.

Source :
https://dbpedia.org/page/Carl_Sigismund_Kunth
https://www.biusante.parisdescartes.fr/histoire/biographies/index.php?cle=20688