Matthias Jacob Schleiden (1804–81)

German botanist, author, and lecturer. Trained and practised as a lawyer but abandoned the profession in 1833 for medical and botanical studies at Göttingen and Berlin. Honorary professor of botany, University of Jena, 1846; professor, 1850–62. Professor of plant chemistry, University of Dorpat, 1863–4. Thereafter a private lecturer, residing in various German cities.