Hugo von Mohl Biography

Hugo von Mohl was a German botanist who was a major figure in the emerging fields of plant anatomy and physiology in the mid-19th century. His research on the plant cell, in particular the cell wall and cell division, paved the way for the development of the cell theory. His works helped in establishing botany as a distinct scientific field. Born into a socially respected family as the son of a statesman, he received a classical education. From an early age, he displayed a keen interest in botany and mineralogy, subjects which he pursued in his leisure time. He studied medicine on growing up, but his deep interest in botany led him to Munich where he collaborated with a group of distinguished botanists and began his research. His research covered diverse botanical fields, and he gained much attention for his description of the behavior of the protoplasm in cell division. Appointed a professor of botany in Tübingen, he spent his entire career there, immersing himself in research whenever he was not teaching. Over the course of his career he made many valuable contributions to botany, especially on the anatomy of the plant cell. He was the first to propose that new cells are formed by cell division and also provided the first clear explanation of the role of osmosis.