Rembert Dodoen

Rembert Dodoens (1517–1585) was a Flemish physician and botanist, widely regarded as one of the most important herbalists of the 16th century. Born in Mechelen (Malines), in what is now Belgium, Dodoens studied medicine, cosmography, and geography at the University of Leuven, where he received his medical degree in 1535. He later served as city physician of Mechelen and gained renown for his botanical expertise. Dodoens is best known for his botanical publications, particularly the Cruydeboeck (1554), written in Dutch, which became one of the most influential herbals of the period. It was translated into French, English, and Latin and became a standard reference across Europe. His later Latin work, Stirpium historiae pemptades sex sive libri XXX (1583), consolidated and expanded upon his earlier research and remains his most comprehensive and enduring contribution to the field. He declined an invitation to become professor at the University of Padua (then the leading center for botanical study), but later accepted a professorship in medicine at the University of Leiden in 1582. Dodoens died in 1585 in Leiden. Dodoens’ work helped shape the classification and scientific study of plants in the early modern period. His clear organization and accurate plant descriptions laid important groundwork for future botanists such as Carolus Clusius and Matthias de l'Obel. Many of the plant illustrations associated with his works were drawn by Pieter van der Borcht and published by the renowned Plantin Press in Antwerp.