> [!cite] BHL link: this entry starts at [page 298](https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/33259802) of TL-2 Suppl. VII > Author links: [IPNI](https://www.ipni.org/a/13648-1) LSID 13648-1, [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q55033821) QID Q55033821 > Support pages: [[Abbreviations|abbreviations]], [[Layout key|layout key]], [[Cite TL-2|cite TL-2]] ### Author Fontana, Felice\[Félix\] (1730-1805), Italian abbot, physician, zoologist and botanist, born 15 Apr 1730 in Pomarolo nr. Rovereto\[baptized 3 Jun 1730 as Gasparo Ferdinando Felice\], educated in Rovereto, and at Verona, Parma and the Univ. of Padua 1750-1752, appointed by Emperor Francis I (1768-1835) to the chair of philosophy in Pisa 1765, summoned to Florence by the Grand-Duke Leopold (1747-1792) and made court physician 1766, also commissioned to organize the natural history museum in Florence (which opened 1775) and became its dir., traveled in France and England 1775-1780, died 10 Mar 1805 in Florence, buried in the Church of Santa Croce. **Abbreviated name**: *Fontana* \[standard form in IPNI: *Fontana*\] #### Note In 1781, Fontana evidently first described the structure now known as the nucleolus after finding it in the cells from the slime of an eel's skin. #### Herbarium and types [[Collection UPS|UPS]] (Italian plants collected or, at least, sent by Fontana to C.P. Thunberg; incl. some Mediterranean alg.). – Mss. in Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale, Florence. #### Bibliography and biography Ainsworth p. 150-151, 311; APN p. 205; Baillon 2: 629; Barnhart 1: 555; BM 2: 590; Bossert p. 129; CSP 2: 652; DBI 48: 663-669 (as "Fontana, Gasparo Ferdinando Felice"); De Toni 1: xlviii; Dryander 5: 236 (index); DSB 5: 55-57; Ewan Pap. p. 70; Jackson p. 167; Kew 2: 299; LS 8927-8929; Portr. 3: 437; PR ed. 1: 3262-3263, ed. 2: 2956-2957; Saccardo 1: 74, 2: 49; TL-2/6: 896 (index). #### Biofile - Anon., Epistolario di Felice Fontana, Trento, Italia (Società di Studi Trentini di Scienze Storiche), vol. 1. 1980. (n.v.) - Abbri, F., 1991. Science de l'air: Studi su Felice Fontana, Brenner (Cosenza):... (n.v.) - Adami, C., 1905. Di Felice e Gregorio Fontana, scienziati pomarolesi del secolo XVIII.... Rovereto (Trentino) (Ugo Grandi): lxii, 55 p. (portrs.) (n.v.) - Adami, C., 1930. Un eroe della scienza: Felice Fontana Pomarolese, 1730-1805... Pomarolo (Comitato accademico per le onoranze centenarie a Felice e Gregorio Fontana): 74 p., *1 pl*. (portr.) (n.v.) - Adler, K. (ed.), 1989. Contr. hist. Herpetology: 8; 2007. Id., vol. 2: 25-26. (handwr., portr.) - Ambrosi, F., 1889. Bull. Soc. Ven.-Trent. Sci. Nat. (Padova) 4: 145-149. - Carpenter, M.M., 1953. Amer. Midl. Naturalist 50: 286. - Garrison, F.H., 1935. Bull. New York Acad. Medicine 11: 117-122. (n.v.) - Gilbert, P., 1977. A compendium of the biographical literature on deceased entomologists: 123. - Graesse, J.G.T., 1859-1869\[1950 reprint\]. Trésor de livres rare et précieux 2: 611. - Harris, H., 1999. The birth of the cell: 205. (index) (portr.) - Knoefel, P.K., 1976. Physis 18: 185-197. - Knoefel, P.K., 1977. Atti del I Congresso internazionale sulla ceroplastica nella scienza e nell'arte (Firenze, 3-7 giugno 1975): 95-102. (n.v.) - Knoefel, P.K., 1979. Annali dell'Istituto e museuo di Storia della Scienza di Firenze 4: 49-54. (n.v.) - Knoefel, P.K., 1980. Clio Medica 15(1/2): 35-65. (n.v.) - Knoefel, P.K., 1980. Felice Fontana 1730-1805: an annotated bibliography, Trento (Società di studi trentini di scienze storiche): 133 p. (bibl.) (n.v.)\[See: Lesch, J.E., Isis 73(3): 268. Sep 1982 (rev.)\] - Knoefel, P.K., 1984. Felice Fontana, life and works, Trento, Italia (Società di Studi Trentini di Scienze Storiche): xix,\[1\], 422 p. (handwr., portrs.)\[Knoefel states that F's birth date is unknown!\] - Mangili, G., 1813. Elogio di Felice Fontana... Milano (Dalla stamperia reale): 78 p. (n.v.) - Rose, H.J., 1850. New Gen. Biograph. Dict. 7: 407-408. - Vedrani, A., 1916. Un grande naturalista Trentino, Felice Fontana: Lucca (Guisti): 97 p. (n.v.) #### Note Fontana might have been involved with the anonymous Lucca publication of the somewhat infamous 1758 *Opera Varia* edition of several of Linnaeus' pre-1753 publications, which validated generic names abandoned by Linnaeus in 1753. This speculation is based solely on the fact that Fontana published a 114 p. book on grain rusts in Lucca in 1767; see TL-2/3, nr. 4798. #### Composite works Fontana published *Discorso* sull'*Origine* e *Progresso* della *Storia Naturale, e* più particolarmente della *Botanica*... (Mar and Apr 1792), which is a transl. of a paper by J.E. Smith (TL-2/5, nr. 12.225\[1\]). The copy at BM is from an unidentified Italian periodical and is assigned "Soulsby no. 2624a" (see TL-2/5, nr. 12.481). ### Publications ##### n.34.987. Osservazioni **Title** *Osservazioni* sopra la *ruggine* del *grano*... Lucca (Nella Stampiera di Jacobo Giusti. Con Lic. de' Sup.) 1767. Oct. **Notes** *Publ*.: 1767, p.\[1\]-114, *1 pl*. (unnumb.\[except as figs. 1-8\] col. copper engr., fold.). *Copies*: K (pages uncut), USDA. *Ref*.: Knoefel (1984, p. 32) notes two contemporary reviews: Magazzino Italioano\[1767\]: 237-239. Nov 1767 and Giornale d'Italia\[1768\]: 169-176. 1768, neither one seen by us. - *English transl*.: 1932, *Observations* on the *rust of grain*, by Felice Fontana, 1767... Washington, D.C. (The American Phytopathological Society), cover-t.p., frontisp. (uncol. phot. bas relief of Fontana), p.\[1\]-40, *1 pl*. (unnumb., uncol. phot. of original pl.). Oct. - *Copies*: BM, FH, USDA(2). – In series, Phytopathological Classics No. 2. - *Note*: (1) Transl. by Pirone, Pascal Pompey (1907-x), plant pathologist. (2) Volume includes a biographical sketch of Fontana. - *Abridged Italian ed*.: Osservazioni sopra la ruggine del grano... Napoli (presso la Nuova Societa Letteraria e Tipografica) 1787. Oct. - *Publ*.: 1787,\[2\], 48 p., *1 pl*. (fold.). *Copy*: WIS (n.v.). ##### n.34.988. Saggio **Title** *Saggio* di *osservazioni* sopra il *falso ergot*, e tremella... Firenze (Per Gaetano Cambiagi Stampatore Granducale) 1775. Qu. **Abbreviated title**: *Saggio osserv. falso ergot*. **Notes** *Publ*.: 1775, p.\[i\]-xxix, *1 pl. Copies*: G, HH-Dumbarton Oaks. *Microfilm*: Natural History Museum (London), 1 reel (positive, 35 mm). *Copy*: BM (n.v.). *Note*: According to Knoefel (1984, p. 387 n. 2), this title also was published in Antologia Romana 1(43-47): 337-339, 345-346, 353-356, 361-362, 369-371. Apr-Mai 1775. ##### n.34.989. Lettre **Title** *Lettre*... sur l'*Ergot* et le *Tremella*... Paris (s.n.) 1803. Oct. **Notes** *Publ*.: 1803, p. 515-548. *Copy*: BM (n.v.). – Reprinted and to be cited from Mém. Soc. Méd. Émul. Paris 5: 515-548. 1803. *Note*: Apparently this work was originally publ. in Observ. Phys. Hist. Nat. & Arts 7: 42-52, *pl. 1.* Jan 1776 (n.v.).