Max Burret

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Max Burret, officially Carl Edward Max Burret, (Born: 1883, Saffig near Andernahr, Rhine Province, Germany. Died: 1964, Berlin, Germany) was originally a student of law in his native Germany, at Lausanne and Munich at the instigation of his father. Burret had always had a greater interest in natural science than in law, and he eventually abbandoned his law studies to conduct botanical research in Berlin where he earned a Ph.D in 1909 on Taxonomic Thesis, and quickly became one of Germany's most prominent botanists. Burret participated in many botanical science organizations in Germany, taking up leadership positions, such as Assistant at the Berlin Botanical Museum and Garden from 1909 to 1911, Botanical Assistant and Lecturer at the Botanical Institute of the Agricultural College in Berlin in 1911 through 1921. In 1922 he was appointed Custodian of the Botanical Museum and Garden in Berlin, and later appointed to Professor of Botanical Biology at Berlin University.

Max Burret made numerous travels in Europe and Africa, as well as South America. He was invited by the Brazilian government to make a trip to that country, specifically for the study of the various species of palm trees indigenous to the region. Shortly after his return to Germany he was enabled to make a voyage to the Old World tropics, visiting Sri Lanka, the Malay Peninsula, Java, and Sumatra in 1938 and 1939. Burret was among the first botanists to conduct ground-breaking research on palms, beginning in Africa and later in South America and Indomalaysia. He identified, named and classified dozens of palm species, including Rhapis multifida (finger palm) and Livistona beccariana. He also named and classified other tropical flora, chiefly those of the linden family. The names of several genera of palm trees were named after him, including the genera Maxburretia and Burretiokentia.