Jean Baptiste Bory de Saint-Vincent (6 July 1778 - 22 December 1846)

Was a French naturalist. (His personal name is variously reported, including "Jean Baptiste Marcellin" and "Jean Baptiste George Marie".

He was born at Agen. He was sent as naturalist with Captain Nicolas Baudin's expedition to Australia in 1798, but left the vessel at Mauritius, and spent two years in exploring Réunion and other islands. Joining the army on his return, he was present at the battle of Ulm and battle of Austerlitz, and in 1808 went to Spain with Marshal Soult.

His attachment to the Napoleonic dynasty and dislike to the Bourbons were shown in various ways during 1815, and his name was consequently placed on the list of the proscribed; but after wandering in disguise from place to place he was allowed quietly to return to Paris in 1820. In 1829 he was placed at the head of a scientific expedition to the Peloponnessus, and in 1839 he had charge of the exploration of Algeria.

He was editor of the Dictionnaire classique d'histoire naturelle, and among his separate productions were: Essais sur les Iles Fortunées (1802); Voyage dans les Iles d'Afrique (1803); Voyage souterrain, ou description du plateau de Saint-Pierre de Maestricht et de ses vastes cryptes (1821); L'Homme, essai zoologique sur le genre humain (1827) in which he adopted a polygenist perspective [1]; Resume de la géographie de la Peninsule (1838).

Reference:

Brummitt, R. K.; C. E. Powell (1992). Authors of Plant Names. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. ISBN 1-84246-085-4.