196 OBITUARY OF DR. FRANZ UNGF.R. 



pearance of Fungi, which he declared to be secondary phenomena, 

 brought about by the process of decomposition of the leaves, " a proof 

 of the victory which ever-changing life has achieved over death." 



In 1830 Unger removed to Kitzbiihel, in the Tyrol, wliere, through 

 Sauter's influence, he obtained a government situation. There he con- 

 tinued his investigations on " Exantheme," and established a " phyto- 

 pathological cHnicum," — a garden for the express reception of all 

 kinds of diseased plants, and of which his work, published in 1832, 

 ' Exantheme der Pflanzen,' gives an account. The splendid alpine 

 flora by which he was surrounded, an intimate acquaintance with 

 miners, and a study of the geological and geognostic conditions of the 

 neighbourhood, especially the coal beds of Haring, culminated in his 

 ' Influence of Soil on the Distribution of Plants,' and brought about a 

 decided leaning towards those palaeontological investigations with which 

 so much of the solid fame he afterwards enjoyed Avas associated. 

 During his stay here, papers on morphological and anatomical subjects 

 appeared at frequent intervals, and his discovery of the spermatozoids 

 in the antheridia of Spliagnum made his name respected in every centre 

 of science. 



In 1835 he was appointed Professor of Botany at Graz, vacant by 

 the death of Heyne. Whilst holding this chair, he published a num- 

 ber of well-known treatises on Anatomy and Physiology ; and also 

 some still more important palaeontological ones on newly discovered 

 localities, which teemed with fossil plant-remains, for instance, Radoboj. 

 '* The aspect presented by our present vegetation is the result not only 

 of climatic, physical, and chemical causes, but also of conditions previ- 

 ously existing." " In order to understand the vegetable' kingdom in 

 its present scope, it is necessary to trace the course of its development." 

 Starting from these premises, new at that time, he sketched out a his- 

 tory of the vegetable kingdom, which, if we except the violent cata- 

 strophes by which the vegetation of the different geological periods were 

 supposed to be destroyed, finds still general acceptance. 



Continuing his study of fossil plants, and giving repeatedly resumes 

 of the then known materials (Synop. PI. Foss., et Gen. et Spec. PI. 

 Poss.), he conceived the idea of, and published, ' Ideal Views of Primi- 

 tive Nature,' which have frequently been imitated by others, but scarcely 

 ever been excelled. 



It would lead us too far to folbw Unger through the numerous 



