Alfred Ernst
Swiss botanist (1875-1968)
Alfred Ernst (21 February 1875, Winterthur – 17 September 1968, Zürich) was a Swiss botanist.
He attended classes at the teachers' seminar in Küsnacht, followed by studies of biological sciences in Paris. From 1897 to 1899 he worked as a teacher in Naples. Afterwards, he received his doctorate in sciences from the University of Zürich, where in 1905, he became an associate professor. From 1909 to 1945 he was a professor of general botany at Zürich, being chosen university rector in 1928.
His primary research dealt with the propagation of algae, the embryology of flowering plants and heterostyly in Primula species. In 1905/06 and 1930/31 he was involved in botanical investigations in Java.
Selected works
Bastardierung als Ursache der Apogamie im Pflanzenreich, 1918 – Hybridization as the cause of apogamy in the plant kingdom.
Ernst, A. (1922), "Artkreuzungen in der Gattung Primula (Species crosses in the genus Primula)", Zeitschrift für induktive Abstammungs- und Vererbungslehre, 27: 233–235
Ernst, A. (1922), "Chromosomenzahl und Rassenbildung (Chromosome numbers and race formation)", Vierteljahrsschrift der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft in Zürich, 67: 75–108
Genetische Studien über Heterostylie bei Primula, 1925 – Genetic studies of heterostyly in Primula.
Weitere Studien über die Vererbung der Calcycanthemie bei Primula, 1931 – Further studies on inheritance of calycanthema with Primula.
The public source identifies “Alfred Ernst” as swiss botanist (1875-1968). This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Alfred, Ernst and Swiss.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Alfred Ernst”, the useful work is to connect “swiss botanist (1875-1968)” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Vocabulary and entity names are the principal evidence signals here, because they determine the precision of every later search. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jul 20, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q2644933. The first chronological checks are 1875, 1968, 1897 and 1899.
The absence of detail may reflect summary conventions rather than a lack of surviving documentation. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Alfred Ernst”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Alfred Ernst primary sources, Alfred Ernst archive and Alfred research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Alfred Ernst”?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
- What terminology or title could unlock a more precise catalogue search?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Alfred Ernst” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.