Del II: Biologi: Johan Ernst Gunnerus Efterretning om de saa kaldede Løsning-Stene, eller Vette-Nyrer, om Orme.Stene og nogle andre udenlandske Frugter, som findes hist og her ved Stranden i Norge

Abstract

Gunnerus: Account on the so-called «løsnings-stener» (=confinement –stones) or «Vettenyrer» (=giant kidneys), about seeds or some other foreign fruits which is found here and there on the beaches of Norway. Skrifter 1765.

Johan Ernst Gunnerus (1718-1773) was an unusual man with an unusual career. He became Vicar without the ordinary theological exams, Bishop without having served in an ordinary clerical position, and he wrote Norway’s first flora (1767-1776) without having studied botany. He was also the driving force in the foundation of the Academy in Trondheim, and very eager to establish its Acta, in order to show the world that Norwegians were capable to do science. As Bishop of Nidaros (from 1758), he instructed the clergy to study the nature as this was one way to understand God, through his creation. Himself he took a particular interest in the ocean as a biotope, and it is thus not surprising that his first botanical paper concerns driftseeds. They are mentioned in writings from Norway since about 1600, but had been misunderstood and were largely shrouded in mystery and myths. Gunnerus clearly states that they are seeds which come across the Atlantic and identifies to species most of the material which he divides in fivemain groups. A few which he was unable to name were sent to his great mentor, Carl Linnaeus in Uppsala, who also was unable to name them. The paper by Gunnerus is most impressive and is a pioneering treatment of this phenomenon in our region, one which was later translated into English.