Genetic 342 A&B Kenneth G Wilson Professory of Botany

Introduction to Genetics Before Mendel

10,000 years ago humans domestication of Plants (Wheat, peas, lentils, barley) and Animals (dogs, goats, and sheep) - Wheat and its common ancestors are shown in Fig 18a

The Assyrians /crossed Palms 4000 years ago A bas-relief showing pollination of Dates from 883 BC-859 BC

Hippocrates had a theory resembling what was later called by "pangenesis (vs germline theory) " Darwin.

Homunculus

Aristotle presented many compelling arguments against Hippocrates concept, including the concept that lost body parts (limbs) were not lost in subsequent generations. See Aristotle on sex determination.

1676 Nehemiah Grew recognized that plants have sex and that the pollen represents the male element.

1691-4 Camerarius put things on a sound experimental basis.

1760 Linnaeus added prestige and detail to the process.

1761-1766 -Kölreuter made many crosses, studied the pollination process. He further recognized the importance of insects as natural pollinators.

1833 - Robert Brown Discovers Nuclei of Cells

1835-39 - Hugo von Mohl described mitosis in detail

1858 - Rudolf Virchow - omnis cellula e cellula - All cells come from preexisting cells.

This is our friend Oliver the parrotlet, Oliver is a true parrot, the smallest in the world.