Johann Gottfried Zinn ( pronounced [?joːhan ???tf?iːt ?ts?n] ; December 4, 1727 ? April 6, 1759) was a German anatomist and botanist and was a member of the Berlin Academy .

Johann Gottfried Zinn
Born	December 4, 1727 Schwabach , Franconia , Holy Roman Empire (now Germany )
Died	April 6, 1759 (1759-04-06) (aged 31) Gottingen , Lower Saxony , Holy Roman Empire (now Germany)
Nationality	German
Occupation(s)	Botanist, anatomist

Biography [ edit ]

Johann Gottfried Zinn was born in Schwabach . Considering his short life span, Zinn made a great contribution to the study of anatomy . In his book Descriptio anatomica oculi humani , he provided the first detailed and comprehensive anatomy of the human eye.

In 1753 Johann Gottfried Zinn became director of the Botanic garden of the University of Gottingen , and in 1755, professor in the medical faculty.

In 1757 Zinn described the orchid genus Epipactis that belongs to the family Orchidaceae .

He died in Gottingen .

Eponyms [ edit ]

Botanist Carl Linnaeus designated a genus of flowers in the family Asteraceae native from Mexico as Zinnia in his honour.

He coined the anatomic terms:

• Zonula ciliaris Zinnii , now called Zonule of Zinn
• Anulus tendineus communis also known as Annulus of Zinn (or Circle of Zinn ).

Works [ edit ]

• A description of the flora around Gottingen 1753.
• Descriptio anatomica oculi humani iconibus illustrata 1765.

References [ edit ]