Historia Muscorum

Historia Muscorum is a significant botanical work by Johann Jakob Dillenius, published in 1741. The title translates to "History of Mosses," and the book features descriptions and illustrations of over 600 species.1

However, Dillenius's definition of "mosses" was broader than the modern scientific classification. His work included not only true mosses but also liverworts, lycopods, algae, lichens, and other lower plants. The term "Musci" itself refers to a class of Bryophyta, which are plants characterized by a leafy gametophyte and a sporophyte that develops from a fertilized egg.12

Dillenius, a botanist who became the first professor of botany at Oxford University, was recognized by Carl Linnaeus, who dedicated a work to him and named the genus Dillenia in his honor.1