Kingdom of Ants: José Celestino Mutis and the Dawn of Natural History in the New World

The book "Kingdom of Ants: José Celestino Mutis and the Dawn of Natural History in the New World" by Wilson and Gómez Durán focuses on the significant contributions of José Mutis to botany and natural history in the Americas. Mutis, a Spanish botanist and physician, was inspired by Carolus Linnaeus and initiated important botanical exploration in Spain's New World territories.1

He established a botanical garden and library in New Granada (modern-day Colombia), amassing a vast collection of drawings, specimens, and writings. His work, particularly the Flora de Bogotá o de Nueva Granada, was monumental, though its printing was hindered by the Spanish government. Mutis's efforts represent a key period in the early scientific exploration of the Americas, a time when European voyages were revealing the continent's complexities and natural resources.123