Matthias Erben

Matthias Erben is a retired Professor at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU), affiliated with the Faculty of Biology and the Department of Systematics, Biodiversity & Evolution of Plants. His research focuses on plant systematics, particularly the genera Limonium (Plumbaginaceae) and Viola (Violaceae), emphasizing Mediterranean flora and hybridization mechanisms. He employed karyological methods and comparative culture trials, cultivating over 1,500 plants to study complex forms in these genera.

His collaborative projects include contributions to the Flora Iberica and Flora Hellenica, active participation in the Referee Committees for Flora Mediterranea and Anales del Jardín Botánico de Madrid, and membership in the OPTIMA Commission for Karyosystematics. These efforts highlight his international partnerships, primarily with Mediterranean and European institutions.

Erben’s articles analyze hybridization patterns in Limonium (linked to apomixis) and Viola (via sexuality), salt tolerance evolution, and biogeographical distribution of angiosperms in arid and temperate zones. His work bridges traditional taxonomy with cytological insights, addressing challenges in species classification and evolution.

• No scientific awards are explicitly mentioned in the provided information.

His advising and grants sections remain unlisted, but his research involved significant collaborative projects. He retired from LMU but retains a legacy in plant systematics through his contributions to global flora projects and karyosystematic methodologies.

Labs/Teams: Active involvement in the OPTIMA Commission, Flora Iberica, Flora Hellenica, and Dinophyte Seminars at LMU. Collaborations with foreign institutes like the Botanical Garden of Palermo and Tunisian botanical teams further underscore his network-driven approach to research.