Yatabe Ryokichi (矢田部良吉)
Ryokichi YATABE (October 13, 1851 - August 8, 1899) was a botanist and poet in Japan. He was born in Nirayama Izu province. He became an instructor at Kaisei School in 1869 and went to the United States of America in 1871 to study botany at Cornell University. He became the first professor in botany at Tokyo University in 1877. He took an administrative leave in 1891. He published "Shintaishi sho" (poems in the new style) together with Shoichi TOYAMA and Tetsujiro INOUE. He founded "The Botanic Society of Tokyo" (present-day "The Botanic Society of Japan"), and he was an advocate for Roman characters. He drowned when swimming in Kamakura.
His books and translations
Shintaishi sho First Edition Published by Maruya Zenshichi; August, 1882
Shokubutsu Tsukai by Gray published by the Ministry of Education publishing bureau; February, 1883
Romaji Hayamanabi published by Roman characters society; 1885
Doubutsugaku shoho by Edward S. Morse published by Maruzen Company Ltd.; November, 1888
Shokubutsugaku shoho by Hooker published by Maruzen Company Ltd.; August, 1891
Iconographia florae vol. 1 part 1-2 by Z. P. Maruya; 1891-1892
Japan Shokubutsu Zukan vol.1 part 1-3 published by Maruzen Company Ltd.; 1891-1893
Japan Shokubutsu Hen vol.1 published by Dainihontosho; December, 1900