Epiphyte - first use

[Prirodoslovni muzej Split]

Dear Neal,
I'll try to help.

I don't know who was the first author of this word, but I have this data:
Respectable Croatian algologist (deceased) Dr. Ante Ercegovic, Catholic
priest and scientist, wrote in appendices glossary of his book this:

Epifiti - manje biljke, koje rastu na vecima
(The original definition in Croatian language)


Epiphytes - smaller plants that grow on the bigger ones
The original definition in English translation (my translation):

Sorry for my bad English, but it is it, isn't it?
 It was published in 1949.

Author and the original title:
Ante Ercegovic (1949) Zivot u moru. Biologijska oceanografija. Izdavacki
zavod "JAZU". Zagreb

My translation of the title:
Ante Ercegovic (1949) Life in the sea. Biological Oceanography...

I am sure that he published some earlier works, where he mentioned the word
"epiphyte",
but I don't know who was the first one, who was the father of the word.

Best regards,

Boze Kokan
Prirodoslovni muzej i zooloski vrt Split
p.p.376
21 000 Split
Croatia
Europe
primust at st.tel.hr
tel/fax: ++385/21/460-989

----- Original Message -----
From: "Neal Evenhuis" <neale at BISHOPMUSEUM.ORG>
To: <TAXACOM at USOBI.ORG>
Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2001 12:32 AM
Subject: Re: Epiphyte - first use


> At 11:12 AM +1200 3/21/01, john steel wrote:
> >        Can anyone out there please help with a source for the first
> >use of the word epiphyte?  I would like to track down its first
> >definition.
> >                Thanks in advance,  John Steel.
>
>
> There is a mailing list I'm on (World Wide Words) in which the host
> (Michael Quinion) can probably very well answer that question -- as
> he is a consulting editor for OED. If he doesn't have the answer, he
> just emails them.
>
> You can contact him directly at:  words at quinion.com
>
> For me, he found the first use of "speciose" as dating from 1955.
>
> Good luck,
>
> Neal
>