Friedrich Adolph Wislizenus (first name sometimes spelled Frederick) (21 May 1810, Königsee – 23 September 1889) was a German-born American medical doctor, explorer and botanist.

[1] Both of the parents died in the early 1810s as victims of epidemic brought by Napoleon's soldiers retreating from Moscow; the orphaned children were taken into custody by their mother's brother, Dr. Hoffman, a man of the law.

In 1837 he joined his fellow exiles in St. Clair County, Illinois, where he practised in Mascoutah but finding the country life dull and monotonous he ventured to St. Louis in 1839.

When the trappers turned back home Wislizenus joined a band of Flathead and Nez Perce Indians with whom he crossed the Rocky Mountains.

Due to the effort of senator Thomas H. Benton, with whom he became acquainted with, young explorer was summoned to Washington, D.C., and requested to publish his recollections.

While engaged in publishing his memoirs, Wislizenus met his future wife, Lucy Crane, sister-in-law of George Perkins Marsh.

After a brief voyage to Panama and the Pacific Coast Wislizenus returned to St. Louis in 1852 and never left it again (save recreational trips to Kimmswick, Missouri).

For the rest of his life he pursued scientific interest- was one of the founders of the St. Louis Academy of Science, indulged in meteorological and botanical studies until failing eyesight could allow.