Guido Benno Feige

Guido Benno Feige (19 October 1937 – 11 June 2007) was a German lichenologist and botanist known for his contributions to lichen secondary chemistry, taxonomy, and floristics.

[2][5] Following his time in Cologne, Feige was appointed the chair of botany at the University of Essen in 1980, a position he held for 23 years until his retirement in 2003.

Feige's taxonomic studies spanned several families of macrolichens, and later in his career, he developed an interest in phytopathogenic fungi and their biogeography.

He was an accomplished musician who enjoyed entertaining guests at dinner parties, often playing pieces from opera overtures on his piano.

Feige was plagued by a long and severe illness towards the end of his life, which eventually led to his death in Essen on 11 June 2007.

[2] Feige's botanical garden, particularly the comprehensive collection of the genus Aeonium (Crassulaceae), and the extensive herbarium at the University of Halle are testaments to his life's work.

[3] The scientific community remembers him not only for his academic achievements but also for his love of teaching, his charismatic character, and his contagious passion for nature and plants.