Benjamin Bomfleur

The 2026 Jean Baptiste Lamarck Medal is awarded to Benjamin Bomfleur for excellence in palaeobotany, specifically on the evolution, taxonomy and palaeobiology of plants.

Benjamin Bomfleur has contributed to major breakthroughs in palaeobotany through a unique approach, which combines fieldwork and specimen-based research. By studying Late Palaeozoic and Mesozoic whole-plant specimens, in particular ferns and seed plants from different localities around the world, Bomfleur has made outstanding contributions by describing key taxa, their biology and ecology. Bomfleur has pioneered an approach to characterise and quantify the role of high latitude ecosystems in plant evolution and diversification, during key transitions in Earth’s history. Palaeobotanical science has greatly benefited from the digital macro- and micro-photographic techniques he uses, and from his innovative research based on whole-plant reconstructions, a key concept for understanding the biology and evolution of extinct plants and palaeoenvironmental reconstructions.

Currently Professor of Palaeobotany at the University of Münster, Germany, Benjamin Bomfleur’s scientific career is truly outstanding with an international reach. Bomfleur has studied and conducted his research and field expeditions on different continents, from both northern and southern hemispheres. Bomfleur is described by his colleagues as an excellent field geologist and palaeontologist who has always reached well beyond disciplinary boundaries, able to work collaboratively in cross-disciplinary teams. The high quality of his research and his engagement with the scientific community and his students is recognised by the honours and fellowships he has already been awarded.

Bomfleur is a highly innovative scientist, a passionate and dedicated teacher and an engaging science communicator who inspires numerous junior and senior scientists. He has made exceptional contributions to the field of palaeobotany, a field that directly intersects with palaeoclimatology, palaeoecology and biogeography. For these reasons, Benjamin Bomfleur is a worthy recipient of the 2026 Jean Baptiste Lamarck Medal.