Francisco de Diego Calonge (1938–2019). Photograph taken at the Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid. Author: Carlos de Mier.
Associate Editor: A. Quintanar.
Francisco de Diego Calonge was born on January 26, 1938 at Chinchón (Madrid). He graduated in Pharmacy from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid and did his doctoral thesis in the field of phytopathology. In 1965 he moved to the University of Bristol (UK) to carry out studies of the ultrastructural analysis of parasitic fungi, a field in which he made important contributions. Upon his return to Spain, in 1968, he joined the staff of the Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid (CSIC), where he has developed all his professional work.
He obtained the position of Scientific Collaborator of the CSIC (1972), after Researcher (1975), and Research Professor (1982). When F.D. Calonge rejoined the Spanish scientific system began the floristic and taxonomic study of macromycetes, especially gasteroid fungi. First, in the Spanish geographical area, although international collaborations soon began to study fungi from the rest of Europe, especially from Madeira (Portugal). He also published numerous works on mushrooms from Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Venezuela; as well as from Cameroon, Tanzania and India.
On July 2, 1979, F.D. Calonge is appointed Director of the Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid and during his tenure, which ended in 1984, the Jardín was restored and opened to the public in 1981; and one of the most brilliant and prolonged stages of the Institution began.
F.D. Calonge has been a forerunner of scientific dissemination in Spain and one of the greatest exponents in the field of mycology. He founded the Sociedad Micológica de Madrid; and he organized annual mushroom exhibitions that, every fall, since 1973 have been held in Madrid. He is also known for his work as a trainer of scientifists through the direction of doctoral thesis.
Francisco de Diego Calonge (1938–2019). Photograph taken at the Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid. Author: Carlos de Mier.
F.D. Calonge died on November 5, 2019. He was a respected colleague and scientist as shown with the number of genera and species of fungi dedicated to date.