CORTI, BONAVENTURA. – Ecclesiastic and naturalist, born at Scandiano (Emilia) on 26 February 1729, died at Reggio Emilia on 30 January 1813. He was professor of physics at the college of S. Nazario in Reggio Emilia, and later rector of that of S. Carlo in Modena.
His most celebrated observations are those concerning protoplasmic movements in plant cells, thus anticipating Brown in his description of the movements of protoplasmic granules (movements known as “Brownian”). His first observations in fact date back to 1772, whereas R. Brown was born in 1773.
His most notable works are: Osservazioni microscopiche sulla Tremella e sulla circolazione del fluido in una pianta acquaiola (Chara; Lucca 1744); Sulla circolazione del fluido scoperta in varie piante (Milan 1776).