Veli Räsänen

Veli Johannes Paavo Bartholomeus Räsänen (24 August 1888 – 16 July 1953) was a Finnish lichenologist who made contributions to the study and documentation of Nordic and Baltic lichen funga. As a lecturer at various agricultural institutions and the University of Kuopio, he published extensive systematic and floristic works on lichens in Finland, Estonia, and the Petsamo region, including his comprehensive 1951 guide Suomen jäkäläkasvio (Finnish Lichens). Räsänen curated two major lichen exsiccatae collections, compiling over 1,750 specimens between 1935 and 1952, and described numerous previously unknown lichen taxa. His influence on the field is reflected in several lichen species and two genera named in his honour, and his work with mentor Edvard Vainio helped establish Finland's strong tradition in lichenology.