Walther Gothan was one of the leading European paleobotanists between about 1910 and 1954. He was a leader in establishing a floral biostratigraphy of the late Paleozoic. He did not visit North America, but his cooperation with W. J. Jongmans and W. C. Darrah considerably influenced the interpretation of late Paleozoic floras of North America. Gothan published more than 350 papers, including a number of excellent contributions intended for the general public.