German naturalist and collector from Schöneberg, born into a wealthy brewing family. He studied natural history and medicine at the University of Bonn and was later appointed professor at Berlin University. Though known primarily as an ornithologist, he collected both phanerogams and cryptogams mainly from the Atlantic islands (1852 and 1856) and created a substantial living collection of trees. He was a founder member of the German ornithological society and elected chairman (1884). Bolle's herbarium was bequeathed to B, but was mostly destroyed (1943) during the Second World War. Surviving specimens include the type of Aichryson bollei Webb ex Bolle from his Herbarium atlanticum. Also commemorating his name are the genera Bollea Rchb.f. in the Orchidaceae, the Canarian Bollaea Parl. (= Pancratium L.) in the Amaryllidaceae and the hybrid genera x Bolleanthes hort. and x Bollopetalum hort.