Originally a student of
theology at the
University of Jena, he subsequently devoted his energies to science and medicine. From 1823 he lived in
Dresden, later returning to
Jena, where on the basis of his dissertation "Batrachomyologia", he became a
privat-docent of
natural history. In 1828 he became an associate professor of
botany and natural history,[2] followed by a full professorship in 1836 (one year prior to his death at the age of 38).
A genus of
grasses called Zenkeria is named in his honour.[3] Also, he named the genus of fossil broad-leaf trees Credneria in honor of Karl August Credner.
Die Pflanzen und ihr wissenschaftliches Studium überhaupt : ein botanischer Grundriss zum Gebrauche academischer Vorträge und zum Selbststudium, 1830 - Scientific study of plants in general, etc.
Zwei neue fossile Corallenarten, 1833 - Two new fossil
coral-types.
Beiträge zur Naturgeschichte der Urwelt. Organische Reste (Petrefacten) aus der Altenburger Braunkohlen-Formation, dem Blankenburger Quadersandtein, jenaischen bunten Sandstein und Böhmischen Übergangsgebirge, 1833 - Contributions to the natural history of the prehistoric world. Organic residues (
petrifactions) from the
Altenburglignite formation, the
Blankenburg blocks of
sandstone, Jena's colorful sandstone and the
Bohemian Übergangsgebirge.