Christian von Steven

Christian von Steven (Russian: Христиан Христианович Стевен - Khristian Khristianovich Steven; 19 January 1781, in Fredrikshamn, Finland – 30 April 1863, in Simferopol, Crimea) was a Finnish-born Russian botanist and entomologist.

Steven studied medicine at Saint Petersburg University before working at a centre for silk production in the Caucasus where he commenced as an assistant, progressing to inspector (1806). In 1812, he participated in the creation of a Nikitsky Botanical Garden at Nikita in the Crimea, which he directed from 1824. From 1826 to 1851, he directed a Magnanery. In 1815, he was elected a corresponding member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

He collected an important herbarium which is deposited at the Botanical Museum of the University of Helsinki.