Curt Polycarp Joachim Sprengel (1750-1816), born at Boldekow in Pomerani was a German botanist and physician. In 1780, at the age of 20 years, he published his first small work, called Botanik für Frauenzimmer (botany for women). In 1784 he started to study theology and medicine at the university of Halle.
Curt Polycarp Joachim Sprengel graduated in medicine in 1787 and became an extraordinary professor of medicine in 1789. He was spending most of his time for medical work and to investigate the history of medicine. As he also had a big interest in botany, Curt Polycarp Joachim Sprengel did a lot of microscopic research on plants, especially orchids. In 1810 he became an elected foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Curt Polycarp Joachim Sprengel described innumerable orchid species.
His author abbreviation is: Spreng.