Career
He worked as a pastor in Grub am Forst, and later in Coburg. In 1913 he received an honorary degree from the University of Breslau. Kükenthal was a leading authority on sedges.
In his 1909 monograph, he divided the genus Carex into four subgenera: Primocarex, Vignea, Indocarex and Eucarex.
Carex is the largest monophylletic (natural) genus of flowering plants. Kükenthal"s monograph remains the only comprehensive, worldwide treatment.