South African botanist Daniel (Daan) Botha was Director of Gardens and Horticultural Services at the National Botanical Institute, now the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI).

Botha studied botany and zoology at the University of Pretoria before training as a teacher in 1960. After eight years teaching secondary level biology in Pretoria, he returned to university to continue his botanical studies, completing a BSc (Hons) in 1969.

Going on to work on the genus Elegia, Botha based his MSc thesis on collections from the Western Cape. He has also carried out much general collecting around Potchefstroom, at Kosi Bay in the north-eastern part of KwaZulu-Natal, in the Tsitsikamma forests of the southern Cape, and along the Blyde River Canyon in Mpumalanga. Later, in 1975, he earned a doctorate for his taxonomic study of South African Menispermaceae.

In 1971 Botha joined Potchefstroom University, where he rose from lecturer to professor and head of department. His research and publications from this period continued to focus mainly on Elegia and the Menispermaceae. He also published Trees, Shrubs and Climbers of the Faan Meintjes Nature Reserve in 1984.

In 1985 Botha was appointed Director of Gardens and Horticultural Services at the National Botanical Institute (SANBI). From the head office in Kirstenbosch, he managed South Africa's eight national botanical gardens and provided assistance and guidance to those of neighbouring countries. He has published on various topics in botanical garden management. Botha retired in 2000.

Sources: Personal communication.