The classical botanical work “Historia Plantarum” (History of Plants) was written by which ancient scholar, often called the Father of Botany?

Introduction / Context:
The history of biology includes several foundational works that organised and described living organisms long before modern taxonomy. In botany, one of the earliest and most influential texts is “Historia Plantarum” or “History of Plants”. This question asks you to identify the ancient scholar who wrote this work and is often regarded as the Father of Botany.

Given Data / Assumptions:

The book mentioned is “Historia Plantarum” (History of Plants). We are asked to name its author. Options include Aristotle, Theophrastus, Hippocrates, Darwin and Linnaeus. We assume standard historical attributions taught in botany.

Concept / Approach:
Theophrastus, a student of Aristotle, is widely recognised as the Father of Botany. He wrote two important botanical works: “Enquiry into Plants” and “On the Causes of Plants”, often collectively referred to as “Historia Plantarum” or similar titles in Latin translations. These works systematically described plant structures, classifications and uses, and influenced botanical study for many centuries. Aristotle focused more broadly on animals and philosophy, Hippocrates is associated with medicine, Darwin with evolution and natural selection, and Linnaeus with modern binomial nomenclature and later systematic classification.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Theophrastus is commonly called the Father of Botany. Step 2: Associate Theophrastus with early systematic descriptions of plants in works translated as “Historia Plantarum”. Step 3: Recognise that Aristotle, his teacher, is more associated with zoology and general natural philosophy. Step 4: Note that Hippocrates is known as the Father of Medicine, not of botany. Step 5: Remember that Darwin and Linnaeus lived much later and are associated with evolution and taxonomy respectively, not with the original “Historia Plantarum”.

Verification / Alternative check:
If you refer to basic botany history sections, they almost always introduce Theophrastus as a student of Aristotle who wrote “Enquiry into Plants” and “On the Causes of Plants”, foundational texts that classified roughly 500 plant species. Latin versions and commentaries often use the title “Historia Plantarum”. In contrast, Linnaeus wrote “Species Plantarum” and Darwin wrote “On the Origin of Species”. These clear distinctions confirm that Theophrastus is the correct author associated with “Historia Plantarum”.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Aristotle, although a great philosopher and biologist, did not author “Historia Plantarum” and is not considered the primary founder of botany. Hippocrates contributed to medical theory and clinical observation, not to systematic plant classification. Darwin revolutionised biology with the theory of evolution, but his work came more than two thousand years after Theophrastus. Linnaeus developed the binomial nomenclature system and wrote “Species Plantarum”, which is a different landmark in taxonomy. None of these figures wrote the specific work referred to in the question.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse Aristotle and Theophrastus because they were teacher and student and both studied living organisms. Another common error is to choose Linnaeus because his name is strongly linked with plant classification, or Darwin because of his fame in biology. To avoid confusion, remember these simple associations: Theophrastus equals early botany and “Historia Plantarum”, Linnaeus equals binomial nomenclature and “Species Plantarum”, Darwin equals evolution and “Origin of Species”. This mapping helps you quickly pick the right historical figure in such questions.

Final Answer:
The classical work “Historia Plantarum” was written by Theophrastus, who is often called the Father of Botany.