José Cuatrecasas

Who was José Cuatrecasas?

José Cuatrecasas was a botanist. He was born on March 19, 1903 in Camprodon, Catalonia, Spain.

His research focused on the high-elevation páramo and sub-páramo regions of the Andes Mountains in South America, especially the flowering plant families Asteraceae and Malpighiaceae.

In 1997, the Smithsonian Institution established the José Cuatrecasas Botanical Fund to "support significant research projects that emulate the spirit of the research of José Cuatrecasas". The Smithsonian also awards a José Cuatrecasas Medal for Excellence in Tropical Botany annually.