Katherine Esau

Russian-born American botanist whose research on phloem and landmark anatomy textbooks defined plant structural biology for half a century.

Core Principles & Analysis

• Her 1953 textbook Plant Anatomy remained the standard reference for decades.
• Pioneered study of phloem structure and how plant viruses move through it.
• Received the US National Medal of Science in 1989, at age 91.

Specifications & Metrics

• ERA: 1898-1997