Hugo de Vries was a Dutch botanist and geneticist, born on February 16, 1848. He is best known for his work on the theory of mutation, which proposed that new species arise from sudden changes in traits rather than gradual evolution. His research laid the groundwork for modern genetics and contributed to the understanding of heredity. In 1900, de Vries rediscovered the principles of inheritance originally described by Gregor Mendel, which helped establish the field of genetics. He also studied plant hybridization and was influential in the development of the science of genetics as a distinct discipline. De Vries passed away on May 21, 1935.