Joseph Dalton Hooker was a prominent British botanist and explorer, born on June 30, 1817. He was a key figure in the field of plant taxonomy and is best known for his work on the flora of India and Antarctica. Hooker was a close friend of Charles Darwin and supported the theory of evolution through natural selection. Hooker served as the director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew from 1865 to 1885, where he expanded the collection and promoted botanical research. His extensive travels and studies contributed significantly to the understanding of plant distribution and adaptation, making him a foundational figure in modern botany.