Dr. Elsa Pooley (DSc honoris causa) (UKZN) is a skilled botanical artist and practical botanist with more than 40 years’ experience in the field. Elsa lives on the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal, near the village of Clansthal.

Originally based in the game reserves of Zululand, her research has included pioneering work on the traditional uses of plants by the people of Maputaland. Her botanical tours take local and international visitors to explore the flora of the eastern region of South Africa, particularly the Drakensberg and Lesotho alpine region.

Elsa’s knowledge and versatility bridges the divide between the popular and the academic. She has worked closely with the National Botanical Institute, in particular the Natal Herbarium in preparation of the Flora Publications Trust books.