Theophrastus, a Greek philosopher and botanist (371–287 BCE), made significant contributions to the study of plants, including early observations on plant reproduction.
His key contribution to the discovery of sex in plants was his recognition of the male and female aspects of plants. In his work “Enquiry into Plants”, Theophrastus described how some plants have distinct male and female parts, even though he did not fully understand the concept of plant sex as we do today. He observed that certain plants produce male and female reproductive organs, hinting at sexual reproduction in plants, which was a pioneering step in the understanding of plant biology.
Although Theophrastus did not develop a complete theory of plant sex, his observations laid the groundwork for later scientists, such as Carl Linnaeus in the 18th century, who would further explore and define plant sexuality.