David Lloyd (botanist) facts for kids

David Graham Lloyd (born June 20, 1937 – died May 30, 2006) was a smart scientist from New Zealand. He studied how living things change over time, which is called evolution. He was the seventh person from New Zealand to become a special member of the Royal Society in London. This is a very old and respected group for scientists.

David Lloyd did important work on how plants reproduce. He was one of the first to really understand this topic. In 1992, he became very ill. He was in a deep sleep for three months. After that, he could not see, speak, or move his arms and legs. This was a very sad time for him.

Studying Plants

David Lloyd's main work was in botany, which is the study of plants. He focused on how plants make new plants. This is also known as plant reproduction.

How Plants Reproduce

He helped us understand many things about plant reproduction. For example, he studied how plants can pollinate themselves. This is called self-pollination. He also looked at plants that have both male and female parts. These are known as hermaphroditic plants.

Lloyd also explored how plants developed different sexes. He challenged old ideas about how some plants have different flower types. This work helped scientists better understand plant families. Because of his smart ideas, some people called him the "W.D. Hamilton of plant biology." This means he was as important to plant science as W.D. Hamilton was to animal science.