Theophrastus was a Greek philosopher and naturalist who lived from around 371 to 287 BCE. He was a student of Aristotle and became the head of the Lyceum, succeeding him. Often considered the "father of botany," he made significant contributions to the study of plants, classifying them based on their characteristics and uses. His works, particularly "Enquiry into Plants" and "On Stones," laid the groundwork for future botanical science.