{{Short description|South African a professor of indigenous botany (1956-}} {{Infobox scientist | name = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | image = BenErikVanWykFotoThalerTamas.JPG | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1956|12|27}} | birth_place = Bellville, South Africa | citizenship = | fields = Botany<br>Traditional African medicine<br>Taxonomy<br>Chemotaxonomy<br>Ethnobotany | workplaces = University of Johannesburg<br>Rand Afrikaans University | alma_mater = | author_abbrev_bot = '''B.-E.van Wyk''' | thesis_title = A taxonomic study of the genus Lotononis (DC.) Eckl. & Zeyh.(Fabzceae, Crotalarieae) | thesis_url = https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=view_citation&hl=en&user=fMI1OlIAAAAJ&cstart=500&pagesize=100&sortby=pubdate&citation_for_view=fMI1OlIAAAAJ:IUKN3-7HHlwC | thesis_year = 1989 | known_for = Hypocalypteae, Leobordea platycarpa, Stirtonanthus, Leobordea, Wiborgiella, Choritaenia | website = http://www.ben-erikvanwyk.com/ | education = Stellenbosch University (BSc, MSc)<br>University of Cape Town (PhD) | honorific_suffix = FAAS | honorific_prefix = Professor }} '''Ben-Erik van Wyk''' FAAS (born 27 December 1956 in Bellville) is a South African professor of indigenous botany and traditional African medicine at the University of Johannesburg.

== Early life and education == Ben-Erik van Wyk was born on 27 December 1956 in Bellville, South Africa.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1092541 |url=https://viaf.org/viaf/1092541/ |access-date=2022-12-27 |website=viaf.org}}</ref> In 1979, he received a Bachelor of Science from Stellenbosch University in Forestry and Nature Conservation. In 1983, he graduated cum laude with a Master of Science. In 1989, he obtained a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Cape Town.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=2017-09-04 |title= |url=https://www.uj.ac.za/faculties/science/botany/Documents/Ben-Erik%20van%20Wyk_CV.pdf |access-date=2022-12-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170904011127/https://www.uj.ac.za/faculties/science/botany/Documents/Ben-Erik%20van%20Wyk_CV.pdf |archive-date=2017-09-04 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=ORCID |url=https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0306-8193 |access-date=2022-12-27 |website=orcid.org}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> == Career and research == Since 1984, Van Wyk has been teaching at the Rand Afrikaans University, where he has been a professor since 1990. Since 2005, he has been a professor at the Department of Botany and Plant Biotechnology, University of Johannesburg, where the Rand Afrikaans University has been absorbed.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-02-02 |title=Ben-Erik van Wyk, Timber Press author |url=http://www.timberpress.com/author/ben_erik_van_wyk/1125 |access-date=2022-12-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160202033119/http://www.timberpress.com/author/ben_erik_van_wyk/1125 |archive-date=2016-02-02 }}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Prof Ben-Erik van Wyk |url=https://www.uj.ac.za/members/ben-erik-van-wyk/ |access-date=2022-12-27 |website=University of Johannesburg |language=en-ZA}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Ben-Erik van Wyk |url=http://www.stellenboschwriters.com/vanwykbe.html |access-date=2022-12-27 |website=www.stellenboschwriters.com}}</ref> Van Wyk researches African plant plant classification (taxonomy<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/P/bo19196930.html |title=Phytomedicines, Herbal Drugs, and Poisons |publisher=University of Chicago Press |language=en}}</ref> and chemotaxonomy<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Steenkamp |first1=P. A. |last2=Harding |first2=N. M. |last3=van Heerden |first3=F. R. |last4=van Wyk |first4=B. -E. |date=2004-10-04 |title=Fatal Datura poisoning: identification of atropine and scopolamine by high performance liquid chromatography/photodiode array/mass spectrometry |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0379073804001719 |journal=Forensic Science International |language=en |volume=145 |issue=1 |pages=31–39 |doi=10.1016/j.forsciint.2004.03.011 |pmid=15374592 |issn=0379-0738|url-access=subscription }}</ref>) particularly for Apiaceae,<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Calviño |first1=Carolina I. |last2=Tilney |first2=Patricia M. |last3=Wyk |first3=Ben-Erik |last4=Downie |first4=Stephen R. |date=2006-12-01 |title=A molecular phylogenetic study of southern African Apiaceae |journal=American Journal of Botany |language=en |volume=93 |issue=12 |pages=1828–1847 |doi=10.3732/ajb.93.12.1828 |pmid=21642128 |issn=0002-9122|doi-access=free }}</ref> Fabaceae,<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=van Wyk |first1=B-E. |last2=Albrecht |first2=C. |date=2008-10-28 |title=A review of the taxonomy, ethnobotany, chemistry and pharmacology of Sutherlandia frutescens (Fabaceae) |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378874108004431 |journal=Journal of Ethnopharmacology |series=Ethnobotany in South Africa |language=en |volume=119 |issue=3 |pages=620–629 |doi=10.1016/j.jep.2008.08.003 |pmid=18761068 |issn=0378-8741|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Aloe'',''<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Dagne |first1=E. |last2=Bisrat |first2=D. |last3=Viljoen |first3=A. |last4=van Wyk |first4=B.E. |date=2000-10-01 |title=Chemistry of Aloe Species |url=https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/ben/coc/2000/00000004/00000010/art00004 |journal=Current Organic Chemistry |volume=4 |issue=10 |pages=1055–1078 |doi=10.2174/1385272003375932|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Chen |first1=Weiyang |last2=Van Wyk |first2=Ben-Erik |last3=Vermaak |first3=Ilze |last4=Viljoen |first4=Alvaro M. |date=2012-03-01 |title=Cape aloes—A review of the phytochemistry, pharmacology and commercialisation of Aloe ferox |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1874390011001285 |journal=Phytochemistry Letters |language=en |volume=5 |issue=1 |pages=1–12 |doi=10.1016/j.phytol.2011.09.001 |bibcode=2012PChL....5....1C |issn=1874-3900|url-access=subscription }}</ref> and Asphodelaceae.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Viljoen |first1=Alvaro |last2=van Vuuren |first2=Sandy |last3=Ernst |first3=Erika |last4=Klepser |first4=Michael |last5=Demirci |first5=Betűl |last6=Başer |first6=Husnu |last7=van Wyk |first7=Ben-Erik |date=2003-10-01 |title=Osmitopsis asteriscoides (Asteraceae)-the antimicrobial activity and essential oil composition of a Cape-Dutch remedy |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378874103001910 |journal=Journal of Ethnopharmacology |language=en |volume=88 |issue=2 |pages=137–143 |doi=10.1016/S0378-8741(03)00191-0 |pmid=12963133 |issn=0378-8741|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Van Wyk |first=Ben-Erik |title=Poisonous plants of South Africa |date=2002 |publisher=Briza Publications |others=Fanie Van Heerden, Bosch Van Oudtshoorn |isbn=978-1-875093-30-4 |edition=1st |location=Pretoria |oclc=51046239}}</ref> In addition, he focuses on medicinal plants and ethnobotany,<ref name="van Wyk 331–341">{{Cite journal |last=van Wyk |first=B. -E. |date=2008-10-28 |title=A review of Khoi-San and Cape Dutch medical ethnobotany |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S037887410800398X |journal=Journal of Ethnopharmacology |series=Ethnobotany in South Africa |language=en |volume=119 |issue=3 |pages=331–341 |doi=10.1016/j.jep.2008.07.021 |pmid=18703129 |issn=0378-8741|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Van Wyk |first1=B. -E. |last2=de Wet |first2=H. |last3=Van Heerden |first3=F. R. |date=2008-11-01 |title=An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants in the southeastern Karoo, South Africa |journal=South African Journal of Botany |language=en |volume=74 |issue=4 |pages=696–704 |doi=10.1016/j.sajb.2008.05.001 |issn=0254-6299|doi-access=free |bibcode=2008SAJB...74..696V }}</ref> including the ethnobotany of Khoisan<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Mhlongo |first1=L. S. |last2=Van Wyk |first2=B. -E. |date=2019-05-01 |title=Zulu medicinal ethnobotany: new records from the Amandawe area of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa |journal=South African Journal of Botany |language=en |volume=122 |pages=266–290 |doi=10.1016/j.sajb.2019.02.012 |s2cid=146062047 |issn=0254-6299|doi-access=free |bibcode=2019SAJB..122..266M }}</ref> and Afrikaners from the Western Cape.<ref name="van Wyk 331–341"/><ref>{{Cite book |last=Van Wyk |first=Ben-Erik |title=People's plants : a guide to useful plants of Southern Africa |date=2000 |publisher=Briza Publications |others=Nigel Gericke |isbn=1-875093-19-2 |edition=1st |location=Pretoria, South Africa |oclc=43265207}}</ref> He is also involved in quality control and product development of medicinal plant products and crop development.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Van Wyk |first=Ben-Erik |title=Medicinal plants of South Africa |date=1997 |publisher=Briza Publications |others=Bosch Van Oudtshoorn, Nigel Gericke |isbn=1-875093-09-5 |edition=1st |location=Pretoria |oclc=38101658}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Wyk |first1=Ben-Erik van |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UAitDwAAQBAJ&dq=info:59Z4m1wHRnIJ:scholar.google.com&pg=PA3 |title=Medicinal Plants of the World |last2=Wink |first2=Michael |date=2018-10-31 |publisher=CABI |isbn=978-1-78639-325-8 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=van Wyk |first=B. -E. |date=2008-10-28 |title=A broad review of commercially important southern African medicinal plants |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378874108002808 |journal=Journal of Ethnopharmacology |series=Ethnobotany in South Africa |language=en |volume=119 |issue=3 |pages=342–355 |doi=10.1016/j.jep.2008.05.029 |pmid=18577439 |issn=0378-8741|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Van Wyk |first=B. -E. |date=2011-10-01 |title=The potential of South African plants in the development of new medicinal products |journal=South African Journal of Botany |series=Special issue on Economic Botany |language=en |volume=77 |issue=4 |pages=812–829 |doi=10.1016/j.sajb.2011.08.011 |issn=0254-6299|doi-access=free |bibcode=2011SAJB...77..812V }}</ref> Van Wyk is a member of several organizations, including the ''Aloe Council of South Africa'' (Chair), the American Society of Plant Taxonomists, the Botanical Society of America, the Indigenous Plant Use Forum (Chair since 1996),<ref>{{Cite web |last=Johannesburg |first=University of |title=Why wild African fruits can supplement low protein staple foods |url=https://phys.org/news/2021-07-wild-african-fruits-supplement-protein.html |access-date=2022-12-27 |website=phys.org |language=en}}</ref> the ''Association for African Medicinal Plant Standards'', ''Briza Publications CC,'' and the ''Presidential Task Team on African Traditional Medicine''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Harvard University Herbaria & Libraries |url=https://kiki.huh.harvard.edu/databases/botanist_search.php?mode=details&id=11671 |access-date=2022-12-27 |website=kiki.huh.harvard.edu |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Ben-Erik van Wyk - Professor of Botany |url=https://app.ckbk.com/people/ben-erik-van-wyk |access-date=2022-12-27 |website=app.ckbk.com |language=en}}</ref> He is a Member of the Editorial Board of the South African Journal of Botany, the Official Journal of the South African Association of Botanists.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Editorial board - South African Journal of Botany {{!}} ScienceDirect.com by Elsevier |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/south-african-journal-of-botany/about/editorial-board |access-date=2022-12-27 |website=www.sciencedirect.com}}</ref> == Awards and honours == Van Wyk has received several awards, including the ''Schlich Medal'' in 1980, the ''FRD President's Award'' in 1991, the ''Havenga prize'' for Biology from the South African Academy of Science and Art in 2006, the ''Silver Medal'' from the South African Association of Botanists in 2007,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-08-11 |title=SAAB Award Recipients |url=https://sabotanyblog.wordpress.com/saab-awards-recipients/ |access-date=2022-12-27 |website=South African Association of Botanists |language=en}}</ref> and the ''Medal of Honor'' from the Faculty of Natural Science and Technology of the South African Academy of Science and Art in 2011.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3" /> Van Wyk was elected a Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences in 2013.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Van Wyk Ben-Erik {{!}} The AAS |url=https://www.aasciences.africa/fellow/van-wyk-ben-erik |access-date=2022-12-27 |website=www.aasciences.africa |archive-date=2022-12-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221227150421/https://www.aasciences.africa/fellow/van-wyk-ben-erik |url-status=dead }}</ref> == Publications == {{Scholia}} Van Wyk has (co-)authored more than two hundred articles in scientific journals and (co-)authored more than 180 botanical names. His books and commentary<ref>{{Cite web |title=Invasives and Natives: Hello aloe |url=https://southcoastherald.co.za/211948/invasives-and-natives-hello-aloe/ |access-date=2022-12-27 |website=South Coast Herald |date=11 June 2017 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Uys |first=Fredalette |title=Vrae oor bestuursplan vir bitteraalwyn, heuningbos |url=https://www.landbou.com/landbou/bedrywe/tuinbou/vrae-oor-bestuursplan-vir-bitteraalwyn-heuningbos-20220926 |access-date=2022-12-27 |website=Landbou |language=af-ZA}}</ref> have been published in Afrikaans, German, Polish and Korean, in addition to the English-language editions.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Ben-Erik van Wyk |url=https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/author/V/B/au16940314.html |access-date=2022-12-27 |website=University of Chicago Press |language=en}}</ref>

{{botanist|B.-E.van Wyk}} == References == {{Reflist}} == External links == {{Wikispecies}} * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8gp6N9bJ78 Medicinal plants] with Prof Ben-Erik van Wyk - YouTube {{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:van Wyk, Ben-Erik}} Category:Fellows of the African Academy of Sciences Category:South African scientists Category:1956 births Category:Living people Category:Academic staff of the University of Johannesburg Category:21st-century South African botanists Category:Academic staff of Rand Afrikaans University