PRESENTER FOR SEPTEMBER: Andrew Hankey “Four New Ledebouria species from the Steenkampsberg, Mpumalanga.”

Andrew Hankey is a botanical horticulturist with over 32 years of experience at the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), where he has played a central role in the development and management of the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden and its surrounding nature reserve. He has published extensively on topics related to gardening, botany, and natural sciences in a range of technical, popular, and scientific journals.

Andrew is recognized as an authority on the three taxonomically complex Asparagaceae genera Ledebouria, Drimiopsis, and Resnova, which make up the subtribe Ledebouriinae. He has made significant contributions to the taxonomy of this group and is currently pursuing an MSc on Drimiopsis through the University of the Witwatersrand.

At the Walter Sisulu NBG, he leads the threatened plant project, overseeing conservation efforts for a variety of endangered plant species. Notably, he has driven efforts to study and protect the critically endangered Albertina Sisulu Orchid (Brachycorythis conica subsp. transvaalensis) and to secure the land supporting its last viable global population.

Highly regarded in his field, Andrew is frequently invited to speak and present to a wide range of audiences.