Pieter Baas

Pieter Baas (28 April 1944 – 29 April 2024) was a Dutch botanist and emeritus professor of plant systematics at the Leiden University, who was a distinguished fellow of the International Academy of Wood Science.

He served as director of the of Leiden University between 1991 and 1999. When the institute was faced with budget cuts in 1993 he managed to preserve the collection by joining it with the university collections of Wageningen and Utrecht. This led to the founding of the National Herbarium of the Netherlands in 1999. Baas subsequently became director of the institute and served until 2005.

As a botanist, Baas specialised in wood anatomy, and was an honorary fellow of the International Academy of Wood Science. Most of his pioneering research work in wood anatomy has been jointly made with the American botanist and wood scientist, Elisabeth Wheeler.

Early life and career Baas was born on 28 April 1944 in the municipality of Wieringermeer. He attended the MULO and later the HBS.

Baas grew up with a broad interest in science. At age 17, while harvesting potatoes he saw a Natterjack toad crossing a path, appreciated the beauty of nature and decided to study natural history after earlier having contemplated studying history.

In 1962 Baas started studying biology at Leiden University. On his return from the United Kingdom Baas approached Van Steenis and asked to be employed as a wood anatomy expert.

In 1975 Baas earned his PhD in wood anatomy, with a thesis entitled: Comparative anatomy of Ilex, Nemopanthus, Sphenostemon, Phelline, and Oncotheca. Baas became director of the newly formed National Herbarium.

Awards, honours and personal life In 1987 Baas became a corresponding member of the Botanical Society of America and a member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2000. He was an elected fellow of The International Academy of Wood Science. In 2003 he won the Linnean Medal of the Linnean Society of London. Baas became a Knight in the Order of the Netherlands Lion in 2005. Ilex baasii and Baasoxylon are named after him.