The Botany Department at the University of Cape Town strives for excellence in teaching and research in physiology, ecology, evolution, systematics and conservation of terrestrial and aquatic plants, particularly as they relate to the flora of the Southwestern Cape Region of South Africa.

The Botany department at UCT is situated in one of the most diverse and interesting floral kingdoms in the world; namely the fynbos of the Western Cape mountains. Also close to Cape Town is the most diverse arid system in the world; the succulent Karoo. Several other biomes (eg. forest), and an interesting marine flora are also easily accessible to botany students. Botany department academics are well known for their contribution to ecology, evolution and conservation biology. This makes UCT Botany department an ideal place for post graduate studies in almost all fields of botany.