Hugo de Vries

Hugo de Vries, ca. 1907

Hugo Marie de Vries (Haarlem, 16 February 1848 – Lunteren, 21 May 1935) was a Dutch botanist and one of the first geneticists. He suggested the concept of genes, rediscovered Gregor Mendel's laws of heredity, and introduced the term mutation. He developed a mistaken mutation theory of evolution, mainly due to the peculiarities of his favourite organism, the Evening Primrose (Oenothera lamarckiana).

Carl Correns also – independently – rediscovered Gregor Mendel's work on genetics. Erich von Tschermak's status as a third rediscoverer is now less convincing.