South african botanist.
Ernst Jacobus van Jaarsveld (born February 19, 1953) is a South African botanist. He served as a horticulturist and curator at the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens from 1976 until his retirement in 2015. As an author and co-author, he has described over 80 new plant species and is a member of the International Organization for Succulent Plant Study. Several plant species have been named in his honor, including Plectranthus ernstii in 1982, Anginon jaarsveldii, and Eriosperum ernstii.