Karl Georg Theodor Kotschy (1813–1866) was an Austrian botanist, orientalist, and plant collector known for his extensive botanical explorations of the Middle East and North Africa. Born in Ustroń, Austrian Silesia (now Poland), he was the son of the theologian and pomologist Carl Friedrich Kotschy.
Between 1836 and 1862, Kotschy conducted several major expeditions to regions including Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Turkey, Iraq, and Iran. His primary objective was the collection of plant specimens, many of which were previously unknown to Western science. It is estimated that he collected over 300,000 specimens during his travels. These collections became vital resources for European herbaria and formed the basis for numerous botanical descriptions.
Kotschy’s work contributed significantly to the understanding of Middle Eastern flora. He served as an assistant at the botanical cabinet in Vienna and published several academic works, including "Abbildungen und Beschreibungen neuer und seltener Thiere und Pflanzen, in Syrien und im westlichen Taurus gesammelt" (1843) and "Die Eichen Europa's und des Orient's" (1858–1862), a monograph on the oaks of Europe and the East.
In recognition of his contributions, several plant species and genera were named in his honor, such as the genus Kotschya and the species Iris kotschyi and Cyperus kotschyi. He died in Vienna in 1866.
