Eminent botanist and Padmashree awardee K S Manilal, celebrated for translating the ancient Latin text "Hortus Malabaricus" into English and Malayalam, died following age-related ailments, family sources said here on Wednesday.

He was 86. He was not keeping well for some time and breathed his last at a private hospital here, they said.

Kattungal Subrahmanyan Manilal, popularly known as K S Manilal, was a former head of the Department of Botany at the University of Calicut.

His decades-long contributions to botany, particularly his efforts to translate Hortus Malabaricus, a 17th century botanical treatise documenting the rich flora of Malabar region (south-western coast of India) into English and Malayalam, earned him widespread recognition.

The treatise remains a vital resource for researchers, academicians and students studying the region's botanical history.

Manilal penned several books and published over 200 research papers besides introducing many new plant species. He is a recipient of several national and international awards.

The Centre honoured him with Padmashree in 2020 for his contributions in the field of science.

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