Frank Kingdon Ward (1885-1958), OBE, the son of a leading British research botanist and professor, graduated with honours from Cambridge in Natural Sciences. In 1911, he was engaged by a British horticultural firm to collect specimens in Yunnan, an assignment which began for Ward a lifelong career as a professional explorer and plant collector.
In all Ward made a total of twenty two expeditions, spanning a period of some forty five years, in western China, northern Burma, Assam and south-eastern Tibet; much of this travel involved extreme hardship, and was undertaken at great risk to his health and personal safety.