Antonio José Cavanilles

Antonio José Cavanilles (January 16, 1745 - May 4, 1804) was the leading Spanish taxonomic botanist of the 18th century. He named many plants, particularly from Oceania, his name is abbreviated as Cav. on botanical records.

Cavanilles was born in Valencia, Spain. He lived in Paris from 1777 to 1781, where he followed careers as a clergyman and a botanist. From Paris he moved to Madrid, and was director of the Botanic Garden and Professor of botany from 1801 to 1804. He died in Madrid in 1804.