Helia Bravo Hollis was a Mexican botanist who focused her research on the cultivation of flowers and the taxonomy of Cactaceae: the plant family of cacti. Throughout her distinguished career, Bravo helped co-found the Mexican Cactus Society, and the Botanical Gardens at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in 1959. She also has a botanical garden named after her that houses many endangered cacti. While focusing on the taxonomy of cacti, she organized a collection of live plants to observe their development and evaluate morphological characteristics. Through her work with cacti and succulents, Bravo has over 160 publications, 60 taxonomy descriptions, and 50 reclassifications. Bravo went to UNAM for her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and received an honorary doctorate later in life.