Dr Donald John Pinkava (born 1933) is a botanist, specialising in cacti and succulents, and the discoverer of some of their varieties. He is Professor Emeritus at Arizona State University (ASU). 1933 (MCMXXXIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Botany is the scientific study of plant life. ... This article is about the desert plant. ... Sempervivum heuffelii, type from Romania, in cultivation, a member of the Crassulaceae, storing water in its thick leaves. ... Arizona State University (ASU) is a public institution of higher education and research with several campuses located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. ...