John Laker Harley CBE FRS FLS FIBiol (17 November 1911 – 12 December 1990) was a British botanist,[2][3] known for his work on ectomycorrhizal physiology.
He attended Leeds Grammar School and was awarded an exhibition to Wadham College, University of Oxford, going up to read botany in 1930.
He joined the Royal Signals Corps and served in India, Burma and Ceylon (1940–45),[2] attaining the rank of lieutenant-colonel.
[2] With Howard Florey, he was involved in writing the Florey Report on the structure of Oxford's biology departments in 1966,[2][3] and returned to Oxford to hold the newly renamed chair of forest science (1969–1979), overseeing the amalgamation of the forestry and agriculture departments.
[2] In retirement he co-wrote the book Mycorrhizal Symbiosis with his daughter Sally E. Smith (1983)[5] and A Check-list of Mycorrhiza in the British Flora with his wife (1987).