The formation and development of botanical scientific illustration have a long and tortuous history, which is closely related to the study and development of plant sciences. Botanical scientific illustration saliently differs from other artistic painting in its use and illustrating method. Therefore, an understanding of the historical formation and development of botanical scientific illustration largely depends on the study of illustrating method and use. The main illustrators and their works responsible for the making and development of botanical scientific illustration are reviewed, and three times are subdivided for the history of botanical scientific illustration, i.e. ancient times (herbal study), modern times (introducing the Western botany) and contemporary times (modern botany). Meanwhile, the representative works and main research characteristics in respective times are expounded briefly.