Botanist Level 45 --- And Beyond! -- Why?

[Fiosha_Maureiba]

I think you've pretty much said it. Excluding the ability to wear new gear, which may help stats to get more resources with less time, I don't believe there's a tangible.

The way I started to look at gathering. Leveling is a side effect of getting the resources you need or want to profit from.

[Eruantien]

Ya xp is much faster on leves, set home point to halitali, get leves at hali, once leves complete final node appears have it take you to drybone, choco/gobbue back to uldah, return, 0 anima used and take you about 15-20 minutes round trip including doing leves, and since moogle and ifrit you need to wait 15 minutes before re enter and you get less xp per time. leves are clearly faster.

[Haru]

Also with leves you are guaranteed an item.. Not like Ifrit/Moogle where you will only get Dark matter.
And you get faction points which can be used as well.. WIN WIN!