history of botanical information exchange through study of Persian plant species

What is it about?

In the sixteenth century, geographic discoveries as well as methodical reforms in the practice of natural history created a situation that was conducive for information exchange between the European agents and local informants and scholars overseas. These contacts, in turn, acted as a strong stimulus for change in European natural history. Until now, the main focus of research about this process of transformation has been on areas like the Indian subcontinent or the Americas, where most of these activities occurred, in terms of politics and science alike. But Iran, a crucial part of the world trade network in that period, is still a neglected region in this regard. This paper tries to introduce some notable plant species that were assigned by sixteenth-century European naturalist to the Iranian world. This introductory survey will help to shed some light on the diversity of scientific exchange in the sixteenth century and the role played by other less-known areas in this process.

Featured Image

Photo by Timothy Dykes on Unsplash

Photo by Timothy Dykes on Unsplash