Johannes Kentmann, Conrad Gessner und die Einführung des Feigenkaktus in Europa im 16. Jahrhundert

Abstract

Johannes Kentmann, Conrad Gessner and the introduction of the Prickly Pear cactus to Europe in the 16^th century. Based on historical manuscripts and books by Johannes Kentmann (1518–1574) and Conrad Gessner (1516–1565), the early introduction history of the genus Opuntia (prickly pear; Cactaceae) into the botanical literature is reconstructed. The first author to use the name Opuntia in print was Pietro Andrea Mattioli in 1554, but the first occurrence of the name is in the illustrated manuscript (Codex Kentmanus) of Johannes Kentmann compiled in 1549, where the first use of the name is attri­ buted to Luigi Anguillara, at that time the curator of the Botanical Garden in Padua. Apart from the Codex Kentmanus, a second manuscript of Johannes Kentmann, the Kreutterbuch from 1563, has also survived to the present day. The illustrations of succulent plants from these two sources are listed in tabular form, and those present in both manuscripts are reproduced, together with the copies that were made by Conrad Gessner in 1554/55.