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

Historical research reveals that the name Opuntia for prickly pear cactus was first used in print by Pietro Andrea Mattioli in 1554, though its earliest documented appearance traces back to 1549 in Johannes Kentmann's illustrated manuscript (Codex Kentmanus). Attribution of this naming is credited to Luigi Anguillara, then curator of Padua's Botanical Garden. Two surviving manuscripts by Kentmann—Codex Kentmanus and Kreutterbuch from 1563—offer insights into the introduction of succulent plants in Europe during the 16th century. The study also highlights Conrad Gessner's copies of these illustrations, providing a visual record of botanical knowledge exchange between scholars.

Eggli, U., Wyder, M., & Nyffeler, R. (2018). Johannes Kentmann, Conrad Gessner und die Einführung des Feigenkaktus in Europa im 16. Jahrhundert. BAUHINIA – Zeitschrift Der Basler Botanischen Gesellschaft, 27, 47–59. https://doi.org/10.12685/bauhinia.1620