Schriften zu Genetischen Ressourcen - Genres

K. PISTRICK
Fig. 3: The holdings of the Gatersleben Scientific Library at the time of
publication of all editions of the Mansfeld’s Encyclopedia
The increasing number of known crop species reflects the intensification of
taxonomic and ethnobotanical research as well as the various selection and breeding
activities to improve and to broaden the spectrum of cultivated plants. Since the time
of Rudolf Mansfeld, the Gatersleben institute has made several significant
contributions in this field, as presented by Prof. K. Hammer in this volume. During his
numerous collecting missions he developed a very successful “Mansfeld view” for
new crop plants (HAMMER 1991), and after every expedition in which I took part he
asked. “Could you find a new Mansfeld species on your trip?” However, this is quite
difficult, especially outside the tropics. Nevertheless here are some examples:
Lavandula multifida L., cultivated for scent and transplanted as a medicinal plant from
the wild into house-gardens in South Tunisia (PISTRICK et al. 1994).
Crataegus dzhairensis Vass., an endemic fruit tree cultivated in orchards of the
Hissar Mountains in Uzbekistan.
Ribes janczewskii Pojark., a shrub species, transplanted into gardens for its edible
fruits, in the same region (PISTRICK and MAL’CEV 1998).
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