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Cretan botanical expeditions and plant identification
Historical Background Botanical interest in Crete dates back to ancient times, with early references to the island’s flora found in the works of Theophrastus, the “father of botany.” However, systematic botanical expeditions began much later, around the 16th century. Early explorers such as Joseph Pitton de Tournefort and John Sibthorp made significant contributions. Tournefort, a…