main part of this pictorial flora includes 2,000 colour photographs of approximately
1,200 plant species with short descriptions, all bilingual (in English and Dari). The
general chapters give an introduction to the overall physical geography of Afghanistan (see also Breckle 2007; Djamali et al. 2012), including its geology, soils,
climate and vegetation, but also the plants and their structure, morphology, anatomy,
taxonomy and systematics are described.
During the acquisition of photographs, we got (from a private development
project by Marga Flader) some digital photographs from a tree in a village in
north-western Afghanistan and, after a short time, another one from the German
Embassy in Kabul. It was immediately clear: this tree was Ailanthus altissima. The
plant family Simaroubaceae, it turned out, had been forgotten in the Flora Iranica
(Rechinger 1963 ff). Thus, after we contacted Iranian and other colleagues in the
whole area, it became obvious; Ailanthus is very widespread (Breckle et al. 2015).
An additional delivery for Flora Iranica could be prepared to make the series with
181 deliveries complete (still lacking only the pteridophytes).
Germany, especially, has long-lasting ties with Afghanistan (Breckle 2008). In
1966, the Scientific Working Group on Afghanistan (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Afghanistan [AGA]) was founded in Heidelberg by Karl Jettmar, Willi Kraus and Carl
Rathjens. Coming back from Afghanistan at the end of 1969, I became a member of
that group. This group organized symposia, edited books on Afghanistan and was an
ideal information platform between both countries. From 1990 until 2001, I was the
chairman of the group, which had more than 250 members from about 12 countries.
From the beginning, there was close cooperation with the excellent Swiss archive
Bibliotheca Afghanica in Bubendorf and the Swiss Afghanistan Foundation.
The next step was to give an answer to the simple-looking question: How many
vascular plant species are known in Afghanistan? What proportion do we have
illustrated in the Field Guide Afghanistan (Breckle and Rafiqpoor 2010)? It was
necessary to produce a definitive checklist. All available floras and papers on
taxonomy had to be evaluated. A checklist of a region enables one to quickly become
familiar with the richness of its flora. Dr Souza Dias (executive secretary of the
Convention on Biological Diversity, Montreal) wrote in the preface: “The book
‘Vascular Plants of Afghanistan – An Augmented Checklist’ (Breckle et al. 2013,
Fig. 41b) provides the most accurate and up-to-date account of the plant biodiversity
of this region. It complements the colourful ‘Field Guide Afghanistan – Flora and
Vegetation’ by Breckle and Rafiqpoor (2010) during the International Year of
Biodiversity”.
The estimations of species numbers were about 3,500 species and 30% endemism. The more precise answer from the checklist is now approximately 5,000
species and about 25% endemism. The genus Astragalus has the most species, and
the family Asteraceae has the most genera and species. And we know that the Hindu
Kush has distinctly higher elevational belts than the Alps or the Caucasus (Breckle
et al. 2017, Fig. 42).
Both books are scientifically as correct as possible on one side but also are an
important tool for education on biodiversity topics for a wider audience (Breckle and
Vegetation, Climate and Soil: 50 Years of Global Ecology
45
1,200 plant species with short descriptions, all bilingual (in English and Dari). The
general chapters give an introduction to the overall physical geography of Afghanistan (see also Breckle 2007; Djamali et al. 2012), including its geology, soils,
climate and vegetation, but also the plants and their structure, morphology, anatomy,
taxonomy and systematics are described.
During the acquisition of photographs, we got (from a private development
project by Marga Flader) some digital photographs from a tree in a village in
north-western Afghanistan and, after a short time, another one from the German
Embassy in Kabul. It was immediately clear: this tree was Ailanthus altissima. The
plant family Simaroubaceae, it turned out, had been forgotten in the Flora Iranica
(Rechinger 1963 ff). Thus, after we contacted Iranian and other colleagues in the
whole area, it became obvious; Ailanthus is very widespread (Breckle et al. 2015).
An additional delivery for Flora Iranica could be prepared to make the series with
181 deliveries complete (still lacking only the pteridophytes).
Germany, especially, has long-lasting ties with Afghanistan (Breckle 2008). In
1966, the Scientific Working Group on Afghanistan (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Afghanistan [AGA]) was founded in Heidelberg by Karl Jettmar, Willi Kraus and Carl
Rathjens. Coming back from Afghanistan at the end of 1969, I became a member of
that group. This group organized symposia, edited books on Afghanistan and was an
ideal information platform between both countries. From 1990 until 2001, I was the
chairman of the group, which had more than 250 members from about 12 countries.
From the beginning, there was close cooperation with the excellent Swiss archive
Bibliotheca Afghanica in Bubendorf and the Swiss Afghanistan Foundation.
The next step was to give an answer to the simple-looking question: How many
vascular plant species are known in Afghanistan? What proportion do we have
illustrated in the Field Guide Afghanistan (Breckle and Rafiqpoor 2010)? It was
necessary to produce a definitive checklist. All available floras and papers on
taxonomy had to be evaluated. A checklist of a region enables one to quickly become
familiar with the richness of its flora. Dr Souza Dias (executive secretary of the
Convention on Biological Diversity, Montreal) wrote in the preface: “The book
‘Vascular Plants of Afghanistan – An Augmented Checklist’ (Breckle et al. 2013,
Fig. 41b) provides the most accurate and up-to-date account of the plant biodiversity
of this region. It complements the colourful ‘Field Guide Afghanistan – Flora and
Vegetation’ by Breckle and Rafiqpoor (2010) during the International Year of
Biodiversity”.
The estimations of species numbers were about 3,500 species and 30% endemism. The more precise answer from the checklist is now approximately 5,000
species and about 25% endemism. The genus Astragalus has the most species, and
the family Asteraceae has the most genera and species. And we know that the Hindu
Kush has distinctly higher elevational belts than the Alps or the Caucasus (Breckle
et al. 2017, Fig. 42).
Both books are scientifically as correct as possible on one side but also are an
important tool for education on biodiversity topics for a wider audience (Breckle and
Vegetation, Climate and Soil: 50 Years of Global Ecology
45