Defining halophytes: a conceptual and historical approach in an ecological frame.

Abstract

Abstract Halophytes have certainly been recognized since the beginning of the 18th century, but subtle earlier allusions to salt-tolerant plants can be found back to 1500. By the time of the French Encyclopédie (1751-1765), and Goethe (1786), consistent data about halophytes had already been accumulated. Halophytes were brought to scientific attention through the classic and iconic papers of the German botanist Schimper, and especially those of the Danish plant ecologist Warming. However, their definitions remain controversial; the lack of a unique definition is related mainly to the complex features of this ecological group of plants. There are many definitions of halophytes, and some reflect the scientific background of the researchers who defined them. The 'historical' evolution of a definition can be delineated, and it especially reflects the progress of accumulating knowledge about halophyte biology. The definition of halophytes is thus manifold. The criteria and the historical context in which their definitions occurred and developed are discussed in detail in this chapter. Special attention is given to textual analysis that reveals the convergent approaches of researchers who used different languages. Ecological perspectives in defining halophytes suggest that, although they in fact represent a large ecological group of plants, their common xeromorphic nature must be universally recognized.