Paper short abstract:

The paper will explore the categories of exoticus and peregrinus in relation with an early modern global community of naturalists.

Paper long abstract:

This paper will examine the scholarly Iberian network of Carolus Clusius through the interaction between the Leiden botanical garden (1592-1609) and a circle of Iberian naturalists working as head-gardeners in Seville: Simon de Tovar, Juan de Castañeda and Benito Arias Montano. The paper will explore the categories of exoticus and peregrinus used by Carolus Clusius to speak about rare species from all around the world and the methodological approaches related to the study of the non-European nature. From this perspective, the talk will explore how the study of exotic naturalia was crucial for the shaping of a global community of naturalists and for the creation of new methodological approaches to the study of nature.