Introduction

Abstract

The term ‘dispersal centre’ literally refers to the place from which a dispersal process started. However, it also implies the location of a centre of diversity, frequently even a recent one, as well as the location of a preservation centre or refuge during regressive phases in less remoted periods of earth’s history, and that of a possible speciation centre. The latter may have been the place of differentia­tion of subspecies, or species, provided that the isolation period has been suffi­ciently long. The term deliberately brings the dynamics to prominence which is inherent in the process of dispersal. This dynamics is neither properly recognized when considering ranges ‘whose recent structures more or less force us to consider them as static entities’ (de lattin 1967, p. 16)*, nor adequately taken into account by systematic typology.