THE BOTANICAL COLLECTION OF BRAZIL
AT THE BOTANICAL GARDEN OF THE UNIVERSITY OF COIMBRA
Roberto D. M. Leite1 & Ana Cristina P. Tavares2
Jardim Botânico da Universidade de Coimbra
Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-393 Coimbra – Portugal
Tel. 00351239822897 Fax: 00351239820780.
E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]
1
Biologist, Collaborator of BGUC , ponente
2
Biologist, Curator of BGUC
The Botanical Garden of the University of Coimbra (BGUC) was established in
1772, in the scope of the Reforma Pombalina, being an excellent manifestation
of the Iluminist Movement in Portugal. Since then it has been enriched with a
great number of species of diverse regions of the world. After a botanical
survey, it was possible to select the brazilian species.
This study presents the valuable collection of brazilian species currently existing
at BGUC, as well as indications of its main uses, the location in the Garden, and
its inclusion, or not, in the Index Seminum.
Beyond the botanical research interest, this study will contribute for an
enrichment of the activities on education and environmental issues at the
BGUC. In fact, we also intend to relate the brazilian plants with the Natural
History of the Portuguese Discoveries, helping the visitors of the BGUC to
understand the surprise felt by Pedro Álvares Cabral and other portuguese
navigators, in the XVI th century, when they contact with a variety of plants full
of beauty and potentialities.