Useful plants referenced by the naturalist Richard Spruce in the 19th century in the state of Pará, Brazil

Márlia Coelho-Ferreira,Viviane Stern da Fonseca-Kruel,Dyana Joy dos Santos-Fonseca

doi:10.1590/0102-33062018abb0344

Abstract

ABSTRACT The present work sought to study the biocultural collections made by the naturalist Richard Spruce in the 19th century while in the state of Para, Brazil. The material is largely deposited in the Herbarium and the Museum of Economic Botany at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK. Complementary studies were undertaken in Brazilian institutions to gather more information about the useful plants cited by Spruce for Para and their respective vernacular names and uses in the 19th century. Information was also gathered concerning the current uses of the plants by analyzing contemporary ethnobotanical studies. A total of 54 vernacular names of useful plants were recovered, including 51 native species of which 33 are used for construction purposes, 18 as food resources, eight for medicinal purposes, and one species as an ichthyotoxin. It is interesting to note that 80 % of the uses described for these plants in the 19th century in Para continue into the present day. It is hoped that the present work will serve to promote future studies involving biocultural collections that document the history of local populations and recognize the importance of traditional knowledge in the Amazon region.

Highlights

The Amazon Region awakened the interest of European naturalists and scientists in the first decades of the 18th century because of its exuberant tropical forests and the exotic nature of its inhabitants, and it became the focus of many scientific expeditions (Ferreira 2004)
The present work sought to study the biocultural collections made by the naturalist Richard Spruce in the 19th century while in the state of Pará, Brazil
It is hoped that the present work will serve to promote future studies involving biocultural collections that document the history of local populations and recognize the importance of traditional knowledge in the Amazon region

Summary

Introduction

The Amazon Region awakened the interest of European naturalists and scientists in the first decades of the 18th century because of its exuberant tropical forests and the exotic nature of its inhabitants, and it became the focus of many scientific expeditions (Ferreira 2004). Spruce was self-taught in botany and widely recognized as one of the principal proponents of that field at the time He described innumerable species from the Brazilian Amazon as well as the customs of the people inhabiting the region in the 19thcentury — he sought to understand their beliefs and practices and relate these to local knowledge about the properties and uses of plants (Seaward 2000). His dedication, knowledge and perception, as well as the impeccable organization of his collections and their descriptions, served as an inspiration for subsequent

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