The representation of Caesalpinia echinata (Brazilwood) in Sixteenth-and-Seventeenth-Century Maps

Abstract

Brazilwood was the first product found in Terra de Santa Cruz, and the first explored by Portuguese colonization of Brazil. This study aims at the Occidental Cartography and the historical files represented by Portugal's interest on mapping the marketed product found in Brazil. The representation of Brazilwood in maps was possible due to scientific advancements, new land discoveries, and technological improvement during the 15 th century, which all have taken cartography to a whole new period, stressing Portuguese hegemony in Asia and in the New World. The goal of this research was to identify and analyze maps from 16 th and 17 th centuries that represented the geographical distribution of Brazilwood, and its trade. Brazilwood was represented in many maps by illumination and detailed by different cartographers. The maps and other evidence for this research were found in historical files held in both Brazil and Portugal.

Short storability of Caesalpinia echinata Lam. seeds as a consequence of oxidative processes

“…(brazilwood or pernambuco) is one of the most important plant species in Brazil and is confined to the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest due to its over-exploitation (Rocha et al 2007, Rocha 2010). The species is now extinct in significant part of its range (Abensperg-Traun 2009) and was included in 2008 in the official list of the Brazilian native species in danger of extinction (Pilatti et al 2011).…”

Kinetics of solute leachate from imbibing Caesalpinia echinata Lam. (Brazilwood) seeds

“…Brazilwood (Caesalpinia echinata Lam) is a species native to Brazil that has great historical and ecological importance (Rocha et al, 2007;Rocha, 2010). Because of its exploitation in the past and the lack of effective conservation policies, now Brazilwood is in the list of endangered species (Pilatti et al, 2011).…”