I MARTIUS ON THE BOTANY OF BRAZIL. 



1. The lAterary History of the Flora of Brazil. 



Four centuries have scarcely elapsed since Cabral (in 1500) 

 discovered Brazil, and yet the amount of species of plants 

 brought from thence to Europe is so great, as to be coTisider- 

 ed to exceed those of the entire Flora of Europe. Without 

 any fear of exaggeration it may be fairly admitted, that the 

 number cultivated in the gardens and preserved in the her- 

 baria of Europe, exceeds 15,000. Dr Martius further esti- 

 mates that this amount can only be reckoned a fourth part 

 of all the species of plants that grow within the limits of the 

 Brazilian territory, a country which, according to the lowest 

 computation, measures 257,000 square leagues (of 20 to a 

 degree,) and which includes, from the descent of the Serra 

 Pari me to La Plata, and from the eastern declivity of the cis- 

 Andes (vor Andes) to the Atlantic ocean, the most varied cli- 

 mates; notwithstandinnr that the mountains nowhere reach to 

 the snow-line. It is the extent and importance of such a Flora 

 which led to the undertaking of this *' Herbarium Floree 

 Brasiliensis;" seeing that the idea of writing a satisfactory 

 Flora of such a country could not be accomplished by one in- 

 dividual ; — and still more futile would it be to attempt a com- 

 pletely illustrated work of the multiplied forms of the vege- 

 table kingdom there, even though confined to such as are 

 already known to Europeans. But when a considerable num- 

 ber of species of plants, from the different provinces of the 

 empire, are faithfully designated and deposited both in pub- 

 lic and private Museums, the knowledge of the particular 

 species is perpetuated in an easy and certain manner. How 

 the mass of materials towards such an object has increased 

 to its present extent, by the industry of naturalists who 

 have laboured in the Brazils, we shall now proceed to show. 



The first authors who have made particular mention of 

 Brazilian plants, are — 1. Thevet, "Singularites de la France 

 antarctique." Paris, 1554. 2. Levy, " Historia Navigationis 

 in Brasiliam." Paris, 1585. 3. " Abbeville, Histoire de la 

 Mission de P. P. Capucins en 1' isle de Maragnon." Paris, 

 1614. 4. The unknown author (probably Francisco daCunha) 

 of the " Nolicias do Brazil," who wrote in Bahia in 1589, 



