Brazilian woods in Portuguese xylarium / Madeiras brasileiras em xilotecas portuguesas

• Autor(a) principal: Silva, Lazaro Benedito da
• Data de Publicação: 2020
• Outros Autores: Araújo, Sara Santos, Lourenço, Marta Catarino, Bessa, Fernanda Souto, Ferreira, Andreia Moraes
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Revista Veras
• Texto Completo: https://ojs.brazilianjournals.com.br/ojs/index.php/BRJD/article/view/13241
• topic: wood samples; conservation; biodiversity; collections.

The geographical origin of the wood samples in xylotheques (xylaria, wood collections) are part of the history of knowledge on the biodiversity of a given region. Portugal was the colonizer of Brazil and the transport of wood from the 16th century onwards played a significant part in the relationship of the two countries. This prompted the present study which has the following aims; to survey existing Portuguese xylotheques, identify their samples of Brazilian woods and thus contribute to future studies concerning the origin and distribution of species of Brazil's tropical forests, analyse and characterise the different kinds of wood collection surveyed, as well as identify some woods described by means of data obtained from interviews. Sixteen xylotheques were identified and investigated in Portugal and a survey of the Brazilian species contained in them was carried out. These xylotheques were of qualitatively different types: scientific, technological, expository or historical. It was also observed that the concept of a xylarium in Portugal varies from a simple collection of wood samples in cabinet or a box, to a physical space of larger dimensions reserved specifically for the storage of samples or collections. A total of 3,126 Brazilian wood samples were found. Despite the many expeditions carried out from the 16th century and the numerous shipments of woods sent from Brazil to Portugal, especially from the 18th century onwards, no samples derived from them were identified except in historical xylarium. Instead it was found that most Brazilian samples had been obtained through donations and exchange with Brazilian institutions. In contrast, the African wood samples had been obtained by expeditions undertaken by Portuguese institutions from the 20th century onwards. This can be explained by the emergence only in that century of specialized laboratories. By then it had been recognized in Portugal that due to the increase in global consumption of wood, there was a need to develop technological and scientific expertise on such a valuable resource, and consequently in 1948 the Board of Overseas Scientific Investigations decided to set up the Laboratory of Wood Histology and Technology, with well-defined objectives.