A carregar...
Projeto de investigação
Arte e Ciência na representação botânica do século XIX: dos herbários às artes decorativas
Financiador
Autores
Publicações
Documenting the flora of a diversity hotspot: Richard Thomas Lowe (1802–1874) and his botanical exploration of Madeira island
Publication . Mesquita, Sandra; Carine, Mark; Castel-Branco, Cristina; Sequeira, Miguel Menezes de
Oceanic island floras often exhibit remarkable concentrations of endemic diversity, provide spectacular examples of rapid
evolutionary radiations and harbour floras under significant threat due to anthropogenic pressures. They have attracted the interest of
biologists for centuries, but their floras continue to yield new taxa and, at a global scale, the extent of their plant diversity remains
imperfectly known. Both natural characteristics and historical factors have shaped the development of knowledge of island floras.
In this paper, we investigate the approach of Richard Thomas Lowe (1802–1874), to documenting the flora of Madeira island in
the North Atlantic. Lowe collected abundantly in Madeira between 1826 and 1873, resulting in severalworks on Madeira’s flora, published
from the 1830s. At a time when taxonomic research on island floras was often based on limited collections made during brief
expeditions, Lowe’s research on the flora, spanning almost half a century, was exceptional. In this study, 2579 herbarium specimens
collected by Lowewere georeferenced and used to investigate temporal, spatial and taxonomic patterns in Lowe’s collecting activities.
We also examine the distribution of specimens by Lowe to other botanists. Some biases are evident in Lowe’s collecting efforts, with
steep slopes under-sampled and coastal sites over-sampled. These reflect constraints imposed by topography and transport links.
These limitations aside, Lowe’swork on the Madeiran florawas conducted in a systematic manner, resulting in a comprehensive study
of the entire flora. His approach was distinctly modern: he gathered and studied all available information in herbaria and in the published
and unpublished writings from earlier visitors; his initial fieldwork was conducted widely to gain knowledge of all habitats and
their floras; later fieldwork focussed on less-explored and most promising areas; duplicates were sent to other botanists, facilitating
taxonomic exchanges on critical taxa; and his later fieldwork focussed on plant groups where taxonomic problems had been detected.
As a result of Lowe’s sustained and systematic approach, he is the single most prolific contributor to the study of Madeira’s endemic
flora. His approach is a model to documenting island floras still relevant today. Areas poorly sampled by Lowe were areas that were
difficult to access, which also protected them from anthropic destructive activities and allowed them to serve as refuges for endemic
flora. Those areas deserve particular attention in efforts to complete the survey of Madeira’s plant diversity, using technological advancements
such as drones to prospect areas that are otherwise still largely inaccessible.
Richard Thomas Lowe, an unknown Botanical Illustrator
Publication . Mesquita, Sandra; Castel-Branco, Cristina; Sequeira, Miguel Menezes de
Illustration is undoubtedly part of botanical history. In the early 19th century, as botanical
Latin yielded more accurate descriptions, the need for illustration in scientific publications
decreased. Nevertheless, advances in printing processes boosted the production of illustrated
botanical periodicals at accessible costs. Therefore, coloured depictions of plants
never ceased to be part of botany at all levels. Richard Thomas Lowe (1802-1874) studied
the flora of Madeira from 1826, when he first visited the island, to his death. He is well
known as the author of Madeira’s first comprehensive Flora, but his work as a botanical
illustrator is poorly known. We analysed the graphic production related to his first major
paper, published in 1831, along with written documents, which, altogether, support a more
complete understanding of Rev. Lowe’s botanical work in Madeira and his relevant activity
as an illustrator. We believe that joint analysis of illustrations and correspondence show that
Lowe himself made the drawings after which the plate of the orchid Goodyera macrophylla
in this paper was prepared, whose authorship was, up to now, unknown.
BiographicaI notes on Mary Young and Caroline Norton, illustrators of Madeiran plants for curtis's botanical magazine in the 19th century
Publication . Mesquita, Sandra; Castel-Branco, Cristina; Sequeira, Miguel Menezes de
Richard Thomas Lowe (1802–1874) and his correspondence networks: botanical exchanges from Madeira
Publication . Mesquita, Sandra; Sequeira, Miguel Menezes de; Castel-Branco, Cristina
The growth of scientific knowledge in the natural sciences in the nineteenth century to a large
extent depended on networking and communication between naturalists. Our case-study illustrates such
forms of scientific communication using a social network analysis (SNA) approach for studying the
relationships of the Reverend Richard Thomas Lowe, an English naturalist who lived in Madeira from 1826
to 1852, and continued to visit until his death in a shipwreck in 1874. During his lifetime, he established a
network of contacts mainly in the United Kingdom and in Madeira, which enabled him to develop and
publish his pioneering work on the local flora, including A manual flora of Madeira and the adjacent islands
of Porto Santo and the Desertas.
Illustrations, gardens, and herbaria. The discovery and difussion of Madeira's plants from the early days to the work of Richard Thomas Lowe
Publication . Mesquita, Sandra Cristina Paul Fernandes; Júdice, Maria Cristina da Fonseca Ataíde Castel-Branco Alarcão; Sequeira, Miguel Pinto da Silva Menezes de; Senos, Nuno de Carvalho Conde
Oceanic islands harbour impressive biodiversity, being natural laboratories
that have attracted the interest of naturalists for a long time. Madeira is one
such case; its flora investigated by several botanists on their way to exploring
new territories further south. The process by which Madeira’s endemic flora
was gradually discovered by botanists, plant collectors and traders, illustrators,
gardeners, nurseries, garden owners and curators is paradigmatic of the plant
circulation paths and patterns within Europe.
The global aim of this thesis is to understand how knowledge about
Madeiran plants evolved and circulated up to the end of the 19th century, particularly
regarding the work developed during that century, the most prolific
when referencing botanical research on the archipelago; and how illustrations,
gardens and herbaria, targeted as relevant sources of information, were part of
that evolution.
The paths followed by two emblematic endemics, the earliest to be introduced
in Europe—Jasminum azoricum and Musschia aurea—were explored.
They were first cultivated in private and institutional gardens as part of natural
history collections, providing material evidence to support scientific advancement
and botanic illustration and publishing. These plants were present
in critical moments in the history of botany, botanical illustration, and
gardening and horticulture. In this process, botanic and private gardens were
paramount in providing material, information and impetus for the study of
plant diversity.
In the 19th century, the study of Madeiran flora advanced through the
new paradigm of the work by Richard Thomas Lowe. Georeferencing his plant
collections from herbarium specimens revealed Lowe’s work’s temporal and
spatial patterns and the thoroughness and systematic approach of his research.
Moreover, he relied on a complex network of strategically positioned contacts
with whom he exchanged specimens and information, actively contributing
to his undertakings. As a result, his A Manual Flora of Madeira is, to this day, a
major reference body of work.
Illustrations, gardens, and herbaria proved to be valuable and complementary
sources, providing distinct information that contributed to a coherent
view of plant circulation patterns
Unidades organizacionais
Descrição
Palavras-chave
Contribuidores
Financiadores
Entidade financiadora
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Programa de financiamento
Número da atribuição
SFRH/BD/117226/2016