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Países como Bélgica, França, Alemanha, Portugal e Reino Unido são detentores das mais extensas e completas coleções botânicas de África, provenientes das suas antigas colónias, numa expressão da relação entre Ciência e Império.
Em Portugal, as principais coleções botânicas africanas encontram-se nos Herbários de Coimbra, Lisboa e Porto, contudo, muitos botânicos experientes desconhecem as coleções africanas deste último. Também a história institucional da Universidade do Porto parece ignorar a existência destas coleções e o seu significado.
Com esta investigação quis-se perceber o contributo destas coleções para o conhecimento geral da botânica africana, e, em particular, para o conhecimento botânico das ex-colónias portuguesas durante o século XX até 1974, e as circunstâncias que levaram à sua atual invisibilidade.
O cruzamento de fontes documentais e impressas com a informação das etiquetas dos espécimes das coleções, trouxe várias novidades nos planos científico e histórico, nomeadamente a existência de vários espécimes Tipo; a representação de regiões ainda hoje mal conhecidas, como o litoral norte de Moçambique; e, pela sua antiguidade, a representação de ecossistemas que poderão já não existir.
Nesta tese defende-se que estas coleções terão sido aproveitadas para afirmação da importância da Universidade do Porto no panorama nacional, materializando o contributo da instituição ao desenvolvimento colonial ambicionado pelo país, para assim acautelar a sua continuidade face a diversas ameaças à sua existência, bem como tentar reverter uma situação de subfinanciamento que se verificava desde a sua criação, em 1911.
Porém, foi possivelmente em consequência da ligação destas coleções ao passado colonial do país que terá resultado na sua invisibilidade atual. Numa instituição onde vários professores e funcionários foram saneados após o 25 de abril de 1974, aparentemente emergiu uma vontade de invisibilizar linhas de investigação associadas à política colonial do Estado Novo, criando-se uma imagem da Universidade do Porto desvinculada da ciência colonial.
Countries such as Belgium, France, Germany, Portugal and the United Kingdom have the most extensive and complete African botanical collections from their former colonies, in an expression of the relationship between science and empire. In Portugal, the Herbaria of Coimbra, Lisbon and Porto, houses the main African botanical collections. However, many experienced botanists are unaware of Porto African collections. The institutional history of the University of Porto also seems to ignore this and its meaning. The aim of this research was to understand the contribution of these collections to the general knowledge of African botany and, to the botanical knowledge of the former Portuguese colonies during the 20th century until 1974, and the causes to their current invisibility. Cross-referencing of documentary and printed sources with the specimen’s label has brought several scientific and historical novelties, namely the existence of many Type specimens; the representation of regions that are still poorly known today, such as the northern coast of Mozambique; and, due to their antiquity, the representation of ecosystems that may no longer exist. This thesis explains how these collections could have been used to affirm the importance of the University of Porto on the national scene, materialising the institution's contribution to the country's desired colonial development, thus safeguarding its existence, as well as trying to reverse a situation of underfunding that had existed since its creation in 1911. However, it appears to have been the connection of these collections to the country's colonial past that has led to their current invisibility. In an institution where several professors and employees were expunged after April 25, 1974, a common desire to make invisible lines of investigation associated with the colonial policy of the Estado Novo apparently emerged, creating an image of the University disconnected from colonial science.
Countries such as Belgium, France, Germany, Portugal and the United Kingdom have the most extensive and complete African botanical collections from their former colonies, in an expression of the relationship between science and empire. In Portugal, the Herbaria of Coimbra, Lisbon and Porto, houses the main African botanical collections. However, many experienced botanists are unaware of Porto African collections. The institutional history of the University of Porto also seems to ignore this and its meaning. The aim of this research was to understand the contribution of these collections to the general knowledge of African botany and, to the botanical knowledge of the former Portuguese colonies during the 20th century until 1974, and the causes to their current invisibility. Cross-referencing of documentary and printed sources with the specimen’s label has brought several scientific and historical novelties, namely the existence of many Type specimens; the representation of regions that are still poorly known today, such as the northern coast of Mozambique; and, due to their antiquity, the representation of ecosystems that may no longer exist. This thesis explains how these collections could have been used to affirm the importance of the University of Porto on the national scene, materialising the institution's contribution to the country's desired colonial development, thus safeguarding its existence, as well as trying to reverse a situation of underfunding that had existed since its creation in 1911. However, it appears to have been the connection of these collections to the country's colonial past that has led to their current invisibility. In an institution where several professors and employees were expunged after April 25, 1974, a common desire to make invisible lines of investigation associated with the colonial policy of the Estado Novo apparently emerged, creating an image of the University disconnected from colonial science.
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Botânica colonial Herbário do Porto Universidade do Porto séc. XX Colonial botany Porto Herbarium University of Porto 20th century