Women in Flora Brasiliensis: Maria Graham

In the centuries prior to the 20th, the participation of women in science, particularly botany, was scarce. The monumental Flora Brasiliensis, conceived and initially edited by Martius, is a testimony of this.

Daughter of the British Navy officer George Dundas, Maria (1785-1842) moved to India at the age of 23. In that new country, she met the Scottish naval officer Thomas Graham, whom she married in 1809. She embarked on many travels with him.

In 1821, Maria Graham set out on a journey to South America, accompanying her husband, the commander HMS Doris, a 36-gun frigate sent to protect Great Britain’s growing trade with the newly independent South American republics, especially Chile.

Maria arrived in Brazil for the first time on this journey, in September 1821. During her stay, she passed through Pernambuco, Bahia, and Rio de Janeiro before setting sail for Chile in March 1822. However, shortly after rounding Cape Horn, her husband developed a severe fever and died.

After a few months in Chile, Maria Graham returned to Brazil, arriving in Rio de Janeiro in March 1823. There, she was introduced to Emperor Dom Pedro and Empress Leopoldina, who offered her the position of tutor to their daughter, Maria da Glória, the future Queen of Portugal.

To prepare for her new role, Maria Graham traveled to England. There, she met William Jackson Hooker, a botany professor at the University of Glasgow, who would later become the director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Upon returning to Brazil, Maria began her work as a tutor at the palace. Despite maintaining a good relationship with Empress Leopoldina, with whom she shared an interest in natural sciences, she was dismissed from her position within a few weeks due to intrigues at the Court.

After leaving the imperial household, Maria Graham remained in Rio de Janeiro until September 1825. She lived in a country house in Vale das Laranjeiras, where she explored the surroundings, including the 'virgin forest' behind her home. She collected specimens and sketched landscapes and plants.

In her diary, she mentions borrowing a book by Aublet from the Minister of the Navy. Upon observing some prints with drawings of leaves, fruits, and dried flowers, she decided to draw fresh plants, “while obtaining specimens for Dr. Hooker of Glasgow”.

Maria Graham made an invaluable contribution to botany with her collections, drawings, comments, and observations on plants and landscapes. Beyond botany, her publications provide rich portraits of the people, historical events, and customs of Brazil.