Martius in the Caatinga

The Flora Brasiliensis is a landmark in global botany. Although started in 1840, its Volume 1 was published last, in 1906, featuring 59 illustrations of Brazilian landscapes. In this story, we will embark on a 'botanical journey' through one of them, highlighting its plants.

The largest expanse of Seasonally Dry Forest in the Neotropical region is found in the Caatinga Phytogeographic Domain (or biome). It coincides with the drought polygon of Northeast Brazil, extending from northern Minas Gerais to Piauí and Maranhão, with the greatest diversity occurring in Bahia.

In 1818, Martius visited the Caatinga after exploring the humid Atlantic Forest and the cerrados (savannas) of Minas Gerais. He compared the vegetation of the two areas and discussed the importance of water for plants, while relating the deciduousness of the Caatinga to European forests in winter.

The featured palm is Syagrus coronata, popularly known as aricury, licury, ouricury, or sertaneja palm. Adapted to the dry climate of Caatinga, it has great potential for food, ornamental, forage, and artisanal uses. Its management is vital for the region.

In the foreground is the Melocactus, a globular cactus known as "Turk's cap", with its characteristic apical cephalium. Behind it, we see a population of Bromelia laciniosa, known locally as "macambira". A starchy substance is extracted from the base of its leaves.

At the center of the image stands Cavanillesia umbellata, also known as "barriguda". It is a very large and charismatic tree, with barrel-shaped trunks and disproportionately small crowns.

In the foreground, in front of the "barriguda" and at the center of the illustration, we see shrubs of Xiquexique gounellei, a cactus species characterized by its candelabra-like branches.

Just to the right, on the bare soil, there is a group of Jatropha martiusii, a plant from the Euphorbiaceae family that contains large amounts of latex. Von Martius lists various species of laticiferous and resinous plants as part of the different landscapes of the Caatinga.

The large tree spreading its branches in the right foreground is Commiphora leptophloeos, known as "imburana". It is notable for its aromatic medicinal resin, edible fruits, and smooth bark, which peels off in thin, irregular sheets.

Climbing over it are some vines of Cissus and Paullinia. To the right stands Colicodendron yco, a shrub with evergreen leaves that stands out in the Caatinga vegetation. Its leaves tend to attract horses and mules, but they cause colic and diarrhea.

On the left, we see a large shrub of the cactus Tacinga inamoena, known as "quipá".

The "macambira" bromeliads growing in the bottom right corner, the towering stem of the "mandacaru" cactus, and the clumps of parasitic plants from the Santalaceae family on the highest branches complete the plants that Martius wanted to highlight in this illustration.

Far from being a degraded forest or one of lesser importance, the Caatinga is a noteworthy environment with great diversity, endemism, and life forms adapted to its irregular rainfall (400-800 mm annually), which is often concentrated into just a few weeks or months of the year.