Of the 65 authors and 135 collaborators of the magnificent botanical publication Flora Brasiliensis, initially edited by Martius, and later by Eichler and Urban, published between 1840 and 1906, there were only two women: Maria Graham and the princess Therese von Bayern. Here the authors discuss the contribution made by Maria Graham during her three trips to Brazil (between 1821 and 1825, under Dom Pedro I, emperor of Brazil). She described landscapes and collected botanical specimens that were sent to England and were used by monographers of the said Flora. Maria Graham's contribution to the historical study of landscapes and aspects of the Brazilian flora is limited, but very important because she was recording her first impressions at the time. Besides her interesting descriptions and objective observations, she often documented her work with artistic renditions. A woman beyond her time, Mrs. Graham cultivated the friendship of men and women alike. This puts her in the privileged position of a first-hand witness of that moment in the history of the Brazilian monarchy.
botanical collections; landscape descriptions; Flora Brasiliensis
