Brazilian biodiversity for ornamental use and conservation

The exuberance of Brazilian flora has caused admiration since the arrival of the first navigators. Fifteen to twenty percent of plant species estimated for the planet are found in this country. Plant genetic resources are part of biodiversity with potential for use by human populations, and are linked to the culture of the people, establishing the traditional use or enabling an innovative use. In Brazil, the landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx was a pioneer in collecting, using, valuing and preserving native species that have been admired since the 16th century, although they were neglected in the following centuries due to the valuation of ornamental plants from Europe. Between 1930 and 1960, he carried out landscaping projects that became emblematic for the development of landscaping in the 20th century. The analysis of the trajectory of the landscape architect, the 22 projects he carried out during that period, as well as the genebank structured by him, reveal significant numbers in terms of conservation. A exuberância da flora brasileira é motivo de admiração desde os primeiros navegadores. O país possui entre 15 e 20% das espécies vegetais estimadas para o planeta. Os recursos genéticos vegetais, ou seja, a fração da biodiversidade com potencial de uso pela população humana, estão ligados à cultura do povo, fixando o uso tradicional ou passando a ter uso inovador. No Brasil, o paisagista Roberto Burle Marx (RBM) foi pioneiro em utilizar, valorizar e conservar essas espécies nativas, admiradas nos séculos XV/XVI, mas desprezadas nos séculos seguintes em função da valorização das plantas ornamentais vindas da Europa. Entre 1930/1960, Burle Marx executou 27 projetos paisagísticos, destes, 22 foram estudados. A análise desses projetos revelam números significativos em termos de conservação da biodiversidade e domesticação de plantas.