During six months, the Brazilian researcher studied historical documents and European archives to enrich the CANNUSE database on traditional uses of the plant in Brazil.
The Botanical Institute of Barcelona (IBB, CSIC-CMCNB) hosted for six months Dr. Eliana Rodrigues, a researcher at the Universidade Federal de São Paulo, as part of the project “Ethnobotany of Cannabis sativa L. in Brazil”. The stay, supervised by Dr. Teresa Garnatje, aimed primarily to expand and consolidate the CANNUSE database, dedicated to the traditional uses of this plant species.
During this period, Dr. Rodrigues conducted an extensive bibliographic research in libraries, archives, and European museums to trace historical documentation on the traditional use of Cannabis sativa in Brazil. The research included the analysis of reports by European and Brazilian naturalists who documented ethnobotanical practices over the centuries.
A journey across 10 European countries
The research took the investigator to consult documentary collections in Spain, Portugal, Italy, Austria, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Germany, and Denmark, in addition to obtaining documentation from the United Kingdom through specialized contacts.
In total, she analyzed 113 works and 11 additional documents corresponding to 62 Brazilian naturalists, a task that represents a documentary contribution of great historical and scientific value.
Among the most notable sources are the works of Fathers José de Anchieta and João de Azpilcueta Navarro, as well as José Celestino Mutis y Bosio and Félix de Azara, preserved in leading institutions such as the National Library of Spain, the Museum of the Americas, and the Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid.
An internationally recognized database
All the data collected during the stay strengthen CANNUSE as an international reference tool for studying the traditional uses of Cannabis sativa.
Now, the research continues in Brazil, where the study of complementary documentation is pending to complete the analysis and prepare a future scientific publication.
This stay consolidates international collaboration in ethnobotany and reinforces the Botanical Institute’s role as a reference center in historical and scientific research on plants of cultural and medicinal interest.