A History of Orchids in South America, Volume 2, Part 1

A History of Orchids in South America, Volume 2, Part 1 The Birth of the Republics: From Independence to World War I (1825 – 1925), Brazil and the Guiana

Volume II (1) deals with the non-Spanish-speaking countries. Brazil and the three Guianas. The territories occupy almost exactly 50% of South America’s land area of 18,200,000 square kilometres and are home to 52% of its population of 422,500,000.

Volume II (2) will tell the history of orchidology in the nine remaining South American republics that emerged from the Spanish colonial empire: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay.

Notwithstanding the above, we will often find botanists, travellers and orchid collectors who crossed this historical line from east to west and vice-versa, regardless of historical circumstances and political boundaries. Thus, this volume and the next, as well as others in the future, will be closely interrelated and all political, linguistic and social differences will at some point disappear and merge into one fascinating history of South American orchidology.

In terms of chronology, volume 2, part 1 is itself divided into two parts: Part A: The era of John Lindley (ca. 1825-1850) and Part B: From Reichenbach to Schlechter (ca. 1850-1925).