Nearly one hundred plant species mentioned in the works of Luís Vaz de Camões have been identified by Jorge Paiva, retired Professor at the Department of Life Sciences of the University of Coimbra, in a meticulous study now published as a book. As Plantas na Obra Poética de Camões (Plants in the Poetic Work of Camões), edited by Imprensa da Universidade de Coimbra and available online in open access, offers a new perspective on the poet’s epic and lyrical works through the lens of botany.
The study distinguishes between Os Lusíadas — written mainly in the East, featuring Asian medicinal plants and spices — and the lyrical poetry, which highlights ornamental and European plants. Beyond cataloguing, this approach may also help in the identification and authentication of Camões’ texts.
The book is part of the official celebrations of the 500th anniversary of Camões’ birth and coincides with the 92nd birthday of Jorge Paiva, a distinguished botanist and long-time reference at the University of Coimbra.
Read the book in open access: https://books.uc.pt/book?book=1459