Endangered brazilwood is the subject of a guided trail in Rio's Botanical Garden

An endangered species, the pau-brasil (Paubrasilia echinata) is the theme of the guided trail promoted by the Botanical Garden of Rio de Janeiro, in partnership with the herbarium of the State University of Rio de Janeiro (Uerj), next Monday (5/5).

The activity is to mark Brazilwood Day, created in 1978 by a law that defined the species as a national tree and symbol of the country. Participants in the program will learn about the history and curiosities of this Brazilian legume, which is protected by law after many years of predatory exploitation.

The species occurs in the Atlantic Forest, in the states of Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo, Bahia, Alagoas, Pernambuco, Paraíba and Rio Grande do Norte. Five genetic lineages are currently known, which are associated with morphotypes and geographical distribution: pau-brasil-arruda-BA, pau-brasil-arruda-RJ, pau-brasil-café, pau-brasil-laranja and pau-brasil-nordeste. The trees are covered in yellow flowers in October and November, and can reach up to 30 meters in height in the native forest.

The arboretum is home to 1,278 trees of leguminous species. Of that total, 79 are pau-brasil, which has been studied for 40 years at the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden Research Institute.

The trail will be led by Botanical Garden researcher Haroldo de Lima and biologist Patrícia da Rosa, and will take place at two times, at 10am and 2pm. It will start at the Visitors' Center. The activities are supported by the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel Foundation (Capes), the FUNBIO Scholarships - Conserving the Future program, the Humanize Institute and the Eurofins Foundation.