2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
When loose flakes of snow fall outside the window, lining a protective blanket for bare trees and drooping herbaceous plants, the bright stipules of Bougainvillea will remind of the bygone summer and the ease of being in the warm season
The history of Europeans' acquaintance with the Bougainvillea plant
According to historical literary records that have survived to this day, the European discoverer of the Bougainvillea plant is a Frenchwoman named Jeanne Baret (1740-27-07 - 08/05/187). Fragile, but hardy, Jeanne Bare is considered the first woman on the planet who managed to become a participant in a round-the-world voyage on a sea ship. It happened two hundred and fifty years ago.
Since at all times the presence of a woman on a ship was considered a bad omen, in order to get on a ship preparing for a trip around the world, Jeanne had to disguise herself as a man. Her "accomplice" was a French physician and botanist named Philibert Commerson (1727-18-11 - 1773-13-03). Fate brought together a twenty-year-old girl from a French village and a rather famous thirty-three-year-old naturalist when his wife died shortly after the birth of her son. Jeanne took over the management of the scientist's household and, as often happened in those days, became his "mistress", as old sources write, or "common-law wife," as we would say today. However, the son, born to Jeanne, was considered "fatherless" and was left by her in the hospital, which found a foster mother for the child. The earthly life of Jeanne's son turned out to be very short, he did not even live to be one year old.
Although Philibert Comerson was a physician and a fairly young man by our modern standards, he was a sickly man and in need of constant care. This did not prevent him from accepting the invitation of a French explorer, admiral named Louis Antoine de Bougainville (12.11.1729 - 31.08.1811), who was going on a scientific round-the-world expedition, to take the place of a botanist on the ship. So that Jeanne could continue to care for Philibert, she had to "reincarnate" into a man in order to get with him on the research ship.
When the ship reached the eastern shores of South America, Jeanne helped Comerson collect native plants for a botanical collection. Since Comerson's leg injury limited his physical capabilities, the hardships of collecting and delivering plants, stones … fell on the fragile shoulders of the woman. In addition, Jeanne helped the botanist to make descriptions of samples, compile a catalog.
Meeting with a blossoming vine, which Comerson gave the name in honor of the commander of the expedition, Louis-Antoine de Bougainville, - "Bougainvillea", took place in a very dangerous place for travelers. It was the area where the city of Rio de Janeiro is today. Soon after the ship arrived and the people landed on the shore, the American natives killed the chaplain (priest) of the French ship.
Bougainvillea's victorious march across the planet
Two and a half centuries later, Bougainvillea has spread throughout our planet. The plant owes its popularity to its unpretentious attitude to living conditions. Its only "drawback" is the plant's love for warmth. But, this is easily overcome by growing Bougainvillea in flower pots. By the way, it is grown in pots in warm areas, which allows you to periodically change compositions, rejuvenate borders and flower beds from Bougainvillea.
The plant is very drought tolerant. Moreover, bougainvillea gives abundant flowering exactly when it feels a lack of moisture. So, this is an excellent garden decoration for summer residents who are stressed with water or do not have time to water the plants.
Although the flowers of Bougainvillea are very miniature, which are not always immediately noticeable, bright stipules give the plant a picturesqueness, attracting pollinators and lovers of natural beauty.
Note: the photographs presented were taken in the Egyptian city of Hurghada and in Thailand, in the tropical park Madame Nong Nooch, located near the city of Pattaya.
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