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The enigma of Bougainville
🇪🇸 Spain /Culture & Society

The enigma of Bougainville

From La Vanguardia · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Outcome reported
  • A bougainvillea plant on Rambla Catalunya in Barcelona has been saved by the installation of a metal pergola, following an agreement between the city council and the florist owner.
  • The plant's name, bougainvillea, honors French explorer Louis de Bougainville, though it was botanist Philibert Commerçon who first discovered the plant.
  • The plant's assistant, Jeanne Baret, who disguised herself as a man, was the true discoverer, suggesting the plant could have been named 'baretillas' in her honor.

The iconic bougainvillea gracing Barcelona's Rambla Catalunya has been granted a new lease on life, thanks to a compromise between the city council and the owner of the Ponsà flower shop. A newly installed metal pergola will now ensure the survival of this beloved plant, a fixture that has captivated many with its vibrant colors and untamed beauty.

There are three things that enamor me about bougainvilleas: their name, their colors, and their tendency to get disheveled.

— Julia SalvadorExpressing personal affection for the bougainvillea plant.

The plant's name, bougainvillea, pays homage to the 18th-century French explorer Louis de Bougainville, who led an expedition around the world. However, the actual discovery of the plant in the region now known as Rio de Janeiro is credited to the expedition's naturalist, botanist Philibert Commerçon. Commerçon, unfortunately, died during the voyage and could not formally name the plant himself.

The name comes from the French explorer Louis de Bougainville.

— AuthorExplaining the origin of the bougainvillea's name.

Further complicating the naming history, Commerçon's discovery was facilitated by his assistant. This assistant, later revealed to be a woman named Jeanne Baret, had been disguised as a man for nearly two years to join the all-male crew. Her crucial role in collecting the first specimens suggests that, perhaps fittingly given the plant's famously wild and "disheveled" nature, it could have been named 'baretillas' in her honor.

In reality, the discovery of the bougainvilleas was not made by Bougainville.

— AuthorCorrecting the common attribution of the plant's discovery.

The author shares a personal connection, having lived with a bougainvillea for forty years. Their own plant, transplanted after a decade in a pot, grew to colossal dimensions, mirroring the impressive size of the Ponsà flower shop's bougainvillea. This enduring affection for the plant underscores its unique appeal, from its evocative name to its striking, unkempt appearance.

In reality, the bougainvilleas, so unruly and disheveled, should be called 'baretillas'.

— AuthorSuggesting an alternative name for the plant, honoring Jeanne Baret.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by La Vanguardia in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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