silvestres

Silvestres is the plural form of silvestre, used in Spanish and Portuguese as an adjective meaning "wild" or "undomesticated." It is applied to flora and fauna that occur naturally in the environment, outside human cultivation. In both languages, phrases such as plantas silvestres, animales silvestres, and frutos silvestres denote wild plants, animals, and fruits, respectively. The term can also describe ecosystems with native or naturally occurring species rather than cultivated landscapes.

From Latin silvestris, meaning "of the forest," related to silva, forest. The root silv- is found in many Romance languages to indicate wilderness or woodlands. The adjective silvestre has cognates in other European languages that carry a similar meaning.

In science and ecology, silvestres describes species that are native to a region or have become established in the wild without human cultivation. It can include native wild populations as well as naturalized species that persist outside cultivation. The label is often contrasted with cultivated, domesticated, or horticultural varieties. Some silvestres species can become invasive when introduced outside their native range, while others contribute to ecosystem functioning and biodiversity.

Policies regarding silvestres animals or plants vary by country, usually regulating harvest, trade, or possession to protect natural populations. Foragers, farmers, and conservationists use the term to distinguish wild resources from crops or ornamental plants. The concept of wildness is also central to biodiversity studies and cultural traditions that valorize natural ecosystems.

See also: silvestre, wildlife, biodiversity, foraging.