Cristóvão da Costa is believed to have been born somewhere in Africa, possibly in Tangier, Ceuta (both Portuguese cities at the time), or in Portuguese Cape Verde, since in his work he claims to be African (Christophorus Acosta Africanus), but the exact place and date of his birth remain unknown.

After returning to Portugal, he joined his former captain, Luís de Ataíde, who had been appointed viceroy of Portuguese India.

Parts of this work were translated into Latin by Charles de l'Ecluse (Carolus Clusius), eventually to be included in his illustrated compendium Exoticorum libri decem.

[2] Costa's book is not considered wholly original, as it drew a great deal from the previously published Colóquios dos Simples e Drogas da India by Garcia de Orta.

[5] Another work of note was Tractado de la yerbas, plantas, frutas y animales, but this treatise is now believed lost.