Introduction to Ethnobotany

This book was written for an introductory ethnobotany course and for anyone with a strong interest in our use of plants. From food to gardens, readers are introduced to the importance of plants. Most chapters contain a brief exploration of the history of some important plants and their traditional uses. Several chapters include information on the compounds in plants that give them their unique flavor, medicinal properties, or psycho-activity. From the coffee you drink in the morning with its stimulant caffeine, to the curried vegetables you might eat for dinner, plants provide us with pleasure for without herbs and spices, food would be dull indeed.