Plants, People, and Culture

The relationship between plants and people is profound, affecting nearly every aspect of our lives. This book makes the case that the very roots of human culture are deeply intertwined with plants. From the prehistoric use of plants by hunter-gatherers to contemporary development of therapeutic agents derived from plant compounds, plants have, and will continue to influence the trajectory of human civilization. This book describes how a variety of traditional cultures use plants for food, medicine, in material culture and as part of their spiritual beliefs, and describes how plants and plant-based knowledge can be preserved through practice and biodiversity conservation.