Subjects / Ethnobotany

Best books to learn Ethnobotany, in order

Ethnobotany is the study of what people do with plants — as food, medicine, poison, building material, dye and sacrament — and of what botanists learned by asking rather than by collecting. It sits awkwardly between disciplines: it is fieldwork in anthropology, taxonomy in botany, and the origin of a real share of the modern pharmacopoeia.

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Reading paths for ethnobotany

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Frequently asked questions

How should I approach learning ethnobotany?
Ethnobotany is the study of what people do with plants — as food, medicine, poison, building material, dye and sacrament — and of what botanists learned by asking rather than by collecting. It sits awkwardly between disciplines: it is fieldwork in anthropology, taxonomy in botany, and the origin of a real share of the modern pharmacopoeia.
What's a good book to start ethnobotany with?
A strong starting point is The Serpent and the Rainbow by Wade Davis. The ordered reading paths above show exactly where it fits and what to read next.

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