ethnobotany

"As Indigenous scientist and author of Braiding Sweetgrass Robin Wall Kimmerer harvests serviceberries alongside the birds, she considers the ethic of reciprocity that lies at the heart of the gift economy. How, she asks, can we learn from Indigenous wisdom and the plant world to reimagine what we value most? Our economy is rooted in scarcity, competition, and the hoarding of resources, and we have surrendered our values to a system that actively harms what we love. Meanwhile, the serviceberry's relationship with the natural world is an embodiment of reciprocity, interconnectedness, and gratitude. The tree distributes its wealth-its abundance of sweet, juicy berries-to meet the needs of its natural community. And this distribution insures its own survival. As Kimmerer explains, "Serviceberries show us another model, one based upon reciprocity, where wealth comes from the quality of your relationships, not from the illusion of self-sufficiency.""--Provided by publisher.

Presents a pocket guide to one hundred twenty-five Native American medicinal plants and herbs, and includes directions for their use, remedies for common ailments, and information on folk medicine.

Intertwines the stories of scientific explorer Richard Evans Schultes and his student Tim Plowman, both of whom went on scientific expeditions to South America, Schultes spending twelve years, beginning in the 1940s, mapping uncharted rivers and collecting botanical specimens; and Plowman, who along with the author, duplicated Schultes's journey thirty years later.

A guide to fifty-two herbs used by the Indians of North America that identifies each plant by locale and provides information on their uses.

Describes the experiences of an ethnobotanist in South America as he learns from Trio Indians the medicinal value of rainforest plants, and struggles to record the data before these ancient traditions vanish.

An unabridged republication of an article from the "Forty-fourth Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology, 1926-1927," which details the use of nearly two hundred plants for food, natural cures, and native crafts.

Discusses what ethnobotany is, the relationship between plants and cultures, the ways indigenous peoples use and perceive nature, and conservation issues.

Discusses how we have learned from traditional healers around the world about the medicinal value of substances from nature.