The Cultural History of Plants

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All animals are dependent upon plants, since plants are the organisms at the base of the food chain,because of their capacity to photosynthesize—that is, to turn water and carbon dioxide into oxygenand sugars, in the presence of sunlight. As life on Earth gradually evolved from simple unicellularorganisms to the variety of organisms we know today, the complexity of interactions betweenplants and animals increased, but plants remained the basis for life on Earth. Plants support all animallife. Humans are no exception to this rule, and we are just as dependent upon plants as anyother animal. We depend on plants not only for their role in producing the oxygen we breathe, butalso for food, shelter, medicines, clothing, and countless other uses.

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Table of contents :
Cover……Page 1
Table of Contents……Page 4
List of Contributors……Page 6
Part I
The Seeds of Time
GHILLEAN T. PRANCE……Page 8
1 The Hunter-Gatherers – IVAN CROWE……Page 10
2 Origins and Spread of Agriculture – DAVID R. HARRIS……Page 20
Part II The Migration of Plants – GHILLEAN T. PRANCE……Page 34
3 Gathering Food from the Wild – ANDREA PIERONI……Page 36
4 Grains – MARK NESBITT……Page 52
5 Roots and Tubers – HELEN SANDERSON……Page 68
6 Fruits – CHARLES R. CLEMENT……Page 84
7 Herbs and Vegetables – JANE M. RENFREW AND HELEN SANDERSON……Page 104
8 Nuts, Seeds, and Pulses – GEORGINA PEARMAN……Page 140
9 Spices – BARBARA PICKERSGILL……Page 160
10 Caffeine, Alcohol, and Sweeteners – HANS T. BECK……Page 180
11 Psychoactive Plants – RICHARD RUDGLEY……Page 198
12 Plants as Medicines – MICHAEL HEINRICH, ANDREA PIERONI, AND PAUL BREMNER……Page 212
13 Fragrant Plants – SUE MINTER……Page 246
14 Ornamentals – PETER BARNES……Page 266
15 Natural Fibers and Dyes – FRANCES A. WOOD AND GEORGE A.F. ROBERTS……Page 294
16 Wood – TONY RUSSELL……Page 322
17 Materials – DAPHNE HAKUNO……Page 342
Part III Today and Tomorrow – GHILLEAN T. PRANCE……Page 362
18 Age of Industrialization and Agro-industry – ANDREW B. JACOBSON……Page 364
19 Invasives – VERNON HEYWOOD……Page 384
20 Conservation of Wild Plants – DAVID R. GIVEN AND NIGEL MAXTED……Page 394
21 Conservation of Crop Genetic Resources – NIGEL MAXTED AND DAVID R. GIVEN……Page 420
Plant Names……Page 438
General References on the History of Useful Plants……Page 440
Index……Page 442