Research field

Ethnobotany

Ethnobotany explores the relationships between human cultures and plants across history, geography, and ecology, documenting traditional ecological knowledge at risk of disappearing with elder generations. Systematic screening of plants used in traditional medicine systems including Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Amazonian ethnobotany has yielded landmark pharmaceuticals including quinine, aspirin derivatives, paclitaxel, and artemisinin. Digital herbarium collections now give researchers access to millions of plant specimens worldwide, accelerating geographical and taxonomic identification of traditional remedy plants. Benefit-sharing frameworks under the Nagoya Protocol address the ethical dimensions of bioprospecting, ensuring that communities whose knowledge enables drug discovery receive equitable compensation. Ethnobotany increasingly intersects food security, climate adaptation, and indigenous land rights.

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