Foundations of Ethnobotany: 21st Century Perspective (Sudhir Chandra (Ed. Ashok K. Jain). Scientific Publishers, Jodhpur (India). 2017. Pages 199)

Abstract

The book presents a very different type of information that deals with the development of agriculture in various civilizations world over. Foreword for the book is written by Hon. Dr. S.K. Jain. Over the period voluminous data has been accumulated regarding uses of plant species by tribals and rural folk across the country. However, ethnobotanical living has almost deteriorated in our lives. In preface author emphasizes the need to look beyond ‘Hershberger’s ethnobotany’. According to him, 99% of Indian Ethnobotany is Economic Botany and not Ethnobotany. In fact, it is not economic but utilitarian botany. Importance of ethnobotany is put very lucidly by the author through a Chinese story; the moral derived is that “Ecology has been the official wife of human society, that failed to protect the environment and Ethnobotany – a concubine – alone can take care of the environment”. An introductory chapter, five thoughts are enumerated, which are guiding principles of the content of the book. Contents of the book are presented in five parts.