Includes index

with 205 illustrations, 174 in colour--Cover

Introduction:
Utility and beauty-- Transformers :
settling down, tending the fields. Wheat, barley, lentil, pea : founder foods of the fertile crescent ; Rice, millets, soybean, grams : Asian assets ; Maize, beans, squash : the 'three sisters' of the Americas ; Potato, sweet potato, groundnut, quinoa : South American heirlooms ; Sorghum, yams, cowpea staples : south of the Sahara ; Taro, breadfruit : fuelling Oceania ; Alfalfa, oat : speed the chariot and the plough ; Olive : the quintessential oil ; Grape : In vino veritas-- Taste :
beyond the bare necessities. Saffron : the spice of conspicuous consumption ; Nutmeg, cloves, pepper : riches of the Indies ; Chilli peppers : some like it hot ; Garlic, onion, shallots, leek : hellfire and brimstone? ; Brassicas : eat your greens ; Asparagus : a delicacy ancient and modern ; Hop : the bitter in beer ; Tomato : the love apple-- Heal and harm :
getting the balance right. Poppy : pleasure, pain and addiction ; Cinchona, artemisia : fighting malaria ; Rauvolfia : ancient Ayurvedic drug ; Coca : stimulant and nerve blocker ; Strychnos : medicine as poison ; Rhubarb : potent purge to 'superfood' ; Willow : tree of sorrow and pain reliever ; Citrus : vitamins and zest ; Aloe : the succulent and its healing gel ; Mexican yam : making 'the pill' ; Madagascar periwinkle : delicate flower, powerful treatment-- Technology and power :
the material world. Cedar of Lebanon : foundation of the Phoenician empire ; Oak : might and majesty ; Yew : Medieval longbows, modern medicine ; Flax : linen and lino ; Hemp : textiles and old rope ; Cotton : clothing the world ; Bamboo : versatility and strength in a stem ; Mahogany : furniture timber of choice-- Cash crops :
making it pay. Tea : tips of a global trade ; Coffee : waking up the world ; Sugar cane : the slave trade's sweetener ; Chocolate : food of the gods ; Tobacco : the sot weed factor ; Indigo, woad : searching for true blue ; Rubber : Amazonia's precious latex ; Banana : the world's favourite fruit ; Oil palm : economics versus the environment-- Landscape :
plant aesthetics on the grand scale. Larch : stately conifers of the northern forests ; Redwoods : titans of the tree world ; Saguaro cactus : icon of the wild west ; Silver tree fern : shining Maori symbol ; Eucalyptus : Australia's signature tree ; Rhododendron : flowering mountains ; Mangroves : between land and sea-- Revered and adored :
from the sacred to the exquisite. Lotus : sacred flower of purity and rebirth ; Date palm : bread of the desert ; Frankincense : the odour of sanctity ; Pomegranate : fertility, abundance, renewal ; Apple : fruit of temptation and eternal life ; Chinese plum or Japanese apricot : herald of spring ; Rose : flower of love ; Tulip : a mania for a bulb ; Orchids : strange and beautiful blooms ; Peony : flower of riches and honour Wonders of nature :
the extraordinary plant world. Baobab : the upside-down tree ; Welwitschia : strange desert phenomenon ; Giant waterlily : 'a vegetable wonder' ; Pitcher plant : caught in a trap ; Rafflesia : the biggest bloom ; Sunflower : nature's inspiration ; Ginkgo : the great survivor.

"A glorious celebration of the beauty, diversity, importance and sheer wonder of plants, with exquisite illustrations from the collections of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Plants feed us, clothe us, shelter us, help transport us, and can both intoxicate and cure us. From food staples to exotic and enchanting flowers, plants are essential for the wellbeing of our selves and our planet. Helen and William Bynum are expert guides to the intriguing histories and uses of over 80 key plants. Rich in cultural, historical, botanical and symbolic associations, the plants, from every corner of the globe - both familiar and bizarre - have fascinating stories to tell. Starting with foods that laid the foundations for the development of civilizations, such as wheat, rice and maize, and those that enliven our diet, such as saffron and spices, sections look at plants that have helped to create our material world, including bamboo and the oak, and crops that have made people rich, such as tea, coffee and sugar cane. Many plants have been used medicinally and others, for instance eucalyptus or giant redwoods, have come to epitomize entire landscapes. Some are the objects of obsession, including the tulip, the rose and the lotus, and some are distinctly strange, such as the world's largest flower, rafflesia, which smells of rotting flesh! For anyone interested in the extraordinary beauty and diversity of flora around us, this stunning book, illustrated with botanical drawings, paintings and artworks will be an inspiration and a delight"--
Publisher's description