/r/Ethnobotany

Photograph via snooOG

Ethnobotany is often thought of as the study of how humans (particularly Indigenous or pre-industrial humans) have used plants. r/ethnobotany is a place to discuss information relating to the broader topic of plant use by humans, with a focus on sustainable uses. These uses include food, medicine, drugs, habitat, ecopsychology, and many others. Join us to learn more about how you can use plants more in your life!

Humans have been dependent on plants since long before we were even a species. The very atmosphere we breath is the product of billions of years of photosynthesis. There are a multitude of sustainable ways for us to use plants, many of which are often overlooked. This subreddit is a place to post and discuss topics related to human usage of plants, especially sustainable uses.

Check out the following related subreddits!

r/permaculture

r/botany

r/PhysicGarden

r/tea

r/woodcarving

r/Rainforest

r/conservation

r/Restoration_Ecology

Know of another related subreddit? Please contact the mods!

/r/Ethnobotany

7,492 Subscribers

18

How can it be that cocaine has been detected in Egyptian mummies when the coca bush only grows in South America?

Hi, just reading through Rätchs Encyclopedia of psychoactive Plants, his source seems to be Balabanova. But there is no explanation how that can even be, coca doesn't grow in Africa and I don't think (m)any real scientists believe that Egypt had a trade rout with south America.

8 Comments
2024/02/20
20:50 UTC

5

Ethnobotany degree going under

I just recently graduated from the University of Kent with my MSc in Ethnobotany... but I've heard that sadly the Department of Anthropology (that houses the program) is dissolving.

Here is a petition currently going around to hopefully safe the department and program, but it isn't looking good based on the responses my peers and I have been getting from the university. I loved the program and it is so sad to see that the only program in the English-speaking world is disappearing.

0 Comments
2024/02/12
00:06 UTC

3

Plants & Oral Microbiome?

A friend of mine told me about oil pulling for dental health, and it got me thinking… Now that we’re discovering the absurd impact of the microbiome and dental health/oral microbiome on mental and physical health, how did early humans maintain a healthy oral microbiome? Of course, many factors affect dental health, but it would be very interesting to see how traditionally chewed plants like coca, tobacco, khat, etc… affect microbial composition and diversity in the oral microbiome. It seems like that would be a logical region for which the plant could evolve a symbiotic relationship if chewing is the primary method of consumption. Does this check out???

3 Comments
2024/02/07
13:06 UTC

2

"Using a Mixed Methods Approach to Investigate Land Use History and Herbaceous Plant Diversity in Southern Appalachia"

0 Comments
2024/02/03
19:30 UTC

1

Is herbalistics a safe place to buy ethnogenic plants?

6 Comments
2024/01/27
04:10 UTC

7

Ethnography Ideas

I’m an Oxford Biology student, and i’m trying to find a focus to write a botanical ethnography about a community or tradition somewhere.

Any ideas?

9 Comments
2024/01/05
11:51 UTC

2

Canadian Discord

Is there any Ethnobotany canadian discord... or any interest in one?

0 Comments
2023/12/29
03:54 UTC

2

Psychedelics

4 Comments
2023/12/11
20:29 UTC

9

Other regional examples of companion planting like the Three Sisters technique?

I'm interested in examples of companion planting using native species for food systems and ecological restoration. The Three Sisters method of growing corn, beans, and squash together is an example from indigenous North America. Are there other examples (from any region) of native plants that can be grown together for mutual benefit? What about sea vegetables in coastal settings? Thank you!

5 Comments
2023/11/26
03:06 UTC

3

Could you nominate building a seed vault in Ireland to the Reddit CommunityFunds programme?

Hi, I'm looking for Mods of Environmental Groups who would be interested in nominating a charity project for the Reddit CommunityFunds programme, to help build a Seed Vault for Ireland.

As a volunteer trustee of the charity, True Harvest Seeds, I'm not eligible to nominate it myself, but I posted the idea to the CommunityFunds subreddit and an Admin suggested I ask around for Mods to make the nomination.

This is a link to the Reddit post and Admins reply with link to the nomination form: https://www.reddit.com/r/CommunityFunds/comments/17h8d6p/funding_for_irelands_seedbank/

If you're an Environmental Mod or know one who might be interested, please get in touch.

0 Comments
2023/11/23
14:17 UTC

3

Looking for a few volunteers to interview for a college paper on Peyote

Hello! I am a senior anthropology student at California State University Northridge (CSUN). I am looking for a few people who use/have used peyote for their health and/or religious/spiritual purposes as my final paper for my anthropology seminar class on how and why people use peyote.

Your personal information will not be included in my paper and will be kept confidential. I will only ask basic demographic questions to use for my paper. If you are comfortable, I have an interview on Zoom and will use audio transcripts during our time to help me transcribe and remember our interview. You may have your video on or off. If you prefer not to use Zoom, I can either send the questions to you through email or as a message through Reddit.

If you would like to be interviewed, please send me a message.

0 Comments
2023/11/20
17:32 UTC

27

On African Psychedelic plants. Why has their use been forgotten in academia

Dear members please find my article attached. I am an ethnobotanist from South Africa and have been researching African psychoactive plants for over 15 years. This article below explains my journey.

16 Comments
2023/11/01
20:08 UTC

5

Interest in Ethnobotany or Related PhD

I studied Neuroscience at Vanderbilt graduating back in 2014. I have done research (both clinical and wet lab) in various medical labs/groups. I am looking to turn my direction toward medical ethnobotany and was uncertain if it is best to go for a MD and focus research efforts toward botany and ethnobotany, or if I should go for a PhD.
I am uncertain if I am able to go straight to PhD or if I need to pursue a Masters first since I am coming from Neuroscience, and do not have explicit experience in Botany or Ethnobotany.
Any advice on navigating this path would be greatly appreciated. I have tried reaching out to researchers in the field with not much response rate other than some book recommendations, which I have read and loved, but has given limited career advice.

Grateful for any thoughts

5 Comments
2023/10/31
16:26 UTC

7

I need help about psychedelics use in history

So, I'm writing a research paper about the use of psychedelics in history, and I would love to hear what you know about them. I already know the use of psilocybin mushrooms, mescaline cacti, DMT, 5-MeO-DMT, argot, and Iboga. Do any of you know a bit more underground psychedelics that human could have used in the past? Also, theories work fine too, as long as it's not too crazy! Thank you!

22 Comments
2023/09/19
16:59 UTC

13

Looking for academics working on ethnobotany of psychoactive plants/fungi

I'm a botanist considering a graduate school specialty of ethnobotany of psychoactive plants/fungi. Particularly plants/fungi potentially useful for healing mental health problems, conflict resolution, and related areas. I've read quite a bit of literature on the topic and am having trouble finding potential advisors as it seems a very niche specialty. Does anyone have any leads?

6 Comments
2023/09/08
00:07 UTC

4

Indigenous Tree Species to End Rainforest Fires: The PROVEN Inga Solution Unveiled

1 Comment
2023/08/24
07:17 UTC

14

Datura stramonium and Atropine. Xpost from r/botanicalillustration

0 Comments
2023/08/23
02:37 UTC

5

Any info on Spring Purging?

I've been attempting to find information about spring purging, the process where people used to eat specific slightly toxic plants in the beginning of spring in order to "purge" their bowels after a season of eating fermented and dried foods and prepare them for fresh foods.

For example, i've read accounts of pokeweed being used in communities of enslaved african people in the american south, as well as quite a few indigeneous populations in the midwest and south (Miami, Sioux, Wea, Potawatomi, from what i've read).

But i've also heard accounts of colonists, western europeans, and many asian cultures doing the same. I' sure there are examples all over the world.

Does anyone have any info or book recommendations on this? Every time i try to research, it brings up eating fad diets, "parasite cleanses", and other bits of misinformation.

1 Comment
2023/08/08
17:17 UTC

2

Top 10 herbs to grow in a garden?

Id like to grow my own herbs but i dont have much knowledge in this field. What im looking for is any plant with:

Medicinal benefits (asthma/lung health, liver health, arthritis)

Psychoactive effects (energy, relaxation, euphoria etc...)

4 Comments
2023/08/07
09:46 UTC

2

Plant medicine?

Hello. Is it safe for me to go into a forest area and take some branches from a white cedar or perhaps other species , but for the sake of this conversation, white cedar, and boil the needles and or bark, twigs and drink the tea?

I’m looking for medicinal uses of trees but want to be safe.

If anyone has up to date resources of uses and preparation methods, that would be amazing.

3 Comments
2023/07/20
13:33 UTC

13

Ethnobotany and Linguistics

Hello!

I'm hoping that some of you could recommend good resources about ethnobotany with a focus on linguistics. Seems to me that it is an important aspect in the field, but I haven't been able to find books or experts within this subject to look into.

Thanks!

4 Comments
2023/05/29
13:47 UTC

9

About u/kbjawadwar1 and his spam

This user is using the forum as a newsletter spamming all his articles here. At least, have the respect to do it once every week instead of pasting your links.

4 Comments
2023/05/17
15:41 UTC

16

Kinnikinnick

Anyone familiar with this plant and if it has any physiological benefit? I am located in the mid-Arctic, Yellowknife, to be specific.

8 Comments
2023/04/11
21:20 UTC

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