Fifty Plants that Changed the Course of History

224 pages, 200 col illus.

From the crops that have fed billions of people over the centuries to the plants highly regarded for their medicinal qualities, this publication unearths the stories behind some of the world’s best-known plants. The plants are assessed by their influence in the categories of edible, medicinal, practical and commerical, allowing the reader to discover how each of the fifty featured plants has earnt its right to be regarded as changing the course of history.

Fifty Plants that Changed the Course of History draws upon sources from ancient wall paintings to old Japanese wood blocks, depicting traditional methods of harvesting and preparing crops.