Our peculiarly British obsession with gardens goes back a long way and Plants: From Roots to Riches takes us back to where it all began. Across 25 vivid episodes, Kathy Willis, Kew's charismatic Head of Science, shows us how the last 250 years transformed our relationship with plants. Behind the scenes at the Botanical Gardens all kinds of surprising things have been going on. As the British Empire painted the atlas red, explorers, adventurers and scientists brought the most interesting specimens and information back to London. From the discovery of Botany Bay to the horrors of the potato famine, from orchid hunters to quinine smugglers, from Darwin's experiments to the unexpected knowledge unlocked by the 1987 hurricane, understanding how plants work has changed our history and could safeguard our future. In the style of A History of the World in 100 Objects, each chapter tells a separate story, but, gathered together, a great picture unfolds, of our most remarkable science, botany. Plants: From Roots to Riches is a beautifully designed book, packed with 200 images in both colour and black and white from Kew's amazing archives, some never reproduced before. Kathy Willis and Carolyn Fry, the acclaimed popular-science writer, have also added all kinds of fascinating extra history, heroes and villains, memorable stories and interviews. Their book takes us on an exciting rollercoaster ride through our past and future and shows us how much plants really do matter.

As botanists, we have been fortunate to work with many individuals and communities around the world who are deeply connected to the plants that surround them. Through our work, we have witnessed first-hand the ways in which cultural practises and beliefs are intertwined with the use of plants for food, medicine, and other purposes. This book is a reflection of our passion for Botany and our belief in the importance of understanding the complex relationship between culture and plants. It is intended to serve as a guide for anyone interested in exploring the intersection of these two fields, whether for research, personal interest, or practical application. The chapters in this book cover a range of topics, from the origin and domestication of cultivated plants to the medicinal uses of herbs and phytochemistry. Each chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the subject matter, drawing on both scientific research and the traditional knowledge of indigenous communities. It is our great pleasure to introduce this bilingual book on the Botany of plants and their cultural and commercial significance. This book aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the relationship between plants, culture, and commerce, as well as the important legal aspects related to this field of study. In this bilingual edition, readers will have the opportunity to explore these topics in both English and Hindi. It is our hope that this book will serve as a valuable resource for students, researchers, and professionals interested in the fascinating intersection of Botany and culture. Throughout the book, we have also included examples from our own experiences working with communities in various parts of the world. These stories highlight the diversity of cultural practices related to plants and the importance of respecting and preserving these traditions. We hope that this book will inspire readers to explore the fascinating world of botany and to appreciate the vital role that plants play in human culture and society.

“Pollan shines a light on our own nature as well as on our implication in the natural world.” —The New York Times “A wry, informed pastoral.” —The New Yorker The book that helped make Michael Pollan, the New York Times bestselling author of How to Change Your Mind, Cooked and The Omnivore’s Dilemma, one of the most trusted food experts in America Every schoolchild learns about the mutually beneficial dance of honeybees and flowers: The bee collects nectar and pollen to make honey and, in the process, spreads the flowers’ genes far and wide. In The Botany of Desire, Michael Pollan ingeniously demonstrates how people and domesticated plants have formed a similarly reciprocal relationship. He masterfully links four fundamental human desires—sweetness, beauty, intoxication, and control—with the plants that satisfy them: the apple, the tulip, marijuana, and the potato. In telling the stories of four familiar species, Pollan illustrates how the plants have evolved to satisfy humankind’s most basic yearnings. And just as we’ve benefited from these plants, we have also done well by them. So who is really domesticating whom?

As botanists, we have been fortunate to work with many individuals and communities around the world who are deeply connected to the plants that surround them. Through our work, we have witnessed first-hand the ways in which cultural practises and beliefs are intertwined with the use of plants for food, medicine, and other purposes. This book is a reflection of our passion for Botany and our belief in the importance of understanding the complex relationship between culture and plants. It is intended to serve as a guide for anyone interested in exploring the intersection of these two fields, whether for research, personal interest, or practical application. The chapters in this book cover a range of topics, from the origin and domestication of cultivated plants to the medicinal uses of herbs and phytochemistry. Each chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the subject matter, drawing on both scientific research and the traditional knowledge of indigenous communities. It is our great pleasure to introduce this bilingual book on the Botany of plants and their cultural and commercial significance. This book aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the relationship between plants, culture, and commerce, as well as the important legal aspects related to this field of study. In this bilingual edition, readers will have the opportunity to explore these topics in both English and Hindi. It is our hope that this book will serve as a valuable resource for students, researchers, and professionals interested in the fascinating intersection of Botany and culture. Throughout the book, we have also included examples from our own experiences working with communities in various parts of the world. These stories highlight the diversity of cultural practices related to plants and the importance of respecting and preserving these traditions. We hope that this book will inspire readers to explore the fascinating world of Botany and to appreciate the vital role that plants play in human culture and society.

Published in association with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

The root system is a vital part of the plant and therefore understanding roots and their functioning is key to agricultural, plant and soil scientists. In Plant Roots Professor Peter Gregory brings together recent developments in techniques and an improved understanding of plant and soil interactions to present a comprehensive look at this important relationship, covering: Root response to, and modification of, soils Genetic control of roots’ responses to the environment Use of modern techniques in imaging, molecular biology and analytical chemistry Practical exploitation of root characters This book will be a vital tool for plant, crop, soil and agricultural scientists, plant physiologists, environmental scientists, ecologists and hydrologists. It will be a valuable addition to libraries in universities, agricultural colleges and research establishments where these subjects are studied and taught.

Plants of the World is the first book to systematically explore every vascular plant family on earth—more than four hundred and fifty of them—organized in a modern phylogenetic order. Detailed entries for each family include descriptions, distribution, evolutionary relationships, and fascinating information on economic uses of plants and etymology of their names. All entries are also copiously illustrated in full color with more than 2,500 stunning photographs. A collaboration among three celebrated botanists at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Plants of the World is authoritative, comprehensive, and beautiful. Covering everything from ferns to angiosperms, it will be an essential resource for practicing botanists, horticulturists, and nascent green thumbs alike.