AMAZON ETHNOBOTANY
Ethnobotany is the science of how native people use plants. Richard Evans Schultes, one of the founders of this science, conducted many of his studies in the Amazon. Dr. Schultes died in April 2001 (see News Links). Amazonian people use plants for medicines, construction, decoration, weapons and food. In their book, Amazonian Ethnobotanical Dictionary, Jim Duke and Rodolfo Vasquez list over 1,500 species that have practical uses. The following photographs include some important species that are likely to be encountered by a visitor.
