What is ethnobotany?
by 
Erin Albrecht
ANSWERS: 1
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It is the study of plants in the context of human usage, culture and traditional knowledge; generally applies to preliterate cultures. By studying the use of plants by people, and by drawing on both current and previously recorded "traditional" uses, a large number of pharmacologically active compounds have been isolated from plant sources, described and adapted for use in Western medicine. Note that the practice started long before it had the name "ethnobotany"; little old ladies in England were treating heart patients with dried foxglove long before digitalis was isolated, and it was by observing this use that William Withering made it part of mainstream medicine (http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/withering_william.shtml). (Don't try self-medication with foxglove at home, btw, you're more likely to kill yourself.)
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