Fifty Plants that Changed the Course of History is a beautifully presented guide to the plants that have had the greatest impact on human civilization. Entries feature a description of the plant, its botanical name, its native range and its primary functions--edible, medicinal, commercial or practical. Concise text is highlighted by elegant botanical drawings, paintings and photographs as well as insightful quotes.

Many of the plants are well known, such as rice, tea, cotton, rubber, wheat, sugarcane, tobacco, wine grapes and corn. However, there are also many whose stories are less known. These history-changing plants include:

Agave, used to make sisal, poison arrows, bullets, tequila and surgical thread
Pineapple, which influenced the construction of greenhouses
Hemp, used for hangman's rope, sustainable plastics, the Declaration of Independence and Levi's jeans
Coconut, used for coir fiber, soap, margarine, cream, sterile IV drips and coagulants
Eucalyptus, used in mouthwash, diuretics, vitamins, honey, underwear and fire-resistant uniforms
Sweet pea, which Gregor Mendel used in his research on genetics
White mulberry, used to feed the caterpillars that make silk
English oak, used for fire-resistant structures, dyes, leather tanning, charcoal, casks and ships
White willow, used in the manufacture of aspirin, cricket bats, hot-air balloon baskets and coffins.

This attractive reference provides an innovative perspective on both botanical and human history.

About the Author

Bill Laws is a social historian and the author of 10 books. He has contributed to such publications as the Guardian, the Daily Telegraph and BBC History magazine. He lives in England.

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