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Ethnobotanicals & People

In the most basic sense of the word “ethnobotanical” we refer to plants that are used by people. This can essentially include any plant as we breath air they help filter. On this page, however, we refer more to plants that have some form of commercial market and their use is actually useful. We do not include ornamentals for example, even though we think they are pretty and might help with things like depression and making people feel better.

Bellow is a list grouped into plant families then within each family is the list of plants in alphabetical order using their botanical name. We don’t organize anything by “common names” because they are useless, frankly. Common names for one plant can number in the dozens, and that is just for English. Botanical names are universal, and thus more logical to use.

Botanical Name	English Name	Part(s) used	Reason used	Reference


Apocynaceae Family
Botanical Name	English Name	Part(s) used	Reason used	Reference

*Tabernanthe iboga*	Iboga, Eboka	Root, root bark	Hallucinogen, ceremonial
Annonaceae Family
Botanical Name	English Name	Part(s) used	Reason used	Reference
*Annona cherimola*	Cherimola, Custard Apple	Fruit	Commercial Fruit	Personal Observation
*Annona squamosa*	Sugar Apple	Fruit	Commercial Fruit	Personal Observation
		Seed	Dye
Arecaceae Family
Botanical Name	English Name	Part(s) used	Reason used	Reference
*Areca catechu*	Betel Nut	Immature Seed Seed	Stimulant Dye
*Cocos nucifera*	Coconut	Seed Leaves Stem	Edible fruit/juice/oil Thatch Roof Wood/fiber
*Salacca edulis*	Snakeskin Fruit	Fruit	Edible Fruit

Asteraceae Family
Botanical Name	English Name	Part(s) used	Reason used	Reference


Cactaceae Family
Botanical Name	English Name	Part(s) used	Reason used	Reference

*Echinopsis lageniformis*	Achuma	Stem-flesh (Skin+cortex) Live Plant	Hallucinogenic Cactus Graft Stock
*Echinopsis pachanoi*	San Pedro	Stem-flesh (Skin+cortex)	Hallucinogenic
*Echinopsis peruviana*	Peruvian Torch	Stem-flesh (Skin+cortex)	Hallucinogenic
*Hylocereus undatus*	Dragon Fruit	Fruit Plant (live)	Fruit, Food colourant Grafting Cacti	Personal obsvervation
*Lophophora williamsii*	Peyote	Stem (Plant)	Hallucinogenic

*Opuntia dillenii*	Prickly pear	Fruit Plants	Food/drink colourant, wine Military beach defense	Pers. obsv. Penghu Islands, Taiwan. Pers. obsv. Taiwan.
*Opuntia ficus-indica*	Prickly pear	Stem Fruit	Human/Animal Food Fruit, colourant
Cannabaceae Family
Botanical Name	English Name	Part(s) used	Reason used	Reference
*Cannabis sativa* This plant is one of the most useful plants known to man, and has far too many uses to list. "Almost everything" comes to mind.	Marijuana	Flower bud Plant Stem fibre	Narcotic, medicine Oils, medicine Commercial fiber products
*Humulus lupulus*	Hops	Flower/Bud	Beer ingredient, sleep aid
Convolvulaceae Family
Botanical Name	English Name	Part(s) used	Reason used	Reference
*Argyreia nervosa*	Hawaiian Baby Woodrose	Seed	Medicine, psychedelic.
*Ipomoea tricolor*	Morning Glory	Seed	Medicine, sacrament, psychedelic.
*Turbina corymbosa*	Ololiuqui	Seed	Medicine, sacrament


Ephedraceae Family
Botanical Name	English Name	Part(s) used	Reason used	Reference


Erythroxylaceae Family
Botanical Name	English Name	Part(s) used	Reason used	Reference


Fabaceae Family - Family Page
Botanical Name	English Name	Part(s) used	Reason used	Reference
Acacia confusa Merr.	Taiwanese Acacia	Trunkéroot Bark	DMT source	Pers. Obsv.
*Anadenanthera colubrina*	Cebil	Seed	Snuff (Hallucinogenic)
*Anadenanthera peregrina*	Yopo	Seed	Snuff (Hallucinogenic)
*Calia secundiflora*	Mescal Bean	Seed (bean)	Ceremonial (poisonous)
*Cassia leiandra*
*Desmanthus illinoensis*	Illinois Bundleflower	Root & Rootbark Living Plant	DMT source Land reclamation
*Dipteryx alata*		Fruit	Fruit
*Hymenaea courbaril*
*Hymenaea stigonocarpa*
*Inga cinnamomea*		Fruit pulp	Edible
*Inga edulis*		Fruit pulp	Edible
*Inga laurina*		Fruit pulp	Edible
*Inga marginata*		Fruit pulp	Edible
*Inga sessilis*		Fruit pulp	Edible
*Inga vera*		Fruit pulp	Edible
*Inga vulpina*		Fruit pulp	Edible




*Mimosa tenuiflora*	Jeruma	Root bark Stem Bark	DMT source Soap

*Tamarindus indica*	Tamarind	Fruit Young leaves	Fruit/cooking Vegetable (Burma)	Pers. Obsv. Pers. Obsv.
Family
Botanical Name	English Name	Part(s) used	Reason used	Reference


Family
Botanical Name	English Name	Part(s) used	Reason used	Reference

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Plant Types

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Ethnobotanicals & People

Apocynaceae Family

Annonaceae Family

Arecaceae Family

Asteraceae Family

Cactaceae Family

Cannabaceae Family

Convolvulaceae Family

Ephedraceae Family

Erythroxylaceae Family

Fabaceae Family - Family Page

Family

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