Botanica

Botanica can refer to two related concepts in English usage. In the scientific sense, it is the Spanish form of botany, the study of plants. The term derives from Greek botane, meaning "plant," with the suffix -logia, and is widely used in Spanish-language contexts to denote the science of plants. In English, the standard term is botany; botanica appears as a loanword in some contexts or titles.

Botany covers the classification, structure, physiology, genetics, ecology, and evolution of plants. It encompasses subfields such as plant systematics, paleobotany, and ethnobotany—the study of how people in different cultures use and perceive plants. Research methods include field observation, microscopy, chemical analysis, and comparative genomics.

Beyond the scientific sense, botanica or botanicas are also retail spaces in some Latin American and Caribbean communities that specialize in herbs, roots, candles, powders, statues, and other items used in traditional medicine and ritual practices. They may be associated with folk healing and religious traditions such as Santería, Palo, and Catholic devotional practices. The shops function as cultural hubs where practitioners and customers seek plant-based remedies and spiritual supplies; product availability and regulatory requirements vary by country and locality.