etnobotanie

Ethnobotany, or etnobotanie in Polish, is the scholarly study of the relationships between people and plants. It explores how different cultures use plants for food, medicine, shelter, clothing, rituals, and ecological management, and how knowledge about plants is developed, transmitted, and transformed over time. Ethnobotany lies at the intersection of botany and anthropology and draws on pharmacology, linguistics, anthropology, and ecology.

Historically, ethnobotany emerged from natural history and colonial-era botany but matured in the 20th century with researchers such as Richard Evans Schultes who documented Indigenous plant knowledge in the Americas. Field methods include documenting plant use through interviews, participant observation, and collection of herbarium specimens. Modern ethnobotany also uses chemical analyses to study active compounds and engages in biocultural diversity and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK).

Applications include drug discovery, sustainable resource management, and the preservation of intangible cultural heritage. Ethical considerations emphasize benefit-sharing, consent, respect for intellectual property, and collaboration with Indigenous and local communities.

Challenges include loss of traditional knowledge due to globalization, language endangerment, and habitat loss; researchers aim to document while supporting communities and respecting autonomy.