etnobotanik

Ethnobotany, or etnobotanik in some languages, is the study of the relationships between people and plants. It focuses on how cultures obtain food, medicine, shelter, tools, and ritual objects from plants, and how knowledge about plant use is transmitted, stored, and transformed over time. The field blends botany, anthropology, linguistics, and ecology to document both plant diversity and the cultural knowledge surrounding it.

Researchers document plant species, local names and classifications, preparation methods, and therapeutic or ceremonial uses. Fieldwork often combines interviews with participants, participant observation, and collection of voucher specimens for identification. Ethical practice emphasizes collaboration with communities, informed consent, and culturally appropriate data sharing. Data are stored in herbarium collections, ethnobotanical databases, and published archives, with attention to language, context, and intellectual property.

Historically, ethnobotany emerged from exploratory botany and medical botany in the 19th and 20th centuries, gaining prominence through fieldwork in the Americas and elsewhere. Pioneering figures such as Richard E. Schultes and later researchers like Mark J. Plotkin helped establish ethnobotany as a distinct discipline that investigates both plant science and traditional knowledge systems.

Applications of ethnobotany include drug discovery, conservation planning, sustainable resource management, and the preservation of biocultural diversity. It also informs land-use policy, agricultural development, and education. A central concern in modern practice is ethics and equity: ensuring benefit-sharing, protecting indigenous and local knowledge, and adhering to international frameworks such as the Nagoya Protocol on access and sharing of benefits.