The roots of civilisation

"They feed us, shelter us, clothe us, cure us, clean the air that we breathe... This beautifully produced book looks at the plants that most of us take for granted, but which have changed the world, for better and for worse. The story of these plants is also the story of human survival and ingenuity (the invention of agriculture); the greed of men and their rulers, and the founding of trade routes and empires (think of opium and spices); advances in science and medicine; of new frontiers such as genetic modification and plants grown by NASA in outer space. The roots of civilisation looks not only at the the better known world-changers like opium, tobacco, cotton and the orchid, but also at the humbler flora that have quietly but profoundly shaped human civilisation. Chapters are divided into areas ranging from fibre plants; foods, herbs and spices; flowers; medicinal; poisonous; psychotropic; and, shelter."--Provided by publisher.