Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
From earliest times Man had to learn which plants would feed him, which were pleasant –flavored, which were poisonous, which would alleviate pain or other symptoms of illness, which could be used as efficient fuel,which would provide pigments for coloring and dyeing, and which were the magic plants that could transport him from reality. It was a long trial – and - error process,as a result of which hundreds of plants were selected in various parts of the world for their specific value to Man. Medicinal plants greatly outnumbered those grown or used as food, and the medicine man and witch - doctor were skilled botanists who had an important role and status in society.They can be considered as the first professional botanists.
As civilizations developed, more and more plants became known, and information about their properties and uses spread from society to society.
The number of plant species used by Man run into the thousands.Not only do they include the major and minor food crops,the timber species, the herbs and spices,the medicinal and drug plants and hallucinogens, the beverage plants, but those that provide us with fibers, cork, tannins, dyes, resins, starches, oils, waxes, and countless other products used in our daily lives. And then there are the thousands of species of trees,shrubs and herbs grown in parks and gardens and in streets for ornament, decoration, display and pleasure, and the very important group of plants grown as animal foder.
This checklist has designed as a guide for more than 1500 useful plants, arranged alphabetically under the scientific nam and property and use by number in the parenthesis.
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