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Poisoned Apples and Honeysuckles: The Medicinal Plants of Native America
Author(s) -
Moerman Daniel E.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
medical anthropology quarterly
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.855
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 1548-1387
pISSN - 0745-5194
DOI - 10.1525/maq.1989.3.1.02a00040
Subject(s) - caprifoliaceae , medicinal plants , geography , traditional medicine , biology , botany , medicine
Statistical analyses of a very large sample of uses of medicinal plants by Native Americans demonstrate a method by which we can determine which sorts of plants they were most or least likely to select for use as medicines. Comparison of the patterns of use of Poaceae (grasses), Ro‐saceae (apples and others), and Caprifoliaceae (honeysuckles) suggests why some plants are of medicinal value and some are not and how people were able to gain this knowledge.