Presenting a valuable new angle for your phytotherapy practice, this book traces the uses of 27 vital plants through 2000 years of history. From Dioscorides and Trotula to the great Renaissance folios and up to present day, this book demonstrates how traditional usage can be transmuted into your current practice.

Foreword. Preface. 1. The historical sources. 2. Some observations on the Western herbal tradition. 3. Origins and proponents of the revival of herbal medicine in 19th century Britain. 4. A note on Goethe. 5. Notes on nomenclature, plant descriptions, quality, constituents, safety and dosages. 6. Agrimonia eupatoria, agrimony. 7. Alchemilla vulgaris, lady's mantle. 8. Althaea officinalis, marshmallow; Malva sylvestris, common mallow; Alcea rosea, hollyhock. 9. Apium graveolens, wild celery. 10. Arctium lappa, burdock. 11. Artemisia absinthium, wormwood. 12. Artemisia vulgaris, mugwort. 13. Centaurium erythraea, centaury. 14. Daucus carota, wild carrot. 15. Drimia maritima, squill. 16. Fumaria officinalis, fumitory. 17. Galium aparine, goosegrass. 18. Glechoma hederacea, ground ivy. 19. Hyssopus officinalis, hyssop. 20. Inula helenium, elecampane. 21. Lamium album, white deadnettle. 22. Ocimum basilicum, basil. 23. Paeonia officinalis, paeony. 24. Potentilla erecta, tormentil. 25. Rosa damascena, damask rose. 26. Rubus idaeus, raspberry. 27. Ruta graveolens, rue. 28. Scrophularia nodosa, figwort. 29. Stachys officinalis, wood betony. 30. Tussilago farfara, coltsfoot. 31. Verbena officinalis, vervain. 32. Viola odorata, sweet violet; Viola tricolor, heartsease. Index.

Graeme Tobyn, Alison Denham and Margaret Whitelegg. Foreword by Sheila Kingsbury