Many are reputed to impart special benefits to the user. Often the plant is obscure to the food industry. The 60's saw the growth of herbal teas produced by many entrepreneurs. In the 90's the trend continues with rose petals used in a sorbet, kudzu blossoms added to jelly, or even an attempt to use mistletoe juice. A botanical is a medicine or preparation made from a plant.
Many botanicals have a history of medicinal use, but little or no history of food use.
One visiting a market in China or Hong Kong is struck by the array of botanicals, dried or pickled, carefully preserved. The folk healers of Africa also have large stocks for sale. FDA takes a couple of approaches to dealing with these products. First, those products for therapeutic use fall under drug provisions of the law. However, just removing the therapeutic claims may not automatically convert these products to foods.