Investigations in economic botany, J.E. Armstrong, Phi Sigma Book Store. Introduction Botany, like any other subject, can be studied from many different points of view. Economic Botany examines the biology, classification, evolution, ecology, and those specific aspects of plant biology that make certain plants important or potentially important to humans. We use plants and plant products in almost very aspect of our daily lives.
Plants provide food, shelter, clothing, flavors, beverages, drugs, medicines, and decoration.
Human existence on this planet depends on plants and plant resources. Examining the diversity of plants that have been influential and important, and those with the potential to be important will form the general subjects of this course, topics which are fundamental to understanding plant applications in agriculture and various industries. To fully understand all of the various ways plants are used requires a diversity of biological, scientific, and general knowledge. At times it will be important to know some biochemistry, anatomy, physiology, genetics, cytology, evolution, systematics, biogeography, and ecology. In addition, the study of economically important plants cannot be done in a cultural vacuum, linguistic, geographic, and historical knowledge is necessary to understand many events.