The World of Plants

Why are plants so important to us?

• Plants sustain life of Earth
– Produce almost all of the world’s oxygen
– The fundamental source of foods
• Many medicines come from plants
• Provide fuel, shelter, clothing, & paper
• Provide major economic benefits
• Often played major roles in human history
• Produce and inspire many other aspects of
our lives (landscape, perfumery, aesthetics,
art, poetry, metaphysical, metaphorical)
 Plants sustain life of Earth
• Photosynthesis
– Produces oxygen and
glucose from sunlight,
CO2 and water.
– Enables plants to be
“solar powered food
factories”
– Almost all organisms
get their energy
directly or indirectly
from photosynthesis.
 Plants sustain
life of Earth
• Animals and most other non-
photosynthetic organisms obtain
their energy by eating plants or by
eating animals that ate plants.
• Plants are the foundation of the
food chain (“Primary Producers”)
• Products produced by plants are
“recycled” by other organisms to
produce its own structures (cells,
proteins, etc…)
FOOD!
Many medicines come from plants
• Plant defensive
compounds are
effectively utilized by
humans and other
animals as medicine.
• 75%-80% of human
population depends on
medicinal plants as their
primary health care.
• >25% of prescription
drugs came originally
from plants
• Cinchona bark was
used by native groups
of people in the Andes
mountains to treat
fevers.

• Found active
compound (Quinine)
that treats malaria
 Plants provide fuel
Biofuels, Coal, Fuel for cooking, etc…
Plants provide shelter
 Plants provide clothing
• 61 plants used to make fibers/clothing
around the world!
• Some of the most common are linen (flax),
cotton, hemp, jute, and bamboo.
 Plants provide clothing
• Linen from Flax plant
 Plants provide clothing
• Cotton
Plants provide clothing
 Plants provide paper
• Wood pulp
• Rice
• Hemp
• Linen (flax)
• Papyrus
• Bamboo
• Etc…
Plants provide major economic benefits
• Floral industry over $100 billion/year!
• Coffee, tea, tobacco, food! Lots of money!
• Starbucks has plants to thank for their bucks!
(sell coffee, tea, cinnamon, nutmeg, etc…)
• Even our dollar bills are made of plants!
Often played major roles in human history
• Humans were originally hunter-gatherers existing in
small clans moving from place to place
• With the domestication of plants, people began
grouping together in one place for extended periods
of time.
• “Agriculture became a
foundation for human
civilization, making
possible the
development of culture,
art, and government.”
Plants have often played major
roles in human history

Black pepper
(Piper nigrum)
Often played major roles in human history
• Black pepper important as antibacterial and
antifungal food additive, came to Europe from
China via the Spice route.
• 1470 spice route blocked by Turks
• Columbus looking for alternative route to Asia for
valuable spice trade.
• Landed in Caribbean, thought he landed in islands
off India, called the people “Indians” but found no
black pepper. (but hey, he did “find” America!)
• But found they were using another “spice” that had
similar antibacterial qualities and spiciness, called
it pepper too! (i.e. red peppers, jalapenos, etc…)
 It is not so much for its beauty that the
forest makes a claim upon
men's hearts, as for that subtle
something, that quality of air that
emanates from old trees, that so
wonderfully changes and renews
a weary spirit.
.

~ Robert Louis Stevenson

Andy Goldsworthy Ephemeral Plant Art
Creative self expression and Ceremonies
 Musical
expression