Tropical Field Botany

An introduction to the native, agricultural, and medicinal plants of the Old World tropics. Classroom and field work will include identification of tropical plant families, plantation agriculture (e.g. rubber, spices, and tea), and sustainable harvest of medicinal plants. Students will be immersed in a primarily agrarian society, explore issues regarding the rights of people once assigned to lower castes, and religious harmony among Kerala’s Hindus, Muslims, and Christians. Visits with western, Ayurvedic, and tribal medical practitioners will allow a comparison of how botanical resources are understood and used in these different medical systems. During the summer, students travel to Kerala, India for field work. This trip entails an additional cost to the student. Laboratory course (NS-L, GA).

Here are some photos from the 2013 field work!