Category: plant cutting
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Literature cited
This listing is citation details primarily for the scientific articles cited within the book’s text.
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“miserable, naked, hungry”, concluding a timely celebration of plants
The book emphasises the importance and diversity of plants, showcasing their roles in ecosystems, photosynthesis, and human relationships. It explores plants’ structural ingenuity, adaptability, and intelligence, while addressing their contributions to food security, art, and medicine. Ultimately, it advocates for increased awareness and funding for plant research to ensure a…
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Chap 10 Spices, slavery, smoking, and sugar: A darker side to plants and people
The relationship between humans and plants, particularly regarding cash crops like sugarcane, tobacco, and cotton, reveals a complex history of exploitation and suffering. The industrial-scale cultivation of these plants has ties to slavery and has contributed to modern health issues, while simultaneously shaping ideologies such as communism and capitalism.
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Chapter 9 Curare, quinine, and hoodia: Primary importance of secondary plant compounds
This chapter emphasises the importance of secondary plant compounds (SPCs), which have provided numerous modern medicines and represent a huge untapped resource. It discusses notable examples like Hoodia, curare, and quinine, exploring their historical uses, cultural implications, and the potential for further exploitation while addressing concerns regarding biopiracy.
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Chapter 8 Health-giving plants
This post explores the multifaceted roles of plants beyond food, emphasising their contributions to leisure activities, health, and well-being. It highlights the importance of grasses in sports, the psychological benefits of green spaces, and the historical significance of gardens. Ultimately, it underscores how plants enhance the lives of people.
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Chapter 7b Plants and the artistic imperative
The post explores the multifaceted cultural significance of plants in art, writing, and plant names. It highlights examples like Cheilanthes lindheimeri’s reclassification to Gaga, the presence of plants in poetry from Ovid to Darwin (Erasmus), and their portrayal in art ranging from van Gogh to botanical illustrations. Plants have influenced…
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Chapter 7a Plants and the agricultural imperative
Rice, a vital food staple, supports half of the global population and illustrates the integral role of agriculture in human survival and civilisation. While agriculture fosters artistic development, reliance on a few crops raises concerns about food security. Challenges include disease risks and environmental sustainability, emphasising the need for diverse…
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Chapter 6 The intelligent plant(?)
This chapter explores the controversial concept of plant intelligence, examining how plants utilise other organisms for vital processes like pollination. It discusses debates surrounding definitions of intelligence and the potential for plants to influence human behaviour. ‘Plant neurobiology’ is discussed, in the hope of prompting reevaluation of plant capabilities and…
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Chapter 5 The sensitive plant
This chapter examines how plants possess sensory capabilities akin to human senses, exploring their ability to perceive touch, sight, smell, sound, and taste. Through mechanisms like thigmomorphogenesis, phototropism, and chemical signaling, plants adeptly interact with their environment, showcasing their sensitivity and survival strategies despite their immobile nature.
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Chapter 4 21st century botany gets Classical
The text explores the ancient four elements—earth, fire, air, and water—highlighting their critical roles in plant biology. It discusses how modern botany acknowledges these elements’ contributions while noting plants’ remarkable adaptability to environmental changes. Understanding these elements provides a perspective on plant life, linking ancient concepts with contemporary science.
Plant Cuttings 