Book Review Editor, Wendy L. Applequist

Book Reviews Book Review Editor, Wendy L. Applequist

Ireland’s Generous Nature: The Past and Present Uses of Wild Plants in Ireland. Wyse Jackson, Peter. 2014. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis, MO. 754 pp. (hardcover). ISBN 978-0915279-78-4. USD 60.00. Peter Wyse Jackson’s Ireland’s Generous Nature is the first ever comprehensive account of the historical and present-day uses of wild plant species in Ireland. The author used to be affiliated to the National Botanic Gardens of Ireland, but is currently with the Missouri Botanical Garden (USA). This magnum opus records, documents, and presents a wealth of traditional knowledge about Irish plant use, knowledge that has been disappearing fast. More than 1500 wild plants are detailed in a systematic list, which gives both their Irish and English names. Many historical references have been included from a wide range of Irish literature. But even there, a lot of information is still missing (in the words of the author), esp. on rare plant use, poisonous, unpalatable plants, species which are difficult to distinguish taxonomically, and recent additions to the Irish flora. Nevertheless, this lively, very well-illustrated and scholarly book shows how plants have been used in virtually every aspect of human life in Ireland: food, clothes, medicine, construction and handicrafts, drinks, veterinary medicine, human health and beauty (horticultural use), and even death. The chapter on Bethnobotany of wild plants in Ireland: a systematic list^ offers an alphabetical list of species; icons help the reader to quickly Bsee^ what the different species are used for. The book is richly illustrated with photographs, as well as botanical paintings by Irish artist Lydia Shackleton (1828–1914). Its blend of scientific and historic facts with myths, superstition, and tales offers an unrivaled account of the rich heritage of Irish plants. The book has a clear focus on flowering plants, but conifers, ferns (and fern allies) and algae, fungi, lichens, mosses, and liverworts are also dealt with. The plant names in Irish local plant names annex may seem more helpful for Irish readers but

clearly shows the author wanted to be thorough and complete. All in all, this is very nice publicity for our fascinating ethnobotany field, and should inspire more than just ethnobotanists! PATRICK VAN DAMME FBW/GHENT University GHENT, BELGIUM [email protected] Compendium of Indian Folk Medicine and Ethnobotany (1991-2015). Jain, Vartika, and S.K. Jain. 2016. Deep Publications, New Delhi. 542 pp. (hardcover). ISBN 978-93-80702-10-0. USD 125. This book is a remarkable compendium of bibliographic information on the ethnobotany and traditional medical practices of India, compiled from the literature (mostly regional and thus not widely available internationally) published during 1991–2015. The species are organized by their scientific names, comprising a total of 4663 individual species, including plants used for medicine, food, fiber and construction, cultural and religious purposes, and reporting on many other ways in which people employ plants in their daily lives. Medicinal uses are the primary focus of this book, and the uses are summarized in very short phrases, such as Bvermifuge,^ Bblood pressure,^ and Bsnake bite.^ For the reader who wishes to delve deeper into the original source of the information, a number following each use citation refers to one of the 1000 individual references studied to excerpt the material found in this book. There is also a key to the areas of India where each use was found and documented. In addition, there is an index to the references based on their utility categories as well as an index of over 21,000 local names that correspond to the 4663 scientific names listed in this reference. The epilogue gives a brief summary of the status of ethnobotanical research in India, along with how it has evolved, e.g., what areas of the country are

Economic Botany, 71(2), 2017, pp. 194–199 © 2017, by The New York Botanical Garden Press, Bronx, NY 10458-5126 U.S.A.

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now the focus of greater study during the past few decades as compared to research during earlier times. It is interesting to note that, as pointed out in the Foreword by Professor Sir Ghillean Prance, the number of plants cited in this volume, as compared to S.K. Jain’s 1991 Dictionary of Indian Folk Medicine and Ethnobotany (Jain, 1991), is an increase of approximately 45%. This is due to the groundswell of interest in the field of ethnobotany, and the greater number of researchers involved in documentation of the study of useful plants of India. The compilation and production of this book has been a monumental undertaking by an esteemed ethnobotanist and his disciple and deserves a place in every reference collection on the flora of India. LITERATURE CITED Jain, S.K. 1991. Dictionary of Indian Folk Medicine and Ethnobotany. Deep Publications, New Delhi. MICHAEL J. BALICK INSTITUTE OF ECONOMIC BOTANY THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN BRONX, NY, USA [email protected] Ethnobotany of India. Volume 1. Eastern Ghats and Deccan. Pullaiah, T., K. V. Krishnamurthy and Bir Bahadur (eds.) 2017. Apple Academic Press, Oakville, Canada, and Waretown, NJ. xxii +502 pp. (hardcover). ISBN 978-1-77188-338-2. USD 179.95. Until the publication of this five-volume series, there has not been such an ambitious attempt at a comprehensive English-language description of the ethnobotany of India. This first volume exhibits some of the framework and occasional flashes of deeply researched scholarship needed to potentially fill the role of a desk reference for this topic. Pullaiah et al. should be praised for their ambition. The best chapters very nicely (and in great detail) convey the unique and rich ethnobotanical milieu of Eastern Ghats and Deccan. For researchers looking for specific information on these regions, it has been nearly impossible to find so many cited references and so many tables and lists of plants and their uses in one place. For the rather steep price of this book, approximately three-quarters of it will deliver in that regard. Importantly, this volume excels where it needs to—it delivers loads of detailed and organized information on human-plant relationships of all kinds (including medicine, food, fibers, and other

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interfaces), specific to Eastern Ghats and Deccan. Yet, this is an amalgamated, edited volume and some peripheral chapters do begin to meander or seem out of place. Without very strong editorial vision and subsequent control, edited volumes can be challenging creations—especially when it comes to broad topics such as the ethnobotany of one of the largest countries on earth. As might be expected, especially in a collection of individually crafted manuscripts, there are shining moments and some weaknesses. The weakest sections of the work are the portions that are farthest from the strictest interpretation of BEthnobotany of India^. For example, there are portions of the introductory chapters that, while providing some interesting information, are generally not well organized. In essence they should be brief overviews covering the geographic and human diversity of the region. However, a good encyclopedia might provide the uninitiated reader a more concise and direct treatment of Eastern Ghats and Deccan. The last two chapters also appear to be afterthoughts. BComputer Applications in Ethnobotany^ is a wonderful subject —and it may have a place dispersed throughout the volume at relevant moments—but as a concluding chapter, it comes off as a random addition. The same goes for an inaccurately titled chapter on BEthnobotany, Ethnopharmacology, Bioprospecting, and Patenting^. These are all important points of discussion but this chapter deals with none of them deeply or broadly. All this being said, the rather minor flaws of overindulgent editing can be easily pardoned because of the valuable ethnobotanical information contained in this volume. Yes, sometimes the actual writing can alternatively come off as pedantic and tortuous. There may be too many sentences with vague philosophical musings on human-plant interactions rather than actual ethnobotany or ethnobotanical context. But generally, because of the above liabilities and occasional awkward English grammar and/or spelling mistakes, the volume would vastly benefit from the screw-tightening of a meticulous editor. JOHN DE LA PARRA NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY BOSTON, MA, USA [email protected] Ethnobotany of India. Volume 2. Western Ghats and West Coast of Peninsular India. Pullaiah, T., K. V. Krishnamurthy and Bir Bahadur (eds.) 2017. Apple Academic Press, Oakville, Canada, and

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Waretown, NJ. xx + 348 pp. (hardcover). ISBN 978-1-77188-404-4. USD 149.95. Over the past two decades, there has been an exponential increase in ethnobotanical studies throughout South Asia. Often published in local journals or by independent presses, however, their findings rarely receive the attention needed to drive both innovation and policy. The five-volume Ethnobotany of India series addresses this by extensively reviewing plant resources from the subcontinent. Volume 2 focuses on ethnobotanical knowledge from the Western Ghats and West Coast of Peninsular India, providing not only historical context but also ethnographic insight into the region. The Western Ghats are one of Earth’s most breathtaking biocultural hotspots. Extending south from the humid metropolis of Mumbai through the western tip of Peninsular India, their rolling hills house diverse communities that have (re)shaped each other through time. Volume 2 presents these dynamics in 13 curated chapters structured around standard ethnobotanical tables. However, it is unique in that it supplements them with additional information on global processes, including historical trade in the Arabian Sea. Other chapters shed light on the value of place when assessing plant use and management. Of note, a section on sacred forests highlights mores that may promote communitybased conservation of medicinal plants. This volume will serve as a pragmatic and authoritative reference for conservationists and pharmacologists working in India. Its structure is clear, and its binding is durable. All things considered, this text is appropriately priced as a CRC publication. Readers will also find it credible as a de facto gap and trend analysis for ethnobotanical studies in the Western Ghats. Notwithstanding, Volume 2 falls short in two major domains. First, the authors do not address differences in plant use either within or among communities. These considerations are essential for both biological conservation and cultural preservation in India, and, in fact, buttress each other. Aspects of caste, ethnicity, gender, etc. that dictate species use and management were tabled in favor of broad-stroke, qualitative notes on plant uses. Second, the authors only briefly discuss the ethical considerations associated with traditional knowledge in drug development. Given recent legislation, including the Indian Biological Diversity Act of 2002, equitable returns to knowledge holders and their communities deserve a more robust discussion.

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This is particularly true for a text that advertises it will Bhelp lead to the discovery of new drugs, nutraceuticals, and other useful products for the benefit of mankind.^ ALEXANDER R. O’NEILL DUKE UNIVERSITY DURHAM, NC, USA [email protected] Changes in the Use of Wild Food Plants in Estonia. 18th - 21st Century. Renata Sõukand and Raivo Kalle. 2016. Springer, Cham, Switzerland. viii +172 pp. (paperback). ISBN 978-3-31933947-4. USD 54.99. The Baltic countries—Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania—have a rich and varied history of human occupation and shifting administration, often by external powers, that have influenced plant use for millennia. A variety of recent studies, in particular from Estonia, have highlighted how present day use of wild and cultivated species is deeply engrained in society. However, up to now, this plant use has not been put in the context of its historic development. In their volume Changes in the Use of Wild Food Plants in Estonia. 18th - Century, Renata Sõukand and Raivo Kalle finally provide an up to date overview on the development of plant use in Estonia over the last centuries, and the work is really an excellent example of how ethnobotanical research should be done and presented. The volume provides an excellent introduction into the context of wild food plant use in Estonia and gives an in-depth overview of the pertinent literature sources. Based on this introduction, the reader is provided with great detail on plant use in a wide variety of use categories, stretching from bread ingredients, hot dishes, salads and cold dishes, jams, alcoholic beverages to seasonings. Each chapter presents a solid background about specific uses, presents detailed tables on the plants used, and discusses the historic context. This is followed by chapters discussing the various sources that have influenced plant use in Estonia over time, a detailed discussion of changes in use and perception of plants in contemporary Estonia, and an attempt to give a perspective on possible developments in the future. The authors provide excellent insights into the present day and historic ethnobotany of a fascinating region, and the presented details reflect great knowledge, attention to detail, and a love for the subject. While the ethnobotanical information is

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flawless, the text unfortunately suffers from a lack in English language editing, which makes it often hard to read. One would expect that the editor of a book series would take better care to help authors whose native language is not English to revise the text in order to present it in correct English. Changes in the Use of Wild Food Plants in Estonia. 18th - 21st Century is a very new nice resource for everybody interested in plant use in the wider Baltics and Central Europe. The volume is indeed a very timely addition to European ethnobotanical literature and serves both experts and laypeople. Although the price tag is quite high, and the mentioned language issues make reading the text somewhat tedious, it is to be hoped that the volume will have a wide distribution. RAINER W. BUSSMANN WILLIAM L. BROWN CENTER MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN St. LOUIS, MO, USA [email protected] Timber Trees of Suriname. An Identification Guide. Bhikhi, Chequita R., Paul J. M. Maas, Jifke Koek-Noorman, and Tinde R. van Andel; Marion J. Jansen-Jacobs (ed.) 2016. LM Publishers, Volendam, The Netherlands. 288 pp. (hardcover). ISBN 978-94-6022-391-4. EUR 49.50. Suriname’s main export earnings come from mining (gold and bauxite/alumina). According to the FAO (2015), Suriname has around 15.3 million hectares of forest, which makes up 95.4% of the country’s total land area. Almost all are primary forests, and 99% are publicly owned. These forests contain a substantial stock of valuable hardwoods. However, most stands are difficult to access, so little deforestation has taken place, though over 5 million hectares of natural forests are used for wood production as of 2010 (via concessions; Blaser et al. 2011). Wood production still has local importance and also serves regional markets. The current Timber Trees of Suriname is an English-language version of an earlier 1963 publication (in Dutch) that comprises some 100 timber species. No key to families or species is provided, but species can be traced through their vernacular (and/or scientific) names, so that the use of a flora is needed. Species are botanically described in detail and very well illustrated via line drawings, and very colorful pictures. Ecology and distribution and wood characteristics are presented in detail. The book starts with an explanation of the description

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philosophy, while several glossaries provide much appreciated insight into terminologies and (local) wordings. Only with some species slash-pictures are provided. All species get a detailed microscopic wood structure picture. Overall, the quality of both text and illustrations is high, and the book looks quite appealing. It will surely help timber producers to identify the species of interest; a point of criticism is that the wood as such is not illustrated, and the distribution of species could have been visualized by (small) maps. LITERATURE CITED Blaser, J., A. Sarre, D. Poore, and S. Johnson. 2011. Status of Tropical Forest Management 2011. ITTO Technical Series No 38. International Tropical Timber Organization, Yokohama. FAO. 2015. Global Forest Resources Assessment, 2015. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome. http://www.fao.org/ 3/a-i4808e.pdf PATRICK VAN DAMME FBW/GHENT UNIVERSITY GHENT, BELGIUM [email protected] Plants with Anti-Diabetes Mellitus Properties. Subramoniam, Appian. 2016. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. xiv + 591pp. (hardcover). ISBN 9781-4822-4989-7. USD 239.95. With a decent number of published reviews and chapters covering anti-diabetic plants, Subramoniam is correct to bring up the question of whether there is even a need for a book such as his. And ultimately, I would agree with the author that for convenience alone, this book has considerable value. We can be grateful for the considerable amount of collected research that is presented here—in fact, we are gifted with 126 pages packed full of references alone, most of which are from the last 5 to 10 years. These references nicely support the three major sections of the book. Section one is a short, nicely summarized, but perhaps not entirely necessary, review of the origins and medical biochemistry of diabetes mellitus. This section eventually concludes with a final page on plant products as sources of anti-diabetes medication. It would have been preferable, considering the audience of this book, to have that portion expanded. Section two contains entries for approximately 1085 plants with at least one shred of scientifically assayed evidence. Keep in mind that shred may be a

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simple reference to a review paper and not drilled down to the actual study performed (e.g., the entire entry for Vittadinia australis is BThe root extract of this plant has been reported to decrease blood glucose in rodents.^). Of course, this is not the case for all entries. For example, an entry for Trigonella foenum-graecum spreads four pages, including multiple pictures and several relevant references, as well as sections on nomenclature, description, distribution, traditional medicinal uses, pharmacology, clinical trials, toxicity, and phytochemicals. The author also includes in this section an admittedly incomplete list of 585 plants traditionally used as antidiabetic agents that have never been subjected to scientific studies. This is a minor, but interesting bit of information for the pharmacognosists looking to investigate untrodden territory. Section three describes functional foods that have a history of use for diabetes under the heading BNutraceuticals for Diabetes Mellitus.^ Although it is just seven pages long, economic botanists are sure to find this section particularly interesting as it details the economic potential for cultivated food crops as vehicles for anti-diabetes bioactivity. The author points out the conceivability of dietary supplementation by way of Bvalue-added dishes^ while also cautioning that it is hard to properly and effectively dose such treatments. In addition to musing on the potential for anti-diabetic foods and encouraging the further study of these plant products, the section contains a very interesting table listing plants with anti-diabetes properties in their edible parts, and exactly which edible part contains the Bbiologically active^ component. However, it should be noted that none of these listings contain citations. One pressing issue in this book and many like it, indeed one that is common to the previously mentioned review papers in the published literature, is normalizing for the quality of work performed by the cited scientific studies. As a quality control, Subramoniam only includes those plants that have Bat least one scientific study to substantiate their antidiabetes property.^ This may set the bar a bit low for some, but perhaps, it is a good catch-all starting place for those looking to do further investigation. However, when one is presented with a statement such as that found in section three of this book: B…curcumin from tumeric has antioxidant, antidiabetic, antiinflammatory, and cancer-preventative properties^, how much weight do we give a conclusion such as that? At that point, it is then up to the reader to do the deeper confirmation—which leads us back to the original problem of convenience. One possible

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strategy would be to further categorize the plant entries based on the number and significance of the published studies cited for each entry. That being said, because of the author’s serious and careful documentation of sources, any cautious reader can do their own sleuthing to determine how seriously to trust any particular scientific claims of anti-diabetic properties. JOHN DE LA PARRA NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY BOSTON, MA, USA [email protected] IAWA List of Microscopic Bark Features. IAWA Journal 37(4): 517-615. Angyalossy, Veronica, Marcelo R. Pace, Ray F. Evert, Carmen R. Marcati, Alexei A. Oskolski, Teresa Terrazas, Ekaterina Kotina, Frederic Lens, Solange C. MazzoniViveiros, Guillermo Angeles, Silvia R. Machado, Alan Crivellaro, Karumanchi S. Rao, Leo Junikka, Nadezhda Nikolaeva, and Pieter Bass. 2016. International Association of Wood Anatomists, Leiden. [IAWA journal office, [email protected].] 99 pp. (paperback). No ISBN. EUR 13.00, USD 15.00 [plus postage]. DOI: 10.1163/2294193220160151. This small volume, a paperbound reprint of a substantial article from the IAWA Journal, represents the efforts of a committee of 16 expert bark anatomists to generate an authoritative list of nonubiquitous bark microanatomical characters, with preferred English terminology, definitions, comments, and illustrations. The primary purpose of that committee’s activities was to facilitate comparative studies of bark anatomy using a standardized terminology, with characters numbered to facilitate computer coding of data. However, this work might also provide useful information to those whose interest is in practical applications of bark anatomy, such as the authentication of herbal raw materials or the identification of artifacts made from bark. The 173 numbered anatomical characters are often spectacularly well illustrated, in full color throughout, with usually excellent slide preparation, staining, and photography. An appendix discusses techniques briefly, with enough information given to make it clear that you could not hope to see similar results (beginning with the fact that fresh bark was fixed to avoid the collapse of thin-walled cell types on drying). The online edition of the journal is said to provide supplementary information including recipes and protocols. Comments

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regarding many characters, ranging from anatomical or developmental details to advice on the observation of the character or examples of genera possessing it, are cogent and useful. There are also seven pages of references. Compared to the institutional journal subscription price listed inside the cover, this reprint of an exceptionally useful article is being made available very affordably indeed, making it a desirable acquisition for those who envision any possible use for it. Certainly, every library associated with a botanical program ought to obtain a copy while it is available. IAWA previously published authoritative lists of hardwood and softwood characters (IAWA Committee 1989, 2004). Both are available in hardcopy from IAWA, and the former, an excellent 116-page resource, is available for free download from the organization’s website. LITERATURE CITED IAWA Committee. 1989. IAWA list of microscopic features for hardwood identification. IAWA Bull. n.s. 10: 219–332. IAWA Committee. 2004. IAWA list of microscopic features for softwood identification. IAWA J. 25: 1–70. WENDY L. APPLEQUIST MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN St. LOUIS, MO, USA [email protected] Serotonin and Melatonin. Their Functional Role in Plants, Food, Phytomedicine, and Human Health. Ravishankar, Gokare A., and Akula Ramakrishna (eds.) 2017. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. xxii + 573 pp. (hardcover). ISBN 978-14987-39054. USD 139.95. This volume has the look and heft of a medical textbook. Its target audience includes Bscientists and other professionals^ with interest in the roles of serotonin and melatonin in plants and animals. It is packed with information and detail. Did you know, for example, that serotonin levels are generally higher in plants than in animals? The sole exception is the octopus. Or that melatonin levels in plants vary among roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and seeds, both within and among species? In humans, melatonin is synthesized within the pineal gland of the endocrine system; in plants, its origin may lie in the chloroplasts, but this remains a topic of active research. Phytomelatonin preserves photosynthetic function

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against oxidative stress and affects photosynthetic efficiency by increasing CO2 uptake. Despite the book’s size, the editors and publisher have kept the text accessible by adhering to a common format throughout. Each review chapter was written to stand alone and all 36 chapters include lists of contents and abbreviations, abstract, keywords, and reference section in addition to the main text. The book is organized logically, beginning with basic information about discoveries and derivations of serotonin and melatonin, continuing with contemporary approaches for detecting these two indoleamines, and ending with prevailing hypotheses and future directions for basic and applied research into linkages between plants and human health. Readers will be reminded that the precursor of serotonin and melatonin biosynthesis is tryptophan, an essential amino acid. Tryptophan can cross the blood-brain barrier, where it is transformed. Melatonin derives its name from serotonin, from which it is produced. Use of melatonin as a Bnutraceutical^ via consuming melatonin-rich plants is considered promising. Readers with an interest in the potential role of melatonin in dietary, sleep, and neurological disorders (e.g., diabetes, jet-lag, autism, dementia) or in their management will find chapters devoted to each topic. Moreover, for readers curious about the melatonin content of various plants used in traditional medicine (Thai, Chinese), in ethnobotanical studies (Brazil), or in food and wine, the book is threaded with informative tables. The editors appear to have accomplished their stated aim, namely, to consolidate existing understanding of serotonin and melatonin biosynthesis. An index allows readers to search for information on topics recurrent among chapters (e.g., circadian cycle, plant growth, tryptophan), but no summary gives readers a concise statement of research highlights or important gaps. The preface offers a list of bullet points but it lacks cohesion. The graphics vary in content and appearance, with the best tables including references to original sources. The limited number of color figures emphasizes the lack of photographs throughout the book, which—based on price and content—is more suited to reference libraries than to personal collections. SUSAN STEVENS HUMMEL US FOREST SERVICE PACIFIC NORTHWEST RESEARCH STATION PORTLAND, OR, USA [email protected]