Richard Evans Schultes

Richard Evans Schultes is widely regarded as the father of modern ethnobotany. His life's work centered on the study of how indigenous peoples, particularly in the Americas, utilize plants. He paid special attention to their sacred, healing, and hallucinogenic properties, especially in regions like Mexico and the Amazon. Through his collaborations with chemists and his influential teaching at Harvard, Schultes inspired a generation of scholars whose work continues to shape our understanding of the plant world.