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This book presents a survey over the life of the diverse Indian communities in South America, related with the use of plants. All plants are useful for them, including plants for firewood. Foodstuff and medicinal plants, such as chocolate, coca, tobacco, sugar substitutes (stevia), species of Strichnos for anaesthesia, (used also in European medicine, but not without side effects), occupy the first rank in the list of important plants. Other plants are used for arrow- and fish-poisons, housing and clothing, and dyeing of textiles. The use of drugs (only for religious ceremonies), is controlled by shamans, to avoid misuse. At the time of the Incas, the ‘Callawayas’ were specialists for medicinal herbs and were wandering as healers through the country. Exchange without money and banks was practised by the Indios since thousands of years. Woman in the agricultural society accumulated knowledge of plants over hundreds of years, especially the selection and breeding of medicinal plants, passing this knowledge from generation to generation.

Focusing on leaf anatomy, this volume addresses significant knowledge gaps regarding the inner structure of trees in tropical humid forests. While previous studies have concentrated on a limited number of species, this work analyzes a comprehensive inventory of 230 species, allowing for an in-depth exploration of ecological aspects. The meticulous approach involves examining around 50 characteristics, providing a broader understanding of leaf anatomy and its implications for taxonomy and ecology in these diverse environments.

Focusing on the intricate relationships between tropical fruits, seeds, and their dispersal mechanisms, this work highlights the limited knowledge available regarding these aspects in the West Indies and the Azores. The author draws upon extensive research and contributions from notable botanists, emphasizing the rich diversity of tropical species and the complexities of plant-animal interactions. Despite previous studies shedding light on these subjects, significant gaps remain, particularly in understanding the detailed dispersal methods of tropical plant species.

This unique reference book meticulously lists a vast variety of the extensive South American flora, in particular the one of Venezuela. Pharmacists, pharmacologists, toxicologists and botanists will find that this encyclopaedia unprecedented in depth and detail. In an A-Z format, more than 80 plant families are covered. Botanical information of the individual species is given together with their specific use in traditional South American medicine. More than 250 detailed figures allow easy identification.

With the present publication, the structural studies of the ROLLET-Collection in Venezuelan Guiana are completed. Hundreds of tree species were studied concerning their bark structure, their leaf anatomy and fruit structure. The picture is now rounded off by the investigation of the leaf venation described in detail in this book, accompanied by many instructive figures. Interest in tropical medicinal wild plants is now growing rapidly, as there may be plants which cure dangerous viral infections, and North-American pharmaceutical companies have already started a multimillion dollar business on this expectation. But who knows all the species and can identify them? The key developed for this book may help to assist with the identification of the tropical flora though these keys are pioneer work. The book will be of interest not only to anatomists, taxonomists and ecologists but also to the teachers explaining the extraordinary tropical flora.

This monograph examines the leaf structure of plants in various montane habitats, focusing on the relationship between leaf structure and environmental stresses such as isolation, frost, and drought. It draws on original observations from mountainous regions in Venezuela and Argentina, involving the author, her students, and colleagues. The plants studied employ diverse strategies to adapt to their environments, showcasing a range of structural traits like reduced surface/volume ratios, rolled leaves, crypts, water-storing tissues, and thick, cutinized upper epidermis cells. Tannic substances provide UV protection, while colorless parenchyma may result from chlorophyll decomposition due to excessive isolation. Many species exhibit leathery leaf consistency, attributed to various anatomical structures, with Senecio rex displaying particularly thick palisade cell walls. Most species have sun leaves, and leaf consistency correlates with leaf fall. The most xeromorphic adaptations are observed in Espeletia at elevations of 2000 to 4000 m a.s.l. The study also addresses physiological and ecophysiological aspects. Notably, several Andean species, including Krameria lappacea, have significant medicinal uses, with the latter nearly extinct due to its tannin content. The medical applications of paramo plants like Espeletia and Carramboa are also highlighted.