Sacred Plants of the Americas - Hardcover

by Jill Pflugheber (Author), Steven F. White (Author)

A dazzlingly illustrated journey into the transformative world of sacred plants

Indigenous communities have long revered certain plants and fungi as healers, storytellers, and spirit guides. This book blends the latest findings in anthropology and ethnobotany with mesmerizingly detailed confocal plant microscopy to reveal the inner lives of more than 50 culturally significant species from across the Americas. A visionary experience like no other, Sacred Plants of the Americas opens a portal into a realm where ancestral knowledge and cutting-edge science converge.

• Profiles dozens of remarkable species that have shaped human culture and spirituality, exploring the secrets of ayahuasca, the mystical properties of psilocybin mushrooms, ceremonial use of tobacco, and more
• Brings together anthropology, art, and ancient wisdom with stunning full-color images to unveil a world of astonishing hidden beauty
• Covers sacred and psychedelic plants ranging from coca, peyote, and cacao to sweetgrass, marijuana, and amaranth
• A must-have book for anyone interested in the healing and psychoactive powers of plants

Author Biography

Jill Pflugheber is a biomedical researcher at the University of Kentucky, where she explores the impact of viruses and vaccines on the immune system. Steven F. White is the editor (with Luis Eduardo Luna) of the Ayahuasca Reader: Encounters with the Amazon's Sacred Vine. He taught Latin American literature and film at St. Lawrence University for more than thirty years.