Shibai Xiao / Preserved root of Chinese goldthread (Coptis chinensis) used in traditional Chinese medicine, Henan Province, China, March 2010. No release available.

Niall Benvie / Photograph of Hairy St John's wort (Hypericum hirsutum) manipulated and text added to represent illustrated book page. Scotland, UK, July

Jose B. Ruiz / Medicinal plants for sale at market, Granada, Spain

Jeff Rotman / Man tending Cannabis plants in organic Marijuana farm, Pueblo, Colorado, USA, June 2015. Marijuana has legalized in the state of Colorado, and this farm produces Marijuana for medical and retail purpo...

Jeff Rotman / Cannabis plants growing under artificial light, in organic Marijuana farm, Pueblo, Colorado, USA, June 2015. . Marijuana has been legalized in the state of Colorado, and this farm produces Marijuana...

Jan Vermeer / Lavender (Lavandula sp) plants drying

Nick Upton / Common comfrey (Symphytum officinale) flowering on the banks of the River Avon, Lacock, Wiltshire, UK, May.

Nick Upton / Common comfrey (Symphytum officinale) flowering on the banks of the River Avon, Lacock, Wiltshire, UK, May.

Eric Baccega / Medicinal plant of the Kalahari desert, known as 'liver plant' to the Naro San Bushmen. Kalahari, Ghanzi region, Botswana, Africa. Dry season, October 2014.

Eric Baccega / Naro San woman digging out the root of a medicinal 'liver plant', Kalahari, Ghanzi region, Botswana, Africa. Dry season, October 2014.

Eric Baccega / Naro San woman digging out the root of a medicinal 'liver plant', Kalahari, Ghanzi region, Botswana, Africa. Dry season, October 2014.

Eric Baccega / Naro San woman eating the root of a medicinal 'liver plant', Kalahari, Ghanzi region, Botswana, Africa. Dry season, October 2014.

Eric Baccega / Naro San woman eating the root of a medicinal 'liver plant', Kalahari, Ghanzi region, Botswana, Africa. Dry season, October 2014.

Simon Colmer / Dutchman's pipe (Aristolochia elegans), Budongo Forest Reserve, Uganda. A medicinal plant used traditionally to treat malaria and snake bite.

Simon Colmer / Silkrubber tree (Funtumia elastica) bark, Budongo Forest Reserve, Uganda. Bark has medicinal properties used to treat asthma, allergies and malaria.

Ann & Steve Toon / Devil's claw (Harpagophytum procumbens) fruit, Tswalu Kalahari private game reserve, Northern Cape, South Africa, January 2012

Adrian Davies / Bladder wrack (Fucus vesiculosus), Devon, England, July

Jabruson / Orchids established on the tree trunk of a 'Mokole' tree, with 'Binju' vines in tree, Ba'Aka tribes make concoction from the tree's bark which is consumed for stomach problems. The young roots are ch...

Jabruson / Overripe 'Popoko' fruit on the forest floor, Sterculia (Sterculia sp) eaten by a lot of forest animals and water from the boiled bark is used as a cold remedy by local tribes people, Bai Hokou, Dzanga...

Jabruson / 'Mbanda' tree trunk with bark patterns (Erthrophleum suaveolens) lots of rainforest species eat the seeds and leaves, but local tribes make a cold water infusion from the inner bark and use as a 'proo...

Jabruson / 'Mbanda' tree trunk with bark patterns (Erthrophleum suaveolens) lots of rainforest species eat the seeds and leaves, but local tribes make a cold water infusion from the inner bark and use as a 'proo...

Jabruson / 'Nguluma' tree trunk structure (Duboscia macrocarpa) lots of rainforest species eat teh leaves, fruit and seeds of this species and local people use water from boiled fruit as a cure for colds, Bai Ho...

Jabruson / 'Nguluma' tree trunk structure (Duboscia macrocarpa) lots of rainforest species eat teh leaves, fruit and seeds of this species and local people use water from boiled fruit as a cure for colds, Bai Ho...

Jabruson / 'Nguluma' tree trunk structure (Duboscia macrocarpa) lots of rainforest species eat teh leaves, fruit and seeds of this species and local people use water from boiled fruit as a cure for colds, Bai Ho...

Jabruson / Ripe 'Popoko' fruit on the forest floor, Sterculia (Sterculia sp) eaten by a lot of forest animals and water from the boiled bark is used as a cold remedy by local tribes people, Bai Hokou, Dzanga-Ndo...

Jabruson / 'Ndembe' leaf close-up (Rothmannia welwitschi or macrocarpa) local people crush young leaves in hands and the juice squeezed on to baby and rubbed in for 'malade ti makako' (monkey disease). This affe...

Jabruson / Landa / Ndembo / Silkrubber tree (Funtumia elastica) bark with 30 year-old tapping score marks. Bai Hokou, Dzanga-Ndoki National Park, Central African Republic.

Jabruson / Silkrubber / Landa / Ndembo (Funtumia elastica)seed feathery aerodynamic seed delivery system caught on a tree trunk in moss next to a termite tunnel. Bai Hokou, Dzanga-Ndoki National Park, Central Af...

Jabruson / Silkrubber / Landa / Ndembo (Funtumia elastica)seed feathery aerodynamic seed delivery system caught on a tree trunk in moss next to a termite tunnel. Bai Hokou, Dzanga-Ndoki National Park, Central Af...

Shibai Xiao / Desert broomrape (Cistanche deserticola) parasitizes root of Saxaul (Haloxylon ammodendron) the former is used for one of rare Chinese medicines, with man in background, Inner Mongolia, China, January...

Nick Upton / Common / Red soapwort (Saponaria officinalis) flowering, near Lake Bohinj, Slovenia, July

John Cancalosi / Shampoo Ginger (Zingiber zerumbet), a native of Asia but naturalized in Costa Rica and other Central American localities for medicinal use.

John Cancalosi / Shampoo Ginger (Zingiber zerumbet), a native of Asia but naturalized in Costa Rica and other Central American localities for medicinal use.

John Cancalosi / Shampoo Ginger (Zingiber zerumbet), a native of Asia but naturalized in Costa Rica and other Central American localities for medicinal use.

MYN / Paul Harcourt Davies / Ginkgo / Maidenhair tree (Ginkgo biloba) leaves, of medicinal value as a vasodilator, Italy, May). meetyourneighbours.net project

MYN / Paul Harcourt Davies / Ginkgo / Maidenhair tree (Ginkgo biloba) leaves, of medicinal value as a vasodilator, Italy, May. meetyourneighbours.net project

MYN / Paul Harcourt Davies / Ginkgo / Maidenhair tree (Ginkgo biloba) leaves, of medicinal value as a vasodilator, Italy, May. meetyourneighbours.net project

Simon Colmer / (Vernonia amygdalina) commonly called bitter leaf because of its bitter taste. In the wild, chimpanzees have been observed ingesting leaves to counter parasitic infections. Medicinal plant: used for w...

Simon Colmer / Leaves and flowers of (Brillantaisia kirungae) a medicinal plant used in Uganda to cure urethritis

Simon Colmer / (Cyphostemma nieriense) Medicinal plant: used in Uganda to cure elephantiasis

Simon Colmer / Leaves of (Tetradenia riparia) a medicinal plant popular in East Africa. said to cure stomach ache, skin diseases and malaria. Anti-bacterial and anti-fungal.

Simon Colmer / Tree marigold (Tithonia rotundifolia) also known as Mexican tournesol, Mexican sunflower or Nitobe chrysanthemum. Medicinal plant: used to improve liver function, and said to cure malaria

Simon Colmer / Indigo (Indigofera ambelacensis) Medicinal plant: used in Uganda to cure worms

Simon Colmer / Flowers and leaves of (Spilanthes mauritiana) a medicinal plant with a high anti-fungal potency

Simon Colmer / Common St. Pauls wort (Sigesbeckia orientalis) Medicinal plant: used in Uganda to cure skin and fungal infections and syphilis

Simon Colmer / Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus or Vinca roseus) Medicinal plant: used to cure hypertension, kidney failure, malaria and diabetes. Used in the treatment of leukemia.

Simon Colmer / African Oil palm leaves (Elaeis guineensis)

Simon Colmer / African Rosemallow also known as Maple Sugar, Red Hibiscus, Cranberry Shield (Hibiscus acetosella) Medicinal plant: used in Uganda as a blood tonic, leaves are edible and good source of vitamin C.

Simon Colmer / Creeping woodsorrel (Oxalis corniculata) Medicinal plant: used in Uganda to cure toothache, eliminate scars and as a diuretic. Entire plant is rich in vitamin C

Simon Colmer / Flowers and leaves of (Bothriocline tomentosa) medicinal plant used to cure diarrhoea and stop vomiting

Simon Colmer / Flower and leaves of (Bothriocline tomentosa) medicinal plant used to cure diarrhoea and stop vomiting

Simon Colmer / Candle Bush seed pods (Senna alata) also known as a Candelabra Bush, Empress Candle Plant, Ringworm Tree. Medicinal plant: effective fungicidal against ringworm and other fungal infections of the ski...

Simon Colmer / Vangueria leaves (Vangueria apiculata) a medicinal plant used to cure intestinal worms and stomach ache

Simon Colmer / Velvet combretum (Combretum molle) leaves, a medicinal pla: used for treating leprosy, stomach ailmets and as a cough expectorant

Simon Colmer / Trunk of the Neem tree (Azadirachta indica) member of the mahogany family, Meliaceae. Used in India for medicinal purposes: anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, ant-viral, contraceptive, sedative

Simon Colmer / Lemon grass (Cymbopogon afronardus)

Simon Colmer / Steudner's Dragon tree (Dracaena steudneri) Medicinal plant used as an anti-bacterial, anti-viral and combats high blood pressure

Christian Ziegler / Embara Indian man with collected plants used for medical purposes, Chagres River, Barro Colorado Island, Panama

Florian Möllers / Japanese Cornel / Wolf Berries (Cornus officinalis) raked out to dry in the sun, used for medicinal purposes. Zhouzhi Nature Reserve, Shaanxi, China, October 2006

Jean E. Roche / Exhibit titled 'the Natural sickness of man' at the International Garden Festival 2011, theme Biodiversity, Chateau Chaumont-sur-Loire, France, June 2011

Simon Colmer / Calabash / Kamandal fruit (Crescentia cujete) Fruit crop grown for use as a container - used to carry water and other liquids. Also medicinal plant naturalised in India, New Delhi, India, November

Daniel Heuclin / Madagascar Periwinkle / Cacapoule (Catharanthus roseus) growing in an Amerindian village. Introduced to French Guiana as a medicinal plant for treatment of leukemia, lymphoma, and diabetes. August 200...

Martin Gabriel / Bittersweet / Woody Nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) berries, Goldberg, Kelheim county, Bavaria, Germany

Eric Baccega / Western Pearly everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea) in flower, Cap Breton Highlands National Park, Nova Scotia, Canada, September

Will Watson / Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) and Opposite-leaved Golden Saxifrage (Chrysosplenium oppositifolium), Herefordshire, England, UK

Nick Upton / Common comfrey (Symphytum officinale) flowering in a hay meadow. Gloucestershire, UK, June.

Nick Upton / Common comfrey (Symphytum officinale) flowering in a hay meadow. Gloucestershire, UK, June.

Daniel Heuclin / Coca leaves (Erythroxylum coca var. coca) held in the hand, main commercial source of cocaine, South America

SINCLAIR STAMMERS / Bladderwrack Seaweed (Fucus vesiculosus) close-up of eponumous vesicles.

Tony Phelps / Sore-eye flower (Boophane disticha) growing on limestone, DeHoop NR, Western Cape, South Africa

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Thorn apple, Jimson weed (Datura stramonium) seed pods used in herbal medicine. UK

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Thorn apple / Jimson weed (Datura stramonium)seed pods used in herbal medicine, UK

Paul Harcourt Davies / Cultivated Fig tree (Ficus carica) with over-ripe fruit, bursting after autumnal rains. Italy, Europe.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Butcher's broom (Ruscus aculeatus) single branch with red fruit, Orvieto, Italy, Europe.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Great Yellow Gentian (Gentiana lutea) growing in a limestone alpine landscape on Mt Terminillo, Lazio, at 2000m. Apennine mountains, Italy, Europe.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Great Yellow Gentian (Gentiana lutea) flowering in a limestone alpine landscape on Mt Terminillo, Lazio, at 2000m. Apennine mountains, Italy, Europe.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Bittersweet / Woody nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) with fruits of varying colours. Italy, Europe

Miles Barton / Desert hyacinth (Cistanche tubulosa) parasitic plant with underground tuber, flowering in desert, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Boiled stem traditionally used to cure diarrhoea. Believed to be aphrodis...

Miles Barton / Desert hyacinth (Cistanche tubulosa) parasitic plant with underground tuber, flowering in desert, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Boiled stem traditionally used to cure diarrhoea. Believed to be aphrodis...

Miles Barton / Desert hyacinth (Cistanche tubulosa) parasitic plant with underground tuber, flowering in desert, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Boiled stem traditionally used to cure diarrhoea. Believed to be aphrodis...

Stephen Dalton / Medicinal leech (Hirudo medicinalis) in water, controlled conditions

Philippe Clement / European wild ginger / Asarabacca / Haselwort / Wild Spikenard (Asarum europaeum) Belgium

Konrad Wothe / Mudar (Calotropis procera) flowering, Libya

Mark Bowler / Cat's Claw {Uncaria tomentosa} growing in Amazonian Rainforest, Yavari Valley, Peru, used for its medicinal value

Mark Bowler / Cat's Claw {Uncaria tomentosa} growing in Amazonian Rainforest, Yavari Valley, Peru, used for its medicinal value

Mark Bowler / Woman selling medicinal plants including Aloe vera in Belen Market, Belen / Little Venice, Loreto, Iquitos, Peru, May 2006

Mark Bowler / Woman selling medicinal plants in Belen Market, Belen / Little Venice, Loreto, Iquitos, Peru, May 2006

Suzi Eszterhas / Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) mother with three month old infant swallowing Rubia cordifolia for medicinal purposes, western Uganda

Ingo Arndt / Rosy Periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) pair in bloom, plants are harvested for medicinal use, Madagascar

Ingo Arndt / Rosy Periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) in bloom, plants are harvested for medicinal use, Madagascar

Adrian Davies / Dried Lichen for sale in Chinese herbal medicine shop, Hong Kong, China

Adrian Davies / Ginseng (Panax sp.) for sale in Chinese herbal medicine shop, Hong Kong, China

Jouan & Rius / Women preparing medicines from medicinal plants, Ratsimamanga Institut (IMRA), Antananarivo, Madagascar

Jose B. Ruiz / Tumeric roots {Curcuma longa} Spain

Adrian Davies / Thorn Apple (Datura stramonium) La Gomera, Canary Islands, Spain

MYN / Niall Benvie / Hairy St John's wort {Hypericum hirsutum} Scotland, UK, June meetyourneighbours.net project