Australian Medicinal Plants
Environmental Conservation Natural Medicine Herbalism Botanical Reference Australiana Ethnobotany Aboriginal Studies Phytochemistry
First-edition hardcover of “Australian Medicinal Plants” (Methuen Australia, 1983) is the go-to reference for anyone who wants to work with the continent’s unique flora instead of against it. Botanist E.V. Lassak and ethnographer Tara McCarthy spent years in the field assembling the first comprehensive guide to 180+ native species that Aboriginal peoples have used for millennia and that modern herbalists now prize. Every plant—from Kakadu plum to river mint—gets a full-page colour plate plus concise data on habitat, harvesting season, active constituents, preparation methods and cautions, so you can spot, pick and use bush medicine with confidence.
What sets this 240-page volume apart is its scientific rigour: each entry cross-references peer-reviewed pharmacology with traditional practice, giving you both the “why” and the “how.” Home herbalists value the step-by-step tincture, poultice and infusion instructions, while conservation-minded gardeners love the provenance notes that help them cultivate rare species ethically. Because it predates today’s over-harvesting concerns, the 1983 text is also a baseline record of plant populations, making it indispensable for environmental scientists and bush-regeneration projects.
Collectors prize this vintage first printing for its sturdy sewn binding and the vivid dust-jacket artwork that still pops on the shelf. Copies in very-good, smoke-free condition are increasingly scarce, so grabbing a well-preserved exemplar now means owning both a practical manual and a piece of Australiana that keeps appreciating. Whether you’re formulating natural remedies, prepping a survival library, or curating a heritage botanical collection, this illustrated Methuen classic delivers authoritative, time-tested knowledge you won’t find condensed anywhere else.
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