About the Author

Dr William Milliken, one of Britain's leading ethnobotanists, is currently a Research Associate at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. He is a foremost expert on plants and their uses, both overseas and in the UK. He divides his attentions between biodiversity issues in the UK, applied research projects in countries such as Brazil and Sri Lanka, and freelance writing, lecturing, photography and broadcasting. A botanist at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Sam Bridgewater spent the first part of his career researching patterns of plant diversity in South and Central America. His is an expert on the floras of Central Brazil, Peru and Belize. He lectures on botany at Edinburgh University and has broadcast on many aspects of plant science for Radio Scotland.