Ethnobotany (from "ethnology" - study of culture and "botany" - study of plants) is the scientific study of the relationships that exist between people and plants.

Ethnobotanists aim to document, describe and explain complex relationships between cultures and (uses of) plants, focusing primarily on how plants are used, managed and perceived across human societies. This includes use for food, clothing, currency, ritual, medicine, dye, construction, cosmetics and more.

Though the term "ethnobotany" was not coined until 1895 by the US botanist John William Harshberger, the history of the field begins long before that. In A.D. 77, the Greek surgeon Dioscorides published "De Materia Medica", which was a catalog of about 600 plants in the Mediterranean. It also included information on how the Greeks used the plants, especially for medicinal purposes. This illustrated herbal contained information on how and when each plant was gathered, whether or not it was poisonous, its actual use, and whether or not it was edible (it even provided recipes). Dioscorides stressed the economic potential of plants. For generations, scholars learned from this herbal, but did not actually venture into the field until after the Middle Ages.

Terence Kemp McKenna (November 16, 1946 – April 3, 2000) was an American philosopher, psychonaut, researcher, teacher, lecturer and writer on many subjects, such as human consciousness, language, psychedelic drugs, the evolution of civilizations, the origin and end of the universe, alchemy, and extraterrestrial beings.

Terence McKenna grew up in Paonia, Colorado. He was introduced to geology through his uncle and developed a hobby of solitary fossil hunting in the arroyos near his home. From this he developed a deep artistic and scientific appreciation of nature.

At age 16, McKenna moved to Los Altos, California to live with family friends for a year. He finished high school in Lancaster, CA. In 1963, McKenna was introduced to the literary world of psychedelics through The Doors of Perception and Heaven and Hell by Aldous Huxley and certain issues of The Village Voice that talked about psychedelics.

McKenna claimed that one of his early psychedelic experiences with morning glory seeds showed him "that there was something there worth pursuing." In an audio interview Terence Mckenna claims to have started smoking cannabis regularly during the summer following his 17th birthday.

Paulus Henriqus Benedictus "Paul" Cox (born 16 April 1940) is an award-winning Australian film director.

Cox was born in Venlo, Limburg, the Netherlands, the son of Else (née Kuminack), a native of Germany, and Wim Cox, a documentary film producer. Cox emigrated to Australia in 1965. His teaching at Prahran College of Advanced Education in the 1970s influenced a number of photographers and film-makers including Carol Jerrems and Bill Henson. He has collaborated with a number of screenwriters including John Clarke and Bob Ellis.

His recent film-essay The Remarkable Mr. Kaye is a portrait of his ill friend, the actor Norman Kaye, who appeared in numerous Cox films.

On 26 December 2009 he received a liver transplant. A documentary about this experience is being made by David Bradbury.