People’s Plants – A Guide To Useful Plants Of Southern Africa

People’s Plants: A Guide to Useful Plants of Southern Africa is the definitive illustrated ethnobotanical reference for southern Africa, first published in 2000 by Briza Publications. As the region’s first fully illustrated handbook of its kind, the book documents over 650 native and naturalised plants, offering a comprehensive overview of their traditional and contemporary uses across food, medicine, craft and daily life.

The volume is organised into 20 thematic chapters covering a wide range of uses: from cereals, fruits, vegetables and beverages; to medicinal plants for general health, skin care, women’s health, and dental care; to practical applications in utility timber, firewood, dyes, basketry, weaving and even thatching. Each plant entry typically includes scientific name, common names, distribution, botanical description, and detailed notes on traditional uses and preparation methods — making it valuable to botanists, herbalists, ecotourism operators, rural developers, and anyone interested in indigenous plant knowledge and sustainable resource use.

For collectors and natural-history libraries in southern Africa, People’s Plants remains essential: its blend of scientific rigour, ethnobotanical breadth, and clear photographic documentation elevates it beyond a field guide into a cultural and ecological compendium. The hardcover 2000 edition — and subsequent reprints — are still widely regarded as the standard reference for useful southern African flora, making this book a foundational addition to any serious botanical or heritage collection.