Who is considered the Father of Ethnobotany?

Dr. Richard Schultes is widely regarded as the Father of Ethnobotany due to his pioneering work in the field, which explores the relationship between people and plants, particularly how various cultures utilize plants for medicinal, spiritual, and practical purposes. Schultes conducted extensive fieldwork in the Amazon rainforest, documenting indigenous knowledge related to plant uses and contributing significantly to our understanding of how local populations interact with their botanical environment. His research not only emphasized the importance of plant-based medicines but also highlighted the need for conservation of biodiversity and traditional ecological knowledge. This foundational work laid the groundwork for future studies in ethnobotany, making Schultes a central figure in this area of research.