Plants of the Gods: Their Sacred, Healing and Hallucinogenic Powers

The plant species discussed include the Amanita (Fly Agaric) mushroom, Atropa (Deadly Nightshade), Yellow and Black Henbane, Mandrake, Cannabis Ergot, Datura, Iboga, Yopo beans, Ayahuasca, Yage, Brugmansia, Peyote, the San Pedro cactus, the Morning Glory plus what the authors term “the little flowers of the gods” which include the various types of Psilocybe mushroom.

The text is enhanced by a wonderful variety of colour and black & white photographs, illustrations and quite impressive paintings. The section Overview Of Plant Use consists of tables listing every plant’s common name, botanical name, historical ethnography, context and purpose of usage, preparation and the chemical composition and effects.

Plants Of The Gods is a great and detailed investigation of entheogenic plants from around the world. This valuable reference book concludes with a bibliography and index.


useful but mainly for people in mexico!   September 8, 1999
20 out of 22 found this review helpful

This book contains lots of useful ! and informative information although it does tend to repeat itself at various points. Most of the book tends to concentrate on mexico and Central/Sth America giving first hand reports from shamen, anthropologists and using accounts from early European explorers. (Priests so your really going to get a all round view). The European info is terrible, scetchy and not at all well researched no mention of scottish mead, mushroom brews or anything. If you live in Sth America great but Europeans we'll have to write our own book. See you in the Dam !!


An excellent source to get an overview of ethnobotanicals.   August 5, 1999
11 out of 11 found this review helpful

This book is a great resourse for people interested in ethnobotanicals. The illustrations are excellent. The reference to the cultural context in which these plants are used helps the reader understand a bit more about how these plants are used but not abused. There is one error I noted. The captions denoting the structures for iso-LSD and lysergic acid hydroxyethylamine should be interchanged.


Meagre!   March 19, 1999
2 out of 38 found this review helpful

-Quality lacking, it's the stupid laymans introduction to hallucinogens. Lot's of folklore, cultural use but all in a very digestible shortstyled fashion. If you are 10 years of age and wanna know this is the book for you.


One of the Greatest Books on Hallucinogenic Ethnobotany   January 30, 1999
3 out of 8 found this review helpful

Just get it you won't regret it!