Useful plants
Useful plants are wildgrowing or cultivated species of plants which were or are co-opted by humans to fulfill a particular need.
- Food plants
- Herbs and spices
- Medicinal plants
- Fodder plants
- Plants delivering material for textiles
- Plants delivering natural dye
- Plants delivering timber
Also Ornamental plants can be included.
Currently 20,000 species of plants are used which is 5 % of all the plant species described. 4900 species are cultivated. 150 of these species deliver 90 % of the food of mankind.[1]