Kew's work in Europe

Ethnomedica

In a fast moving society the links between the generations are easily lost. By showing an older generation that we honour their traditions and value their memories and wisdom, the Ethnomedica project hopes to go some way towards rebuilding that link - to the benefit of all.

Kew is working with partner organisations, including the National Institute of Herbalists, Eden Project,Chelsea Physic Garden, Natural History Museum and the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh to collect information from an older generation of people, those who remember using plants for medicinal purposes when they were younger. The people who remember using plants as a primary health resource will not be with us for ever. It is a matter of urgency to collect their information for the benefit of future generations - for its historic interest and for its medicinal potential.

Ethnomedica is dedicated to preserving this knowledge and making it freely accessible to everyone. The co-ordinators of Ethnomedica are qualified herbalists, botanists and others who appreciate the value of this knowledge and have been trained to collect the information.

Results so far

From survey cards distributed from the Field Hospital (part of Kew's summer 2003 'Go Wild' festival) we have had a fantastic response and gathered much valuable information. The top 15 plants are:

Rumex – dock (143 records)
Allium cepa – onion (63 records)
Urtica dioica – nettle (43 records)
Tanacetum parthenium - Feverfew(31 records)
Allium sativum – garlic (31 records)
Sambucus nigra – elder (30 records)
Symphytum – comfrey (29 records)
Lavandula – lavender (29 records)
Brassica oleracea – cabbage (29 records)
Taraxacum – dandelion (26 records)
Chamaemelum nobile (25 records)
Citrus limon – lemon (22 records)
Salvia – sage (21 records)
Solanum tuberosum - potato(19 records)
Aloe vera – aloe (16 records)

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Carry on to: local projects around Kew