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192 SiDA18(1) BOOKREVIEW AnnrHurcHiNcs,andAi.akHaxtonScott,GillianLfavls,andAnthony Cunningham. 1996.ZuluMedicinalPlants:AnInventory.(ISBN 0-86980-893-1,pbk;ISBN0-86980-923-7,hbk).UniversityofNa- tal Press,Private Ba^^XOI,Scottsville 3209, RepublicofSouthAf- rica,inassociationwithUniversityofZululandandNationalBotani- calInstitute.Exclusivedistributor:hiternationalSpecializedBookServices, Inc., 5804 N.E. HassaloStreet, Portland, OR 97213-3644, U.S.A. (503)287-3093;FAX(503)280-8832.$110.00.450pp. ThesLibtitk-Lindersratcstheamountotintormationintliistightlyorganizedcompendium ofinformationaboutplantu.sedbyZulutraditionalhealers.Theauthorshavechosento arrangetheirentriesinphyh)genecicordertofacilitatecomparisonsbetweenrelatedplants. AsthispublicationdealsexclusivelywithplantsofsouthernAfrica,theclassificationfol- lowsthatusedintheNationalMerbariLim.Cieiuisnumbersreflectthestandardstisedin herbariaarrangedintheEngleriansystemwithadditionalstandardsforfernsandgrasses. Thesearereferencedintheintroduction. Theentryloreachspeciesincludesgeogra|-ihicaldistribution,ashortticscription,local namesinEnglish,AlrikaansandZuhifollowetlbydocumentedusebyZiduhealersand thenthosereferringtousebyothergrtjtipsinsotithernAfrica.Physiologicaleffects,Chemical constituentsandbiologicali:)ro|iertiesareaddedwhereinformationisavailable.Thesegaps willteaseandstimulatefurtherresearchcondticred,itishoped,undertheethicalandlegal codesiirotectinginieljecttialpropert)'rights. Thereisawealthofinformationnotonlyonthemedicinalusesoftheseplants,butby thesocialandculturalusestoo.Theserangefromlovepotionstocharmsagainstlightning andincensetoinvokethegoodwillofancestors.However,theautiiorsdowarnreadersnor toexperiment! ForthosewhodonotownacopyolWattandBreyer-Brandwijk's1962editiontheMe- dtctthilandPoisonousplantsofSouthernandEasternAfrieathisbookisamust.Forthosefor- ttinatetoownacopythiswillbeavakiablesupplement,foratleastathirdofthe 1032 speciesmentionedherearenew. Withtheworldwiderenewalofinterestinnaturalpiroductsthisbookhasahugepoten- tialreadership.Ineachforeword,wearc-remindedofthevalue,andephemeralnature,of traditionalknowledge.'Fhisbookmakesitlesslikel\'wewilllosethetraditionalethnobo- tanicalknowledgeoftheZtilunMion.-1-ionaNorris SiDA ISd): 192. 199S
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