Colonial Plant Trade & Global Barks
The geopolitical movement, indigenous knowledge appropriation, and mercantilist monopolies of potent tropical barks, resins, and seeds.
Inside this collection
Cinchona & Jesuit's Bark
The Andean origin of quinine bark, Jesuit distribution, botanical espionage expeditions by Spruce and Markham, and tree cultivation.
Curare & Amazonian Vine Complex
Strychnos and Chondrodendron vine mixtures, indigenous blowgun dart preparation, and European physiological experiments by Brodie.
The Calabar Ordeal Bean
Physostigma venenosum, judicial trial-by-poison among Old Calabar Efik societies, and subsequent physostigmine isolation.
Strychnos ignatii
Saint Ignatius beans from the Philippines, trade routes managed by the Society of Jesus, and high strychnine concentrations.
Boswellia & Commiphora Resins
Frankincense and myrrh tapping, Dhofar and Horn of Africa trade caravans, incense routes, and antimicrobial mummification.
Camphor & Formosan Monopolies
Sublimation of Cinnamomum camphora wood, mountain distillation camps, industrial plasticiser and medicinal monopolies in Taiwan.
The Banda Nutmeg Monopolies
Myristica fragrans cultivation, volatile myristicin toxicity, and the violent 17th-century Dutch trade control of the Banda Islands.
Dragon's Blood Resins
Dracaena cinnabari of Socotra and Daemonorops palms of Sumatra, deep-red exudates, varnish markets, and apothecary trade.
A darker leaf.
A closer look.
We trace the line between botanical evidence, historical remedies and plant lore. A beautiful specimen deserves a careful reading.
Our approach