Forensic Plant Science

Forensic Plant Science, the study of forensic botany, is the application of plant science to the resolution of legal questions. As a plant's anatomy and ecological requirements are in some cases species-specific, the correct interpretation of botanical evidence can give vital information about a crime scene or the whereabouts of a suspect or victim.

The use of botanical evidence in legal investigations is relatively new, with the first botanical testimony heard in a North American court centering on the analysis of the wood grain of the ladder used in the kidnapping of Charles Lindbergh, Jr. Today, forensic botany encompasses numerous sub-disciplines of plant science, including their palynology, anatomy and dendrochronology, limnology, systematics, ecology, and molecular biology.

This book presents chapters on plant science evidence, plant anatomy, plant taxonomic evidence, plant ecology, and case studies for all of the above, as well the education and future outlook of forensic plant science.

• Provides techniques, collection methods, and analysis of digested plant materials
• Shows how to identify toxic and poisonous plants and herbal products
• Includes an online website that hosts a microscopic atlas of common food plants, a key to the identification of food plants and references for plant identification and ecology