Herbs

Herbs are a widely-distributed and widespread group of plants - importantly, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients - possessing savoury or aromatic properties that are used for flavouring and garnishing food, for medicinal purposes, or for preservatives and fragrances. NB: Culinary use typically distinguishes herbs from spices. Herbs generally refers to the leafy green or flowering parts of plants (either fresh, dried or otherwise preserved), while spices are usually dried and produced from other parts of the plant, including seeds, bark, roots and fruits (spices will form a complementary group of similar ambition in coverage). This group aims to provide a comprehensive, richly-illustrated and highly informative compendium of known and recognised herbs world-wide, combining both ancient loric and modern scientific insights into herbal use, as well as capture the deep cultural significance of these much-loved, sometimes feared group of plants.