Cover -- Half Title -- Dedication -- Title -- Copyright -- Contents -- Cultural sensitivity warning -- Introduction -- 1 Tropical rainforests: tales of plunder and protection -- A PRECIOUS RESOURCE -- MEDICINAL PLANTS: A BILLION DOLLAR INDUSTRY -- AUSTRALIA'S TROPICAL NORTH: PIONEER VISIONS -- THE TIMBER TRADE -- CEDAR AS MEDICINE -- THE CONTENTIOUS ISSUE OF CLIMATE CHANGE: WHAT HAVE WE DONE? -- RAINFOREST REVEGETATION: PLANTING FOR THE FUTURE -- RAINFOREST OAKS: RARE AND PRIMITIVE PROTEACEAE -- AUSTRALIAN TROPICAL RAINFOREST PROTEACEAE -- EXTINCTION IN THE TROPICS -- CONSERVING RAINFOREST BIODIVERSITY -- A FUTURE FOR OUR LAND? -- REFERENCES -- 2 Primeval links to the modern world -- THE AGE OF THE PTERIDOPHYTES -- ANCIENT LYCOPODS: RARE TASSEL FERNS (HUPERZIA AND PHLEGMARIURUS) -- AQUATICS: THE EARLIEST FLOWERS OF THE WATERWAYS -- WATERLILIES AS FOOD -- MEDICINAL WATERLILIES: AN EXTENSIVE REPERTOIRE -- REFERENCES -- 3 Timeless treasures: Gondwana and the rainforest refuge -- ANCESTRAL GONDWANAN CONTINENTAL LINKS: THE SOUTHERN BEECHES -- ANCIENT ANGIOSPERMS -- AN EVOLVING TIME CAPSULE -- SPECIAL PLACES: TROPICAL CLOUD FORESTS -- ANGIOSPERMS OF ANTIQUITY -- AUSTROBAILEYA: A RAINFOREST SPECIALIST -- AN UNUSUAL NATIVE 'BITTER VINE' -- IDIOSPERMUM IDIOSYNCRASIES -- REFERENCES -- 4 Ancient gymnosperms -- GYMNOSPERM ODDITIES -- CYCADS: A 'LIVING FOSSIL' LINEAGE -- ANCIENT ARAUCARIANS -- RESIN DITERPENES -- ANCIENT ENDOPHYTES AS ANTICANCER DRUG RESOURCES -- REFERENCES -- 5 Pines and podocarps: environmental refugees -- PODOCARPS: SURVIVAL AND STRATEGIC ADAPTATION -- GONDWANAN SURVIVORS -- NATIVE PODOCARPS -- PODOCARPS AS TRADITIONAL REMEDIES -- NATIVE CYPRESS -- CYPRESS RESINS AND OILS -- THE MAGIC OF 'MEDICINAL SMOKE' -- CALLITRIS: PESTICIDE AND ANTI-TUMOUR STUDIES -- THE SEA HEARSE: AN ANTICANCER HERB? -- REFERENCES.

6 Magnoliids: survivors from prehistory -- MAGNOLIALES: VISIONS OF SPLENDOUR -- MEDICINAL MAGNOLIA -- LIRIODENDRON TULIP TREES: ANCIENT SURVIVORS FROM AMERICA AND CHINA -- PRIMEVAL POLLINATORS -- EUPOMATIA: THE NATIVE GUAVA -- PIGEONBERRY ASH: A DIVINATORY TROPICAL TREE -- REFERENCES -- 7 Myristica: nutmeg and mace -- AUSTRALIA'S NATIVE NUTMEGS -- A TROPICAL 'CAPE NUTMEG' (HORSFIELDIA AUSTRALIANA) -- THE NUTMEG SPICE -- POTENT SPICE CHEMICALS -- SAFROLE: TOXICOLOGICAL CONCERNS -- MEDICINAL MYRISTICA -- A MISTAKEN HALLUCINOGEN? -- REFERENCES -- 8 Antipodean phytochemicals -- EARLY PHYTOCHEMICAL ENTERPRISES -- THE AUSTRALIAN RAINFOREST: VENTURES INTO THE UNKNOWN -- BOTANICAL LINKS WITH NEW GUINEA -- ELLIPTICINE AND THE OCHROSIA PLUM -- LOST OPPORTUNITIES AND NEW DIRECTIONS -- BUILDING ON THE PAST -- BLUSHWOOD: AN UNEXPECTED DISCOVERY -- REFERENCES -- 9 Phytochemistry of the laurels -- SOUTHERN SASSAFRAS -- RAINFOREST MONIMIACEAE -- LAURACEAE: ALKALOIDS AND ANTI-TUMOUR TESTING -- NATIVE CAMPHOR -- CINNAMON: RESURRECTION OF AN ANCIENT HERB -- LITSEA AND NEOLITSEA -- MEDICINAL LINDERA -- CUBEBS: THE FRAGRANT LITSEA -- THE BOLLY BEECH, LITSEA GLUTINOSA -- PARASITIC DODDERS: CASSYTHA AND CUSCUTA -- REFERENCES -- 10 Rare and toxic rainforest walnuts -- SURVIVAL IN THE FOREST -- THE RAINFOREST WALNUTS -- FORAGING FOR FRUIT -- THE GENUS BEILSCHMIEDIA -- CRYPTOCARYA: MEDICINES FROM TOXINS? -- A RARE POISON WALNUT -- COCONUT LAURELS: THE MEDICINAL MASSOIA -- REFERENCES -- 11 Annonaceae: poisons, parasites and pesticides -- ANCIENT ANNONACEAE -- AUSTRALIAN ANNONACEAE -- SOUTH-EAST ASIAN ASSOCIATES -- FEBRIFUGES AND ANTIPARASITIC HERBS -- BIOACTIVE ANNONACEAE ALKALOIDS -- ANTIBACTERIAL ANNONACEAE -- XYLOPIA: A PANTROPICAL SURVIVOR -- FAMED FRAGRANCE OF THE ORIENT: YLANG-YLANG -- TOXIC DEFENCES -- TICKS, LICE AND WORMS.

ACETOGENINS: A POTENT, BUT POISONOUS, PHARMACY -- A CURE FOR CANCER? -- THE PESTILENTIAL POND APPLE (ANNONA GLABRA) -- REFERENCES -- 12 Spices of ancient origins -- THE RAINFOREST PEPPERBUSHES -- POLYGODIAL: AN EFFECTIVE ANTIMICROBIAL? -- AN EXPANDING PHARMACY: ESSENTIAL OIL SESQUITERPENES -- ANCIENT PEPPERS: THE PIPER VINES -- PEPPER VINE MEDICINES -- PEPPER: OLEORESINS AND OILS -- NATIVE PEPPER VINES -- PEPEROMIA: FORGOTTEN FOLK MEDICINES? -- PIPERINE: A POTENT PHARMACEUTICAL -- PIPER FOR PARASITES -- PIPER: A TRADITIONAL PHARMACOPOEIA -- REFERENCES -- 13 Birthworts and butterflies -- ARISTOLOCHIA: THE ART OF ENTICEMENT -- NATIVE AND EXOTIC BIRTHWORTS -- BUTTERFLIES IN THE BUSH -- BIRTHWORTS IN TRADITIONAL MEDICINE -- SHOCKING REVELATIONS: ARISTOLOCHIC ACID, THE HIDDEN TOXIN -- TRICKY TRANSLATIONS -- A CARCINOGEN REVEALED -- HERBS THAT PROTECT KIDNEY FUNCTION -- IMMUNE TONICS AND ANTIMICROBIALS -- INVESTIGATING ARISTOLOCHIA -- WHAT OF THE FUTURE? -- REFERENCES -- Appendix: Ancient angiosperm plant families: plants with an ancient lineage native to the tropics of Northern Australia -- Index.

An essential reference for those interested in the medicinal and botanical potential of rainforests.

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Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, Michigan : ProQuest Ebook Central, 2023. Available via World Wide Web. Access may be limited to ProQuest Ebook Central affiliated libraries.