Why do plants have names such as ‘allheal’ and ‘woundwort’ and why did we import tons of bark from a South American tree? A look at the historical and present day use of plants in both alternative and mainstream medicine, concentrating on those containing alkaloids, essential oils, mucilages and other chemicals of known medicinal value. The course includes a field visit and a look at the medicinal plants in the garden at Madingley.