“After finishing the first volume, I awaited the sequel with the same eagerness a nightingale reserves for summer. The second installment gave me a more complete understanding of the entire story. The book is captivating, its rigorous scholarly approach perfectly complemented by Drobyshevsky’s lively, at times slightly ironic, writing style. Even someone like me, who is no academic expert, can readily grasp the seemingly complex themes. The “plant stories” and “more precise explanations” woven throughout the text are particularly brilliant. For instance, the account of how plants were used in ancient times and the roles they have played in human history is thoroughly engaging. All in all, Drobyshevsky is as outstanding as ever.” — Anna Vysotskina, Chief Editor of the Popular Science Literature Group

★ Winner of the FantLab Annual Book Award 2025—one of the most open and highly engaged literary awards on the Russian internet! (This prize has been presented annually since its establishment in 2007.)
★ A “plant’s-eye-view” script for our planet! Telling the story of evolution and civilization anew, with plants as the protagonists.
★ Biology + History + Anthropology! A masterwork by anthropologist Dr. Drobyshevsky, Associate Professor of Anthropology at the Faculty of Biology, Moscow State University!
★ Volume I: Conquering the Land—How mosses, ferns, and conifers gradually took root on a barren Earth? From pioneering invaders to rulers of the forests, this is the plants’ version of “Genesis.”
★ Volume II: Forging Civilization—How grains, vegetables, fruits, and spices quietly shaped humanity’s tables, trade networks, and empires? Without them, human civilization as we know it would cease to exist.
★ After reading this series, you’ll never again overlook a single blade of grass by the roadside—because you’ll understand: they are, in truth, the true masters of this planet.

Ideal Readership:
- General readers interested in nature, evolution, and the origins of humankind;
- Readers fascinated by the deep interplay between plants and human history;
- Fans of interdisciplinary works that blend botany, anthropology, history, and culture;
- Those who wish to grasp Earth’s history from a fresh, plant-centered perspective.

This series comprises two volumes:
*Mosses, Ferns, and Conifers—How Plants Conquered the Land*
*Grains, Vegetables, Fruits, and Spices—How Plants Forged Civilization*

Plants can survive without humans, but we cannot do without them. From ancient algae to the wheat on our tables, from poisons to cures, from spices that ignited the Age of Discovery to potatoes that reshaped global population patterns, plants have been “designing” humanity—often without our knowing it.
From spices that redrew the world’s map to seeds that transcend time, from behaviors that exhibit “intelligence” despite lacking a brain to genes that adapt to our dining habits, plants display an astonishing creativity. They actively shape our planet and the life upon it. Evolution is a dialogue—and in this conversation, our “green” partners are often far more cunning, influential, and strategically astute than we care to admit. Plants truly rule the world—we simply need to look closely.
This book delves into the world of angiosperms, from the ancient water lily to the magnificent magnolia, from the fragrant laurel to the endlessly varied roses—plants that have quietly steered the course of history. Why did pepper and cinnamon wield more power over history than wars? What do grapes, the human alcohol‑dehydrogenase gene, and cultural traditions have in common? How did spices propel the great voyages of exploration? And why do toxic plants sometimes become medicines? Alongside the author, you will enter a plant world full of twists: parasitic plants form alliances with ants, giving rise to astonishing ecosystems; botanical misconceptions once sparked epidemic crises; and ancient flowers and fruits became symbols of divinity and authority. From buttercups to durians, every plant tells a compelling chronicle of the interplay between humans and nature.
With vivid, evocative prose and infectious energy, this book weaves together historical curiosities, anthropological insights, and subtle humor. It is not only for biologists and anthropologists, but for anyone who wishes to discover, in the plants around them, a rich narrative of the dynamic relationship between people and the natural world.

[Author] Stanislav Drobyshevsky A Russian anthropologist and popularizer of the scientific worldview. He holds a Ph.D. in biology and is an associate professor in the Department of Anthropology at the Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University. He serves as the science editor for “The Origin of Humans,” a well-known Russian science‑popularization portal. He is one of Russia’s most popular science bloggers, with over 100,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel. His bestselling popular science books include *The Missing Link*, *An Anthropologist’s Paleontology*, the “A Brief History of Plants” series, *Monsters of Eden*, and *The Origins of Humanity*. He excels at presenting cutting‑edge science as gripping “detective stories” in accessible, witty prose.

Introduction / 6

Angiosperms: Dicotyledons – Firewood and Stems and Leaves / 7

Angiosperms: Monocotyledons – Herbs and Food / 353

Conclusion / 467

Appendix: Plant Taxonomy / 468

References / 481