Roots of Power: The Political Ecology of Boundary Plants

Roots of Power tells five stories of plants, people, property, politics, peace, and protection in tropical societies. In Cameroon, French Polynesia, Papua New Guinea, St. Vincent, and Tanzania, dracaena and cordyline plants are simultaneously property rights institutions, markers of social organization, and expressions of life-force and vitality.

In addition to their localized roles in forming landscapes and societies, these plants mark multiple boundaries and demonstrate deep historical co...