Unravels the hidden histories of plants that sustained empires, from sugar and cotton to tea and opium Real-life adventures of planters, traders and smugglers by authors of the highly successful The Plant Hunters (over 12,000 copies sold in hardback) Exciting, vivid stories which bring a new and original perspective to the rise and fall of nations, peoples and empires Illustrated with dramatic contemporary photographs, beautiful botanical drawings, paintings and cartoons