Psychoactive Plants & Fungi

From biochemistry to myth, medicine and meaning – discover the species that shaped rituals, rewired minds and transformed societies.

What connects Siberian shamans, Amazonian healers, medieval monks and Silicon Valley biohackers? Why have humans across every culture sought out plants that alter perception, mood and consciousness? And how did humble species like the betel leaf or kanna come to shape entire rituals, economies and belief systems?

Psychoactive Plants & Fungi is a vivid, accessible introduction to 42 remarkable species that have captivated, healed and transformed people throughout history. From everyday stimulants like coffee and tea to rare ceremonial plants like iboga or kola nut, each profile explores the cultural origins, traditional uses and mind-altering effects of these botanicals – many of which remain central to spiritual practices, social customs and even modern wellness trends.

Richly illustrated and global in scope, the book brings together folklore, pharmacology and anthropology to show how psychoactive species have shaped human experience – both ordinary and extraordinary. This is not a field guide or a how-to manual, but a cultural companion for the curious reader: part ethnobotanical history, part celebration of our long and complex relationship with the plant and fungi kingdoms.

About the Author

Dr Liam Engel is an ethnobotanist, natural products chemist and science communicator specializing in psychoactive plants. Liam’s work spans chemistry, pharmacology, botany and social science, and is underpinned by advocacy for drug law reform. Based in Sydney, Liam conducts research at the National Institute of Complementary Medicine (NICM) Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, and is co-founder of The Mescaline Garden educational nursery.