ABSTRACT
The benefits of using wild plants (or animals) as a resource may be obtained in three general ways. First, a species-or its phenotype, the individual plant or animal-can be consumed directly or it can be a direct source of natural chemicals and compounds used in the production of “natural” drugs and other natural products. Second, a species’ natural chemicals can provide information and ideas-a blueprint-indicating unique ways to develop useful synthetic chemicals and compounds. For example, aspirin, an early synthesized drug, is a modification of the natural chemical salicylic acid (found in plants), which is too strong to be taken orally. And third, a wild species can be the source of a gene or set of genes with desired genetic traits that can be utilized in breeding or in newly developed biotechnological techniques. For example, germplasm from wild species is used to maintain the vitality of many important food crops. The latter two utilizations are essentially nonconsumptive, employing the genotype-the characteristics embodied in the genetic constituents of plant and animal species-as a source of information.
