intention to create a modern illustrated handbook of pharmacognosy that encompasses a wide range of topics, including the botanical, chemical, and historical contexts of medicinal plants. Tschirch discusses the lack of contemporary literature on pharmacognosy while detailing his extensive background in the field, which includes hands-on research and teaching. He emphasizes that pharmacognosy is a distinct scientific discipline with practical applications in various areas including pharmacy, medicine, and trade. Additionally, Tschirch outlines the structure of the work and its aim to provide an integrated understanding of the cultivation, processing, and trade of medicinal substances. (This is an automatically generated summary.)