Peru is one of the 20 botanically extremely diverse countries in the world, with >17 000 flowering plants, of which 30% are endemic. So far, no systematic research has been conducted on the screening of the allelopathic plants. In this study, the allelopathic activity of 170 species from 61 families of Peruvian plants that were collected from the three main regions of Peru – the Costa (Pacific coastline), the Sierra (Andean mountains), and the Selva (Amazonian rainforest) – was evaluated. The allelopathic activity was determined by the Sandwich Method, which can evaluate the activity of leaf leachates. The species that were found to be highly inhibitory in this screening, under the criterion of >90% inhibition of the radicle of lettuce (Lactuca sativa) seedlings, were Aristeguietia ballii and Diplostephium foliosissimum (Asteraceae) and Spondias mombin (Anacardiaceae). All of these species are native plants from Peru. This study gives a strong clue regarding the potential of isolating potent allelochemicals from these plants in the future.

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. However, dynamic relationships among different peoples, religions, cultures, plant use, and the environment as a field of ethnobiology are still not well-studied.In the ancient Near-East, Arabia, Greece, Egypt, and China, palm trees are considered "the tree of life," symbolizing regeneration and return to perfection (Cooper 1978) Research AbstractIn Hindu Bali, coconut trees near human settlements exhibit a particular silhouette. To understand the relationship between human activity and the landscape created by plant usage, we analyzed the extent of the cut-leaved coconut canopies and consumption pattern of coconut leaflets for religious purposes on Bali Island. Cut-leaved coconut canopies were identified in 78% of the 18 sites investigated, and 22% of coconut trees had cut leaves. Coconut leaflets, young and old, were gathered from live trees and frequently used for many offerings such as canang, penjor, and sanggah cucuk for Dewi Sri as part of plant decorations made with various colorful flowers and ornamental tree leaves. Balinese people still make traditional offerings with intact plant materials, although recently coconut leaflets are increasingly sold in markets in urban areas. We conclude that this particular coconut silhouette is a result of human ritual activities stemming from the Balinese culture.