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Forensic botany

Definition

The application of plant science, including morphology, anatomy, palynology, and molecular biology, to criminal and civil legal proceedings.

Related terms

Dendrochronology
The science of dating by tree-ring sequences. Each annual ring encodes the growing conditions of that year; matching ring patterns to a...
Locard exchange principle
The forensic principle that contact between two surfaces transfers material in both directions. Plant material, pollen, seeds, and leaf fragments all transfer...
Palynology
The study of pollen grains and spores. In forensic work it links persons, objects, or remains to specific geographic locations through the...
Post-mortem interval (PMI)
The time elapsed between death and discovery of the body. Entomological PMI estimation gives a minimum PMI based on the developmental age...
Provenance
In ceramic petrology, the geographic area from which the raw materials (clay and temper) were sourced; distinct from production place (where the...

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