Detecting seminal research contributions to the development of ethnobotany by reference publication year spectroscopy (RPYS)

This study aims to assess the growth in overall publication output in ethnobotany as well as provide a systematic examination of the history of ethnobotanical publications using reference publication year spectroscopy (RPYS). The study is based on 5201 papers published between 1974 and 2019 covering 290006 non-distinct cited references (CRs), indexed in Science Citation Index-Expanded (SCI-Expanded) of Web of Science (WoS). The regression analysis indicated a compound annual growth rate of approximately 11% globally in ethnobotanical publications and the volume of publications doubles every approximately 6 years. The reference publication period was divided into four sub-periods in which a total of 31 peaks are clearly identifiable, including five peaks from the first period (earliest to 1800), ten from the second (1801–1900), nine from the third (1901–1950) and seven from the last period (1951–2000). A total of 44 publications were found to have been especially influential and landmark...