social elite developed around commanding long-distance trade, and the tree trafficking played into that social prominence narrative IMO. Think of "common people

social elite developed around commanding long-distance trade, and the tree trafficking played into that social prominence narrative IMO. Think of "common people" without travel, "uneducated" people without a common (Latin) vocabulary for botany, and "poor" people without the Wealth of Nations to execute and broadcast their unnatural accomplishments, and the social status of the people who do have all of those aspects in public view. The reason for the quotes is that there is more than one form of wealth, more knowledge than Latin and ways to know the local ecosystems that do not involve crossing continents.. but the point is.. At every step, unwise or excessive displays of trade power, with exotic animals, plants and possessions, were used and wielded for relative social status, along with actual utility. I imagine that the Australian Gum tree fits into that pattern.