Abstract: Malinowski holds that the function of culture is to meet the need of human society.To maintain human society,sufficient food is necessary,which mainly comes from plant.This means that human society,once it is formed,has a close relationship with plant.Historical science,with the evolution of human society as its study subject,would not be able to interpret the power and mechanism of social evolution if it ignores the balance between plant and culture. Unfortunately,historical texts kept so far mainly focus on human activities,especially those of elite class.No culture,nor plant,has been given due weight,making it difficult to interpret historical texts accurately.If we stick to the principle of Annales School that social evolution is uneven,and that the plant,which is closely connected with specific society and culture,is lengthily continual,we may succeed unexpectedly in the research of historical science,because we can draw certain historical and cultural information of plant,direct or indirect,from historical texts,and regain the power and mechanism of social evolution.

Key words: plant, ethnological culture, interpretation of historical data