This paper summarizes the contributions of a doctoral thesis on the botany knowledge of students of Mapuche descent. Social problems of the Mapuche people are described, especially those related to education and environment. By examining the botanic taxonomy in Mapuche language, the importance of vegetable diversity to the Mapuche people and their traditions and vision of the cosmos was revealed. Mapuche students at middle schools were shown to have much more knowledge of vegetable biology than college students at the beginning of their studies in forest engineering and agronomy. Formal education may use this situation to its advance, in search of intercultural scientific education and the protection of threatened ecosystems.