When Christopher Marlowe's Faustus sells his soul to the devil in exchange for all the knowledge in the world, he requests three books from Mephaestophilis: one on incantations, a second on new astronomy, and a third "wherein [he] might see all plants, herbs and trees that grow upon the earth" . Evident in this last request is the importance of earth's botanical cornucopia to early modern Europe, a knowledge base that expanded exponentially with the encounter, exploration, and merchandising of the Americas.