Salvia divinorum (Labiatae) is an entheogen used by the Mazatec Indians of the Sierra Mazateca in Oaxaca, Mexico. S. divinorum was introduced to the scientific community in the 1950's, and has since become the subject of ethnobotanical, botanical, and biochemical research. Plant biologists are interested in S. divinorum due to its anthropogenic distribution and limited sexual reproduction, while biochemists have found that S. divinorum contains one of the most potent natural hallucinogens known: salvinorin A. Ethnobotanically, the Mazatec shamans used the plant for healing, divination, and shamanic training, and the spiritual qualities of S. divinorum may now contribute to its growing popularity among the general public, as experimental users seeking to “expand consciousness” order S. divinorum over the internet. The many applications and mysteries of Salvia divinorum have led to numerous research opportunities, and the plant may become more important both pharmacologically and socially worldwide.