This article describes the development of ethnobotany in Indonesia from the past, the colonial era, to the present. The history of the utilization of various plant species by people in Indonesia began with uncovering the local community’s knowledge in utilizing the diversity of plant species, supported by evidence such as temple reliefs and artifacts, as well as sacred manuscripts or scientific documents like Rumphius’s Herbarium Amboinense in the seventeenth century, which documented the use of plant species by indigenous communities in their search for economically valuable species. Ethnobotanical research after Indonesia’s independence in 1945 focused more on uncovering the uses of various plant species by local communities in their daily lives. Current ethnobotanical research continues to evolve with a more comprehensive approach by integrating ethnology and botany to evaluate the cultural significance and practical use of plants in society. This study also reveals the central role of ethnobotany in exploring the uses, potential, and utility of the diversity of plant species in the lives of communities in Indonesia. This article is expected to inspire ethnobotanical researchers at present and in the future in order to promote the advancement of ethnobotany so that it can contribute to the development of science, technology, and innovation in the management of plant species diversity that is profitable, efficient, and sustainable.