Questions and Answers
What are essential oils?
What are secondary plant products?
A compound that occurs in plants that is not critical for the plant's basic metabolic function.
What purpose do essential oils in flowers serve to the survival and reproduction of the plant?
They attract pollinators by their alluring scents.
More spices were used in what kind of climates and why?
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The spice trade was flourishing between Europe and the Far East as early as what?
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What group were intermediaries of this trade?
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What commodity was considered the most precious in the Roman Empire?
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During the Dark Ages (medieval times), after the Roman Empire, were tropical spices from the Far East available to Europeans?
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Who is Venice's most famous citizen associated with the spice trade?
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Why were Spain and Portugal looking for ocean routes to the Far East rather than just using land routes?
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What are the Spice Islands now known as and where are they?
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What are the five processes of making cotton?
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Tobacco is a member of the nightshade family, which also includes?
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During the 16th century, what European power monopolized the spice trade?
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During the 17th century, who became the dominant European power in the spice trade?
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What spice brought the most profits to the Dutch East India Company?
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New World (from the Americas) spices include?
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What part of the plant is cinnamon?
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What pepper is the fruit of a climbing vine? What type of fruit?
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What are cloves?
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Do nutmeg and mace come from the same fruit? And what parts?
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Ginger can be used medically to relieve what?
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What two spices are rhizomes?
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What is the world's most expensive spice?
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What part of the Crocus sativus flower is used to make saffron?
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Are black pepper and hot chili pepper from the same plant?
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Capsaicin, the chemical compound that gives hot peppers their bite, is what type of compound?
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Capsaicin is the compound used in what?
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What are Scoville heat units?
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What benefit could capsaicin provide the plant?
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The amount of vitamin C is higher in peppers than in what?
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What is the only spice obtained from the orchid family?
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Flowers must be pollinated to produce vanilla pods. How is this done outside the native range of the vanilla plant's native animal pollinators?
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Most vanilla spice sold in the world is an imitation vanillin derived from what?
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Capsicum peppers, vanilla, and allspice are all New World spices. Which one has never been successfully grown outside of the New World?
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Herbs are aromatic leaves or sometimes seeds of temperate plants. What about horseradish?
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Basil, oregano, rosemary, sage, and thyme are in what family?
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What area is the center of origin for many herbs of the mint family?
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Carrots, cilantro, parsley, dill, fennel, cumin, chervil are all part of what family?
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Cabbage, broccoli, mustard, horseradish are two herbs associated with what family?
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The mustard family used to be called cruciferae. What characteristic of this family gave rise to that name?
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Onions, garlic, leeks, shallots, and chives are all in the what family?
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What in onions and garlic are what give you bad breath, make you cry when you cut them, and provide antimicrobial properties?
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Study Notes
Essential Oils and Plant Compounds
- Essential oils are volatile components that contribute to the scent and flavor of aromatic plants.
- Secondary plant products, like essential oils, are compounds not critical for basic metabolic functions in plants.
Role of Essential Oils
- Essential oils in flowers attract pollinators through their pleasant scents.
Spices and Climate
- Spices were more commonly used in hotter climates to prevent food spoilage due to their antimicrobial properties.
Historical Context of Spice Trade
- The spice trade between Europe and the Far East thrived 3,500 years ago.
- Arab merchants acted as intermediaries in the spice trade.
- Cinnamon was the most precious commodity in the Roman Empire.
- After the fall of Rome, trade with the East virtually ceased during the Dark Ages.
Key Figures in the Spice Trade
- Marco Polo is known as Venice's most famous citizen associated with the spice trade.
- Spain and Portugal sought new ocean routes to counter the Venetian-Muslim trade monopoly.
Geographic Locations of Spice Islands
- The Spice Islands, also known as the Moluccas, are located in Indonesia.
Cotton Production Processes
- The five processes involved in making cotton are ginning, baling, carding, spinning, and weaving.
Tobacco and Its Relatives
- Tobacco is a member of the nightshade family, which includes jalapeno peppers, tomatoes, and potatoes.
European Powers in the Spice Trade
- Portugal monopolized the spice trade during the 16th century.
- The Netherlands emerged as the dominant European power in the spice trade during the 17th century.
Profitable Spices
- Cinnamon was the spice that generated the most profit for the Dutch East India Company.
New World Spices
- New world spices include allspice, vanilla, chili peppers, and paprika.
Cinnamon and Its Source
- Cinnamon is derived from the bark of the evergreen tree Cinnamomum verum.
Pepper Varieties
- Black pepper comes from the dried berries of Piper nigrum, a climbing vine.
Cloves and Their Origin
- Cloves are the unopened flower buds of an evergreen tree, not a fruit.
Nutmeg and Mace
- Nutmeg and mace originate from the same fruit; mace is the aril surrounding the seed while nutmeg is the seed itself.
Medicinal Uses of Ginger
- Ginger is medically used to relieve nausea.
Rhizome Spices
- Ginger and turmeric are classified as rhizomes.
Most Expensive Spice
- Saffron is recognized as the world's most expensive spice.
Source of Saffron
- Saffron is obtained from the delicate stigmas of the Crocus sativus flower.
Pepper Differences
- Black pepper and hot chili peppers come from different plants.
Capsaicin
- Capsaicin, a capsaicinoid, is responsible for the heat in hot peppers and is used in various products.
Scoville Scale
- The Scoville scale measures the pungency (spicy heat) of chili peppers.
Capsaicin Benefits
- It helps protect seeds from a fungus that destroys a third of produced seeds.
Vitamin C Content in Peppers
- Peppers contain more vitamin C compared to citrus fruits.
Unique Spice from Orchids
- Vanilla is the only spice obtained from the orchid family.
Pollination of Vanilla
- Outside the native range of vanilla's pollinators, growers hand-pollinate the flowers to produce vanilla pods.
Imitation Vanilla
- Most vanilla sold globally is imitation vanillin derived from clove oil, lignin from wood pulp, or coal tar.
Allspice Cultivation
- Allspice has never been successfully cultivated outside of the New World.
Herbs and Their Characteristics
- Herbs are aromatic leaves or seeds of temperate plants, unlike horseradish which consists of roots.
Mint Family Herbs
- Basil, oregano, rosemary, sage, and thyme belong to the mint family, centered in the Mediterranean.
Parsley Family
- Carrots, cilantro, parsley, dill, fennel, cumin, and chervil are all part of the parsley family.
Mustard Family
- Cabbage, broccoli, mustard, and horseradish belong to the mustard family, previously called cruciferae due to their flower structure.
Allium Family
- Onions, garlic, leeks, shallots, and chives are all part of the Allium family.
Sulfur Compounds in Alliums
- Sulfur compounds in onions and garlic are responsible for bad breath, tears when cut, and have antimicrobial properties.
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Description
Test your knowledge on essential oils and secondary plant products with these flashcards. Learn about the role of these compounds in plants, their definitions, and their importance in the ecological context. Perfect for botany students or enthusiasts!
