Types of Plants

Types of Plants

OVERVIEW

According to Ethnobotanical

    requirements plants can be categorized into six basic groups.

They are plants used in :

          1. Food and related products

          2. Medicinal products

          3. Culture related themes

          4. Ornamental plants

          5. Aromatic plants

          6. Economic processes

          

FOOD & RELATED PRODUCTS

People have always been interested in plants and have used them in many ways. Prehistoric people gathered wild plants

    for food and used plants to build shelters.

By about 8000 B.C, people in the Middle East had begun to depend on cultivated plants for most of their food. Prehistoric people also raised plants for their beauty and used plants for medicine.

Plants have the unique ability to manufacture their own food by utilizing inorganic elements and nutrients from their surroundings using solar energy.

                GRAINS

Grains are small, hard, dry seeds harvested for human or animal food. major commodity exchanges deal in canola, maize, rice, soybeans, wheat,

    and other grains.

Grains are classified into

 cereal grains

             Cereal crops are all members of the grass family. Cereal grains contain much starch, a carbohydrate that provides dietary energy.eg:- barley, oats, rice, maize (corn)

Pseudocereal grains

                Pseudocereals are broadleaf plants (non-grasses) that are used in much the same way as cereals. heir seed can be ground into flour and otherwise used as cereals.

            eg:- Buckwheat

 Pulses

                 Members of the (pea family). Pulses have higher protein than most other plant foods. They may also contain starch or oil

            eg:- chickpeas, common beans

Oilseeds

                  Grains grown primarily for the extraction

    of their edible oil. Vegetable oils provide dietary energy and some essential fatty acids. They can

     be used as fuel or lubricants.

                        eg:-corn oil, almond oil

                               Mustard family

                                     Mustard seeds are the small round seeds of various       mustard plants. They

    are important spices in many regional foods.

                                Aster family

                                      commonly referred to as the aster, daisy, or sunflower family seeds...eg;-sunflower seeds,

Grains

VEGETABLES

              Vegetables are store houses of all kinds of vitamins and minerals. They are important aspects of our diets because of the nutritional value they impart. Each vegetable variety is unique, with different nutritional values and flavor.

   In culinary terms, a vegetable is an edible plant or its part, intended for cooking or eating raw. In biological terms, "vegetable" designates members of the plant kingdom.

vegetables are usually divided into the following categories:-

Root vegetables (carrot, beetroot, turnip)

Leafy green vegetables (cabbage,

     broccoli, spinach, cauliflower)

Alliums (onion, leek, garlic)

Potatoes

Legumes (peas and beans)

Pumpkin family (cucumber, marrow, squash, pumpkin, 

     gourd)

Tomatoes

Salad crops (lettuce, radish, celery, bean sprouts)

Other vegetables (pepper, corn, asparagus, mushroom)

FOR  YOUR KNOWLEDGE…

*Believe it or not..methods of freezing dried foods were realized during the Peruvian Inca age

*DO YOU KNOW THAT RED-PEPPER CAN STOP BLEEDING?  pepper is actually an excellent choice when it comes to dealing with cuts and slices. It stops the bleeding instantly, and supposedly it doesn't hurt at all. 

FRUITS

 humans and many animals have become dependent on fruits as a source of food. Fruits account for a substantial fraction of the world's agricultural output, and some (such as the apple and the pomegranate) have acquired extensive cultural and symbolic meanings.

about 11,000 years ago people began to plant fruit and vegetables, to farm the plants and to care for them. The farmers experimented and grew new kinds of the wild fruits and vegetables.

    Fruits and vegetables found growing in one part of the world were taken by explorers and traders to many other parts of the world. The fruits and vegetables were then planted and grown in many countries around the world. For example, it is believed that Christopher Columbus took pineapples to Spain from South America in the 1400s.

Classification of fruits

Simple Fruits
derived from a single ovary.eg:- Drupe,  Berry

Compound Fruit
A compound fruit is one that develops from several ovaries in either a single flower or multiple flowers eg:- pineapple. Grapes

Accessory Fruits

    Accessory fruit defines a false fruit

    also known as pseudocarp. In these fruits the parts other than ovary and its wall are important in forming the fleshy fruit part.eg:- Strawberry, Apple

MEDICINAL PLANTS

Drugs are produced from wild plants idenfied to have medicinal value.

Drugs are produced from plant root, bark, stem & wood, leaves, fruits & seeds,  flowers…

From root : ginseng , rhubarb

From bark : cinchona

From leaves : aloe, belladonna

From flowers : hops, santonin

Plants are often used as a tool for ceremonial purposes, as artistic media to express indigenous traditions, or as herbal remedies or hallucinogenics to fulfill cultural needs and expectations. Culturally significant plants grow on all continents and are used by all ethnicities.
Historically, humans have appropriated plants for numerous cultural applications.

Since prehistoric times, plants have served as symbolic organisms to represent aspects of the life cycle and seasonal changes, to worship, and to make offerings to gods.

Religious

     Buddhist all over the world worship the sacred ‘bo tree’ . Gauthama buddha attained enlightement beneath this tree,, hence is of religeous value to buddhist.

Fragrant flowers are offered when worshipping at temples.

Hindus offer flowers to their gods and decorate the statues with flower garlands.

Tulsi or Holy basil is a sacred plant in Hindu belief. Hindus regard it as an earthly manifestation of the goddess Tulsi, a consort of the god Vishnu. The offering of its leaves is mandatory in ritualistic worship of Vishnu and his forms like Krishna and Vithoba.

In christianity, pine, spruce and fir trees are used as decoration at christmas celebrations.

CEREMONIAL

    Trees,, flowers and plants are used in ceremonies all over the world. They are used to decorate or symbolize a certain concept.

Ornamental plants are plants that are grown for decorative purposes in gardens and landscape design projects, as houseplants, for cut flowers and specimen display. The cultivation of these, called floriculture, forms a major branch of horticulture.They are most often intentionally planted for aesthetic appeal, but a plant that occurs naturally and enhances the landscape could also be considered ornamental.The most apparent use of ornamental plants is for visual effect.

Add Beauty

         Ornamental plants are used in landscapes and throughout the home to beautify the surroundings.

Fragrance

       Many ornamental plants are chosen because they appeal to the sense of smell, in addition to their visual appeal.

Attract Wildlife

       Ornamental plants provide nutrition and shelter for many wildlife species. While some forms of wildlife wreak havoc on carefully planned landscapes, other species are responsible for pollination and propagation, making this attraction vital to the ecosystem.

Clean Air

      Without plants we wouldn't have clean air to breathe, because plants create oxygen during photosynthesis. Hence these plants enbles a purified environment.

Relaxation 

      Plants create a rlaxed environment and reduces stress conditions by creating a natural environment around a person.

    Some ornamental plants

ROSES
Roses are the most widely cultivated plants in gardens and parks, and the plants with the longest horticultural history, since they've been grown in every part of the world for centuries. It is the national plant of the USA and of England.

LOTUS

     Lotus flowers are cultivated in ponds in South Asia as a food and for their flowers which are used for ornamental and religious offerings. Lotus is now found in many large cities both are planted in pots, or in the garden pond. They are grown in asian households with the belief of good luck and prosperity.

ORNEMENTAL GRASS

     Ornamental grasses make ideal garden plants. Most are quite vigorous, require minimal care and add color, form and texture to the landscape. Ornamental grasses have many uses in the landscape. Their wispy, graceful foliage adds interesting form and texture to both beds and borders.   Eg: fountain grass

ORNAMENTAL TREES

    Ornamental trees are abundant features such as flowers, unique foliage, notable bark, or a form of branching that is eye catching. Ornamental trees generally grown from 15-25 feet tall in height. Many ornamental trees are flowering and the time of flowering, mainly early spring, will draw attention to the landscape. Some trees have unique features that are notable in several seasons.

    They give the home, street, or commercial setting, beauty and permanence. Ornamental trees beautify our surroundings with interesting shapes, patterns, colors, scents, and seasonal changes. Eg: Acacia ,

Plants that produce and exude aromatic substances (largely ether oils), which are used in making perfumes, in cooking, and in the food, pharmaceutical, and liquor industries are known as aromatic plants. They contain an essential oil and concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile aroma compounds . Essential oils are also known as volatile oils, ethereal oils, or simply as the "oil “ the plant from which they were extracted, such as oil of clove

Peppermint

This well-known herb is, in fact, a hybrid between water mint  and spearmint . Its leaves possess the unmistakable fresh, sharp scent due to high menthol content. The oil, leaf, leaf extract, and leaf water are all indispensable in many industries due to their flavoring and fragrance. Its numerous uses include cosmetics, food, and pharmaceutical products. Peppermint will grow happily in all moist places, in part shade or full sun.

Common white jasmine

Jasmine is a deciduous vine, native to Asia and famous for its wonderful fragrance. Its oil is used in aromatherapy and dermatology as well as in perfume production. The flowers release their aroma by night and that is when they must be picked. In milder climates it can be grown outside, next to patios and resting places. In colder areas it must be placed inside for the winter.

cinnamon

Cinnamon has a long history both as a spice and as a medicine. It is the brown bark of the cinnamon tree, which is available in its dried tubular form known as a quill or as ground powder. The two varieties of cinnamon, Chinese and Ceylon, have similar flavor, however the cinnamon from Ceylon is slightly sweeter, more refined and more difficult to find in local markets.

1. Cinnamon helps prevent unwanted clumping of blood platelets.

2.Cinnamon's essential oils also qualify it as an "anti-microbial" food, and cinnamon has been studied for its ability to help stop the growth of bacteria as well as fungi, including the commonly problematic yeast Candida.

 3.Cinnamon slows the rate at which the stomach empties after meals, reducing the rise in blood sugar after eating

5. Cinnamon may also significantly help people with type diabetes improve their ability to respond to insulin, thus normalizing their blood sugar levels.

6. wonderful odor of cinnamon boosts brain activity

 7.cinnamon is an excellent source of fiber and the trace mineral manganese while also a very good source of calcium helps in reducing the risk of colon cancer.

 8. cinnamon has also been valued in energy-based medical systems, such as Traditional Chinese Medicine, for its warming qualities. In these traditions, cinnamon has been used to provide relief when faced with the onset of a cold or flu, especially when mixed in a tea with some fresh ginger.

9. Bark oil is used  in flavouring confectionery, liquors and in pharmaceutical preparations, especially to mask the unpleasant taste. Leaf oil is used in the manufacture of  cheaper types of perfumes used in soap, tooth pastes hair oil, etc. In the flavouring industry, it is used as a modifier

Our daily dependence on plant products  is astounding. For instance, Latin America and Africa are major suppliers of coffee and cacao (from which we derive chocolate), while Asia produces most of our rice and natural rubber. Our lives are enriched by beautiful hardwoods, spices, essential oils and fruits. In addition, tropical countries export many fibers, gums, resins, dyes, and plant essences that we may never see directly, but which are widely used in medicine and industry. This section highlights some of these important plants.

DISTRIBUTION OF PLANTS WITH ECONOMIC VALUE

Rubber

Rubber trees are native to the Brazilian Amazon but now are also grown in plantations in Southeast Asia. Diagonal slashes are made in the bark of the tree and the latex sap that exudes is collected. The latex is mixed with water and heated over a smoky fire to produce a ball of rubber ready for processing. Today most rubber is synthetic; natural rubber is restricted to specialized uses.

Cocoa

Cocoa is native to the eastern Andes. The Maya and Aztecs made a beverage from the seeds of this plant calling it the "food of the gods." The seeds, after being fermented and pulverized, were mixed with water to produce a beverage. It was not until Europeans added sugar and milk that the world came to know chocolate as we do today. Today, major production areas are in West Africa, Brazil, and Mexico

Ginger

Native to southern Asia, ginger is now grown throughout the tropics with major production in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Jamaica, and India. The plant's rhizome (stem that grows at ground level like iris) is used fresh as well as dried and ground. It is a common ingredient in Asian cooking and flavors ginger snaps, ginger ale, ginger beer, ginger cake, and pumpkin pie.

Ebony
Ebony heartwood gives it commercial value. The wood is extremely hard and will sink in water. It is used for piano keys, cutlery handles, musical instruments and carvings. It is native to West Africa. Good quality logs are rare due to over harvesting.

Bamboo
used as a source of food as well as for construction and weaving. It has great strength and is used in Japan as scaffolding for building skyscrapers.

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