SPICES

1. SPICES Biology, History, Production, Uses Janice Ott

2. “He who controls the spice, controls the universe.” from Dune by Frank Herbert

3. Sassafras

4. Food for birds, mammals Sassafras albidum

5. Beverage, tea Exported by colonists (second to tobacco) Learned from Iroquois tonic after labor topical for rhematism colds, fevers FilE used for thickening gumbo from dried, ground leaf Root beer Soaps, perfumes

6. 1970s safrole liver damage Precursor to MDMA (ecstasy) Safrole is a weak carcinogen in rats Banned by FDA Roots dont’s have safrole Analgesic, antiseptic, fungicide

7. What “Aromatic natural products that are the dried seeds, buds, fruit, flower parts, bark, or roots of plants, usually of tropical origin.”

8. All spices are edible. Herbs are not spices, usually leaves. When dried, herbs can be a spice.

9. HERBIVORY Herbivory is Predation

10. Insects (adult and larvae), mammals, rodents, fungi

11. Defoliators Leaf miner Sap sucker, gall makers

12. Galls

13. Bark Beetles

14. Mammal Damage

15. deer

19. I. PlantsProblem • Decrease fitness • Decrease vigor, biomass • Decrease competitive edge • Decrease reproduction

20. 1. thorns II. Plants Solution Prickly Rose

21. 2. Secondary compounds • Primary compounds are proteins, sugars, starches needed for growth • When herbivory is high produce toxins

22. Secondary compounds Blackpepper nicotine cinnamon

23. a. Secondary compounds discourage herbivores • 1) tannins • 2) phenols (aromatics) • 3) terpenes (volatiles)

25. Alkaloids (affect nervous system) act as insecticides 1. Morphine 2. Cocaine (coca leaves) 3. Caffeine allelopathy chocolate, tea 4. Nicotine 5. Mescaline (Peyote) 6. Nutmeg 7. Morning Glory 8. Nightshades

26. II. Terpenoids all plants, volatile 1. Essential oils fragrance to deter pathogens deter herbivores humans use for aromatherapy humans use for topical medicine 2. Taxol treat ovarian and breast cancer from fungus on European yew 3. Rubber

27. Phenols • attract pollinators • Flavonoids, Flavins • 1. Anthocyanins • Grapes, berries • Color depends on pH • Human – protect against heart disease, diabetes, cancer, aging

28. Salicylic Acid • Willow tree, aspirin, skin care • Hippocrates • Lignin • adds strength to cell walls • Waterproof • Fungal attacks

29. Secondary are toxic Usually in specific vacuoles Not every plant can produce every product Only produced when needed

30. Plants response to overgrazing • Fast growing plants protect juvenile parts • Slow growing plants defend entire life

31. Secondary compounds • b. suppress competitors • c. expensive only for valuable tissue (young) defense only when needed withdraw when no longer needed

32. d. coevolution • Hares 10 year • Voles 3-4 year • Moose 10-30 year Response: heavier shoots longer sprouts overgrowth at growing tips no flowers this year

33. III. Herbivory • Most eaten: young, tender tips (papyriferic acid 2x in shoots) high carbon areas birch, willow, aspen, poplar • Least eaten: alder, spruce, old wood

34. Coevolution Milkweed is toxic

36. History Accidently –Who???? Used to mask unpleasant Money cardamon = years wages peppercorns = several slaves

37. Spice Trade

39. 3,000 BCE First record of trade Assyrians 2600 BCE Evidence pyramid builders had foreign spices 1550 BCE Ebers papyrus lists spices used for medicine and embalming

40. Bible: Joseph sold to a spice caravan

41. 1750 BCE Hammurabi codes Lists penalities for sloppy medical use of spices 1458 BCEEgyptian queen,Hatshepsut, visited Punt (modern Somalia) for spices

42. Arabs controlled trade for centuries 950 BCE caravans from India to the Greeks

43. Incense Road

44. Caravan could take 2 years

47. Incense Road, Silk Road

48. 425 BCE Herodotus harvest cinnamon 331 BCE Alexander the Great founded Alexandria 80 BCE Ptolemy gave Alexandria to Romans

50. Arabs dominated until 1100 CE