Agriculture & Food Science Research Starter: Other Commercial Crops

Allspice (Pimenta officinalis, Myrtaceae) is the dried, unripe berries of the small tropical tree.

Any species of the genus Angelica, plants of the family Umbelliferae (parsley family), native to the Northern Hemisphere and New Zealand,

Annual plant (Pimpinella anisum) of the family Umbelliferae (parsley family), native to the Mediterranean region but long cultivated elsewhere for its aromatic and medicinal qualities.

An herb that is part of the mint family, is native to India (and possibly Africa as well), and is known as the tomato's best friend, basil (Ocimum basilicum = O. americanum) comes in many types - and more than a few colors - that are now distributed worldwide.

The aromatic leaves of the bay laurel tree(Laurus nobilis) are regarded by many as an indispensable flavoring herb in the kitchen.

Its flower buds, which are picked and pickled in vinegar, are the capers that have been used since at least the time of the ancient Greeks as a condiment to add a salty-sour flavor to sauces, cheeses, salad dressings, stews, and various other meat and fish dishes.

Caraway is cultivated in its native regions—Asia and northern and central Europe (Holland and Germany are the major producers)—as well as in Morocco, the US, and Canada.

The dried fruit of a perennial bush, Elettaria cardamomum, belonging to the ginger family, consisting of green or bleached pods (5 to 10 mm long) containing loose black seeds with an aromatic flavour and smell.

Also known as cilantro, culantro, and Chinese parsley, coriander (Coriandrum sativum) is an herb that is cultivated for its aromatic seeds and leaves.

Name for trees and shrubs of the genus Cinnamomum of the family Lauraceae (laurel family).

Clove, name for a small evergreen tree (Syzygium aromaticum or Eugenia caryophyllata) of the family Myrtaceae (myrtle family) and for its unopened flower bud, an important spice.

Cumin (Cuminum cyminum) seems to be a Mediterranean plant - as are most other members of the carrot family - although some think it originated in Asia, and it apparently has been cultivated in India, Egypt, and the Mediterranean region since time immemorial.

Old World annual or biennial plant (Anethum graveolens) of the family Umbelliferae (parsley family), cultivated since at least since 400 b.c. The pungent, aromatic leaves and seeds are used for pickling and for flavoring sauces, salads, and soups.

Common name for several perennial herbs, genus Foeniculum vulgare of the family Umbelliferae (parsley family), related to dill. The strawlike foliage and the seeds are licorice-scented and are used (especially in Italian cooking) for flavoring.

A close relative of the onion, garlic (Allium sativum) is the common name for several small bulbous herbs of the lily family.

The underground rhizome of a tropical flowering plant, gingerroot (Zingiber officinale) can be purchased fresh, dried, grated, ground, preserved in vinegar or syrup, and crystallized.

Common name for the Araliaceae, a family of tropical herbs, shrubs, and trees that are often prickly and sometimes grow as climbing forms.

A member of the cabbage family and a relative of the radish, horseradish (Armoracia rusticana = A. lapathifolia) is sometimes called “German mustard,” perhaps because its strong, biting flavor derives from mustard oils that are released when the tissue of the root is cut.

Common name for members of the Malvaceae, a family of herbs and shrubs distributed over most of the world and especially abundant in the American tropics. Tropical species sometimes grow as small trees. The family is characterized by often mucilaginous sap and by showy, five-part flowers with a prominent column of fused stamens.

Some 600 perennial herbs of the genus Mentha, which are widely distributed throughout the world, fall under the rubric of mint - a name derived from the nymph Minthe, who was reputed to have turned into this plant.

Mustard, common name for the Cruciferae, a large family chiefly of herbs of north temperate regions.

A kernel of the fruit of a tropical tree (Myristica fragrans), the dried nutmeg berry is called “nutmeg”because of its nutlike appearance.

Name for several herbs used for flavoring food. A plant of the family Labiatae (mint family), Origanum vulgare, also called Spanish thyme and wild marjoram, is the usual source for the spice sold as oregano in the Mediterranean countries and in the United States.

Because paprika, like cayenne, is made from dried American red peppers (Capsicum annuum and C. frutescens), it is a relative newcomer to the world's spice rack.

A hardy biennial plant with either bright green very curly leaves, Petroselinum crispum, or flat duller leaves, P. crispum ‘Neapolitanum'.

An aromatic herb, rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is a Mediterranean native whose Latin name means “dew of the sea,” presumably because it was frequently found growing close to the coast.

Common name for various members of the family Rutaceae, a large group of plants distributed throughout temperate and tropical regions and most abundant in S Africa and Australia. Most species are woody shrubs or small trees; many are evergreen and bear spines.

This spice comes from a species of crocus (Crocus sativus), in the form of saffron “threads,” which are the stigmas (the parts that catch pollen for the ovary) of the flower

Any species of the large genus Salvia, aromatic herbs or shrubs of the family Labiatae (mint family). The common sage of herb gardens is S. officinalis, a strongly scented shrubby perennial, native from S Europe to Asia Minor.

Aromatic vegetable product used as a flavoring or condiment.

Tree or bush, its leaves, and the beverage made from these leaves. The plant (Camellia sinensis,Thea sinensis, or C. thea) is an evergreen related to the camellia and indigenous to Assam (India) and probably to parts of China and Japan.

Thyme, a strongly flavored herb that comes in many varieties, has leaves that are used both fresh and dried.

A major ingredient in curry powders, turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a member of the ginger family and, like ginger, is rhizomatous.

An evergreen creeping perennial herb or small shrub of the family Pyrolaceae (about 35 species), found in N temperate and arctic regions.

Authentic vanilla flavouring comes from the so-called bean or pod of the orchid, Vanilla fragrans.

Honey, sweet, viscid fluid produced by honeybees from the nectar of flowers. The nectar is taken from the flower by the worker bee and is carried in the honey sac back to the hive.

Sweet, soluble, crystalline carbohydrate found in the pith of sugar cane and in sugar beet.

Tall tropical perennials (species of Saccharum, chiefly S. officinarum) of the family Gramineae (grass family), probably cultivated in their native Asia from prehistoric times.

A deciduous tree or shrub with smooth grey bark, pale-green glossy leaves, and triangular edible fruits known collectively as beech mast.

Carob (algarroba, locust bean, St John’s bread) (Ceratonia siliqua) is a warm-climate legume seed produced mostly in the Mediterranean countries.

Coffee (Coffea arabica) is surrounded by myths and legends, especially those dealing with the discovery of the plant, which seems to have originated in both Yemen and southern Ethiopia (in the province of Caffa).

Cotton, most important of the vegetable fibers, and the plant from which the fiber is harvested.

Forest, a dense growth of trees, together with other plants, covering a large area of land.

Name for any plant of the genus Corchorus and for its fiber. Many species yield fiber, but the chief sources of commercial jute are two Indian species, grown primarily in the Ganges and Brahmaputra valleys.

Any of several tropical and subtropical evergreen trees that grow in salt marshes and on mudflats, along tropical coasts and in tidal estuaries, producing aerial roots from their branches that form a dense tangled network.

Any of various broad-leaved deciduous trees of northern regions whose seeds float by means of winglike growths.

Common name for the Myrtaceae, a family of shrubs and trees almost entirely of tropical regions, especially in America and Australia. The family is characterized by leaves (usually evergreen) containing aromatic volatile oils.

Olive, common name for the Oleaceae, a family of trees and shrubs (including climbing forms) of warm temperate climates and of the Old World tropics, especially Asia and the East Indies.

Any plant of the genus Picea, evergreen trees or shrubs of the family Pinaceae (pine family) widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere. The needles are angular in cross section, rather than flattened as in the related hemlocks and firs. The Norway spruce (P. abies), an important timber tree of Europe, is one of the most commonly cultivated evergreens.

Any of a group of large-leaved plants belonging to the nightshade family, native to tropical parts of the Americas.

Walnut, common name for some members of the Juglandaceae, a family of chiefly deciduous, resinous trees characterized by large and aromatic compound leaves.

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius, 2n = 24, Compositae or Asteraceae) is a much branched annual plant, related to sunflower, but with many heads (5-50) that vary in diameter from 1.2 to 4.0 cm containing 20-180 florets.