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Plants Consumed as Vegetables
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Earth Vegetables Roots Beets Carrots Oyster Plant Parsnips
Radishes Rutabagas & Turnips Sweet Potatoes Yams
Cassava Underground Stems Jerusalem Artichoke Potato South American Tubers Taros and Dasheens Yautias
Onions Herbage Vegetables Artichoke
Asparagus Cabbage & Related Collards &
Kales Brussels Sprouts Cabbage Kohlrabi
Celery Endive & Chicory Lettuce Rhubarb Spinach Minor Herbage
Vegetables Fruit
Vegetables Avocado
Jack
Fruit & Breadfruit Chayote Cucumber
Eggplant Okra Squash
& Pumpkins Tomato Peppers Olive Other = Maize
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In actuality all plants are vegetables, however, the
term is usually reserved for edible plants that store up reserve food in
roots, stems, leaves and fruits and that are eaten cooked or raw as salad
plants. Vegetables make up a large
and varied group of great importance in world commerce. Most vegetables have been in use since
antiquity so that their origin is often in doubt. The food value of vegetables is rather low due to the large
amount of water present, varying from 70-95 percent. Nevertheless, they rank next to cereals as
sources of carbohydrates. This is
most often present in the form of starch, but sometimes sugar, pectin and
other substances may be present.
Except for legumes, proteins are rarely available and fats are stored
only in very low amounts. The
nutritive value of vegetables increases greatly by the presence of the
indispensable mineral salts and vitamins, while the roughage value of the
plant tissues aids digestion. It is
convenient to classify vegetables as earth vegetables, herbage vegetables and
fruit vegetables. Earth vegetables, or root crops,
include all those where the food is stored in underground plant
structures. The storage organs may
differ morphologically. Some are true
roots while others represent modified stems, such as tubers, bulbs, corms and
rootstalks. All of these structures
are particularly well adapted to storage because of their protected position
in the soil. Many wild and cultivated
species have fleshy underground parts.
These have played an important role in the development of civilization
and agriculture second only to cereals and legumes. Since ancient times roots and tubers have provided food for man
and livestock. Even though the amount
of stored material is less than that in dry fruits and seeds, these are
extremely valuable because they are readily digested and have a high-energy
content. They do have a high water
content that not only reduces the amount of available food but also impairs
one’s ability to maintain them in storage.
The high bulk also makes it impossible to transport and store them as
efficiently as cereals, nuts and legumes.
Root crops are an important phase of agriculture worldwide. They are mostly grown both for livestock
feed and human consumption. The
various earth vegetables may be grouped according to their morphological
origin. Only some of the most
important species are considered. Several kinds of beets under cultivation are common
beets, sugar beets, chard and mangels.
These are all in the same species, Beta vulgaris. They all have been derived from the wild
beet, Beta maritima of the seacoasts of the Mediterranean region and
southwestern Europe. Beets are
biennials that produce the first year a large cluster of leaves from a crown
at the tip of a fleshy taproot. Beta vulgaris var. cicla is a type of beet that
was known as early as 300 B.C. At
first the roots were used both as a vegetable and in medicine. Finally the tender leaves were favored and
under cultivation they have developed and the roots became smaller. Today the chard has large leaves with
thick stalks and only slightly enlarged roots. Mangel Wurzels have developed from
chard. They have the roots and lower
part of the stem thickened with a crimson, golden or white sap. They were an important livestock feed
since the 16th Century, and are now grown extensively in Europe and
Canada. Mangels contain 3-8 percent
sugar and are fed to livestock either dry or as a silage. These were developed from mangels,
but they are smaller and have higher sugar content. They are used extensively as a source of sugar and their tender
leaves are consumed like spinach. Many varieties of the common beet
that differ in size, color, shape, sugar content and time of maturing are
grown. Early red beets are most
favored. The beets are boiled,
pickled or canned and are often used for salads. The leaves of young plants are consumed as beet greens. Daucus carota has been cultivated since before
100 B.C. It was known to the Romans
and Greeks and gradually moved into northern Europe. It was a favorite vegetable in England in
the time of Queen Elizabeth and was brought to eastern North America in
1609. From there Amerindians spread
it to the rest of America. Carrots
are usually biennials but may mature in one year. They pinnately compound leaves. The many varieties differ in shape, color, size and quality
and are affected by soil type. A deep
sandy loam is best. The roots are
harvested in autumn and stored in cellars.
Most of the food is stored in the outer cortical portions of the
taproot. The central portion of
earlier varieties remained woody and unpalatable. Carrots are consumed raw or cooked and may be used to flavor
soups and stews. They are also a
valuable livestock feed, and are especially favored by horses. The yellow color is carotin, which is
sometimes extracted and used to color other food. Oyster Plant or Salsify, Tragopogon
porrifolius, is a hardy biennial with a large fleshy taproot that at
times may reach up to one foot in length.
It is a composite that when mature has large purple heads with fruits
that resemble those of a dandelion.
It is native to Southern Europe but is cultivated worldwide and may
establish as a weed. The roots are
cooked or used as a relish. They have
a flavor that resembles oysters. Pastinaca sativa was used by the early Romans
and Greeks and has since spread worldwide.
It was represented in nearly all the early herbals. It is native to Europe and reached the
West Indies in 1564, Virginia in 1609 and by the 18th Century was being grown
widely by Amerindians in North America.
The plant has a tendency to escape from cultivation and revert to a
primitive growth habit with tough dry roots.
Seedlings from the wild forms when moved to favorable environmental
conditions gradually resume the cultivated form. Parsnips have a high sugar content and some fat. They are used cooked and for livestock and
even for making wine. Raphanus sativus is an annual or biennial with a
fleshy taproot and rosette of small leaves that later are replaced by the
erect flowering and fruiting part of the plant. They have been grown since before 100 B.C., but remain close to
the ancestral type and often revert to a form with a dry woody root. Radishes are grown worldwide and are
esteemed for their pungent flavor.
There are many varieties, all differing in size, color and shape of
the roots. There are early, summer
and winter types and they are frequently forced in hotbeds. Although mostly eaten raw, they may be
also cooked. These are very closely related plants that are sometimes
considered as varieties of a single species, Brassica campestris. However, in the Turnip, Brassica
rapa, both the root and the lower parts of the stem are fleshy and
rough. The texture varies, with the
finer ones being used as human food while the coarser types are fed to
livestock. Turnips were being grown
since 2,000 B.C. and spread from the ancestral home in Europe to other parts
of the world. They arrived in Mexico
in 1586, Virginia in 1610 and New England in 1628 (Hill 1952). The many varieties differ mainly in the
color and shape of the root. Turnips
thrive in cool climates and are grown as winter vegetables in the
subtropics. The leaves are used for
greens and for livestock forage and manuring. The Rutabaga, or Swedes, Brassica
napobrassica, has a larger smooth root with a short neck composed of stem
tissue. The flesh is more solid and
they are easily stored for long periods.
They grow well in northern regions where the cool climate favors the
development of the typical sweet flavor.
Rutabagas are also used as a livestock feed. Ipomoea batatas is definitely a native to
tropical America where the Amerindians for millennia before the European
colonization most likely grew it.
There is some mystery about how it became widespread in the tropics of
both hemispheres perhaps well before the Christian Era. Thus it serves as an example of probable
Pre-Columbian contacts between the hemispheres. The plant is now especially abundant in the South Seas, Japan,
China and Indonesia. The sweet potato
along with the yam, cassava and taro are indispensable mainstays of the diet
in tropical countries. The crop is
available throughout the year and grows in every kind of soil. The plant is a twining, trailing perennial vine with
adventitious roots that terminate in swollen tubers. They contain both sugar and starch and
some fat. Sandy soil and a warm moist
climate are preferred. In North
America the Atlantic coastal plain from the Gulf States to New Jersey is the
main producing area, with North Carolina, Georgia and Louisiana leading
production. The plants are grown as
annuals and propagated vegetatively from the roots or vine cuttings. There are two major types grown. One type has a dry, mealy yellow flesh and
is preferred in northern areas. A
second type, often-misnamed yams, has a more watery, soft, gelatinous flesh
that is richer in sugar. This is
favored in the South where sweet potatoes are a staple crop and rank next to
potatoes in importance. They are used
not only as a table vegetable but also for canning, dehydrating, flour
manufacture and as a source of starch, glucose syrup and alcohol. They are also used as a livestock
feed. The green tops are used for
fodder. Their high water content
makes them spoil easily. The genus Dioscorea includes the true yams. Many species exist in the tropics and
subtropics worldwide, and they are difficult to distinguish. Dioscorea alata is one of the more
common cultivated species. Yams are
all climbing vines with large storage roots that often weigh as much as 30-40
pounds and occasionally have aerial tubers.
They require a deep soil but are drought resistant. Yams constitute a main food for
inhabitants of the tropical regions.
They are broiled, baked or ground into flour. Yams are also a valuable livestock feed. Manihot esculenta is a very important root crop
of the tropics. Native to South
America it is widely grown in all tropical and subtropical areas. There are over 155 varieties most of which
are used locally for food. Two main
groups are the bitter cassavas and the sweet cassavas. They are shrubby perennials with stems
reaching a height of 9 feet. They
have 3-7 deeply parted leaves and roots that terminate in large tubers. All varieties contain a glucoside similar
to prussic acid that is poisonous.
However, only a slight amount of heat is required to drive off the
volatile acid and to render the flesh harmless. Other names for Cassava are Manioc, Mandioc and Yuca. The crop is grown easily with a minimum of labor. Stem cuttings of 6-10 in long pieces propagate
it. The plant matures in 6-12 months
and the yield is great. One acre can
produce more than 7 tons of cassava tubers.
The roots of a single plant can weight 25-50 pounds. The tubers are consumed cooked or raw. Sweet cassavas are usually boiled. A flour known as Farinha
is prepared by peeling, washing and scraping or grating the tubers and
then placing the material in a bag or press where the liquids are
removed. After drying and sifting the
meal is baked into thin cakes known as Cassava Bread. This has a high food value and replaces
wheat bread in the diet. The
poisonous milky juice is concentrated to a thick consistency by boiling and
constitutes Cassareep or West Indian Pepper Pot that is used for
making sauces. Raw cassava starch has
healing qualities and is fermented to make an alcoholic beverage. It is also a livestock feed and may be
used for sizing and laundry work. Raw cassava is used to make Tapioca. The roots are peeled and grated and the
milky fluids expressed. The starchy
material is then soaked in water for several days, is kneaded and finally
strained to remove any fibers and impurities. After sifting and drying it is gently heated on hot iron
plates. This partially cooks the
starch and causes it to ball up into little round lumps, which are the
tapioca of commerce. Jerusalem Artichoke (Sunchokes) Helianthus tuberosus is native to North America
where Amerindians have cultivated it for centuries. It is a hardy perennial sunflower 6-12 ft tall. The name “sunflower” comes from the
Italian word for sunflower, girasole.
The plant was introduced into Europe in 1616 and has been cultivated
more extensively there than in the West.
The plant is adapted to a wide variety of climates but grows best in
more temperate areas. The tubers
somewhat resemble potatoes but with larger eyes. They are cooked, pickled, or consumed raw. The carbohydrate is in the form of inulin
that is suited for diabetics and is also used as a source of levulose and
industrial alcohol. Sunchokes are
also grown as forage crop and weed eradicator. Solanum tuberosum is the white or Irish Potato
that is now a mainstay worldwide. It
is a native American species that was being cultivated from Chile to New
Granada at the time that the Spanish explorers reached America. The first published mention of the potato
was in 1553 in Pedro de Leon’s “Chronica del Peru,” while the first illustration
appeared in Gerard’s Herbal in 1633 (Hill 1952). The potato reached Europe via Spain soon after 1580 and by the
end of the 17th Century was being grown all over Europe and the British
Isles. Irish immigrants brought the
potato to New England in 1719 although it had been brought to Virginia and
the Carolinas earlier. Potatoes are erect, branching and somewhat spreading
annuals from 2-3 ft. tall. They have
pinnately compound leaves, fine fibrous roots and abundant rhizomes that are
swollen at the tip to form the familiar tubers. The flowers are yellow, white or purple with a tubular
corolla. The fruit is a small
brownish-green or purple inedible berry. Potatoes are adapted to many soils and climates. They are grown worldwide except in the
lower tropical regions. They are
hardy and mature rapidly and can be grown as far north as 60 deg. N. Latitude
and at altitudes up to 8,000 ft. The
best environment is a cool moist climate with a mean annual temperature of
40-50 deg. Fahrenheit and a rich light soil.
Propagation is usually
vegetatively by means of tubers or parts of tubers the so-called “seed
potatoes.” However, they may be grown
from seed. The more than 520
varieties in cultivation have been obtained by selection and hybridization
and by the utilization of mutations that are frequent. The essential parts of the seed potatoes
used for propagation are the eyes.
These are really groups of buds located in the axils of aborted
leaves. There is usually a central
bud in each eye surrounded by smaller lateral buds. The eyes are more abundant toward the apex of the tuber. Pieces of the tubers are cut at right
angles to the main axis so as to remove the inhibiting effect of the terminal
bud. The larger the piece the more
vigorous is the vegetative growth, which results in a greater yield. The tubers have a rest period of several
weeks after they have matured during which they will not sprout. This is a period of after ripening in
which several physiological changes occur.
The duration of the rest period can be controlled by the use of cold
and by various gases and chemicals. There are several regions in the tubers. These include the skin or periderm that
varies in color, texture and thickness; the narrow cortex, a dense area with
small starch cells; a ring of fibro vascular bundles; the external medulla,
which contains most of the starch; and the internal medulla, which has a
greater percentage of water and less starch.
Branches of the internal medulla extend outward toward each eye. In all these areas the starch occurs in
typical oval grains of different sizes in thin-walled parenchyma cells. The mealiness of the potato is due to the
swelling of the grains and the rupturing of the cell walls. When the external layers are low in starch
the walls do not burst and the tuber becomes soggy. Potatoes contain about 78 percent water, 18 percent
carbohydrates, including some sugar as well as starch, 2 percent proteins,
0.1 percent fat, and 1 percent potash.
They are well adapted to storage in a cool dark place. The water loss over winter amounts to
about 11 percent. Potatoes are grown over a wider area of the world than
any other crop. The commercial
production of potatoes is usually concentrated in areas where both the
climate and market conditions are most favorable. The larger tubers are used mainly for human consumption while
small tubers are converted into starch and industrial alcohol and also fed to
livestock. In the high Andes Mountain areas of South America there
are other species of Solanum cultivated by the natives. Additionally there are other tubers that
have been important food plants for centuries in this area. The most important is Oca,
Oxalis tuberosa, an upright succulent herb with trifoliate leaves and
orange yellow flowers. Several
varieties are grown. The tubers
contain calcium oxylate crystals and must be mellowed in the sun before they
are consumed. Ulluca
or Melloco, Ullucus tuberosus, is
second in importance. The tubers appear
as small potatoes. The plants are
resistant to frost and give a high yield.
The Ańu, Tropaeolum tuberosum, is a
twining plant related to the garden nasturtium is of lesser importance. Arracacha, Arracacia
xanthorrhiza, is native to the Andes region. It is a robust herb with large fleshy roots that is widely
cultivated as a starchy food. Achira, Canna edulis, has an edible tuber that
is also one of the sources of Arrowroot starch. Yam Bean, Pachyrrhizus
erosus, has tubers that are consumed either cooked or raw. These are next to yams in importance in Asia and they
constitute the staple food for the masses.
Over 1,020 varieties are grown.
They are among the few edible aroids and belong to the genus Colocasia. Taros and dasheens are similar and are
sometimes considered as variants of a single species. There is no erect stem but a cluster of
large leaves from 4-6 ft. long. Taro, Colocasia antiquorum, is native to Southeastern
Asia from where it spread throughout Polynesia and the Pacific area. The plant has huge peltate leaves and has
been cultivated for so long that it never flowers. The tops of the corms are used to propagate taro. A wet rich soil and a long season are
required. The yield is high and the
starch is of good quality and readily digested. Hill (1952) noted that there was no word for indigestion in the
ancient Hawaiian language. Taros are
baked or broiled to destroy the acrid calcium oxylate crystals in the raw
tubers. A principal food of Polynesia
is Poi, a thin pasty mass of taro starch. It has a slight acid taste and is
palatable. It is frequently made into
cakes, baked or toasted. Dasheen, Colocasia esculenta, has large
tubers with smaller ones on the side.
The flesh is mealy with a nutty flavor and ahs more carbohydrates and
proteins than potatoes. Dasheens were
grown as a commercial crop in the southern United States since 1913 where the
tubers were used as a substitute for potatoes. These are some of the oldest of the root crops and they
are found only in tropical America.
The most common species is Xanthosma sagittifolium. Yautias resemble taros to which they are
closely related. But they are taller
often reaching a height of 7-8 ft., with arrow-shaped leaves. They produce both corms and tubers. The plants are common in the West Indies,
especially in Puerto Rico, and many varieties are grown. The tubers are twice as nutritious as the
potato. Allium cepa is the main food plant in which the
food is stored in a bulb. It is
ancient, being known before 2,000 B.C.
There are no wild onions. It
probably originated in Southern Asia or the Mediterranean region. It has long been esteemed in India and
China for its flavor. It was
worshiped in Egypt before the Christian era and it also played a part in the
Druid rites. Onions are cultivated
over a large part of temperate and tropical climates. They prefer cool moist climates with a
sandy soil. They are started from
seeds or sets, small bulblets that are produced instead of flowers. Onions have to be dried and cured before
they are stored in order to develop the typical flavor and taste. These are due to an acrid volatile oil,
allyl sulphide. They are used both as
vegetables and flavoring agents.
There are more than 255 species of Allium known, some of which
are native to boreal America. Many
occur as weeds. The most common
cultivated forms are garlic, chives, leeks, shallots and the true onions. Garlic, Allium sativum,
is a perennial with narrow flat leaves and several small egg-shaped bulbs,
called cloves, enclosed in a white skin.
The inflorescences produce both seeds and bulblets. The latter together with the cloves and
the leaves have been used since ancient times for flavoring salads, soups and
meats. Garlic also possesses
bactericidal and antiseptic properties. Leek, Allium porrum, is
also an ancient plant. It is a hardy
perennial of the Mediterranean region with thick, flat, broad leaves and
small bulbs. The bases of the leaves
are mild flavored and edible and they are often blanched like asparagus. They are used for flavoring stews and
soups. Chives, Allium
schoenoprasum, have hollow and cylindrical leaves with small clustered
bulbs and dense umbels of rose-colored flowers. They are hardy perennials that grow in dense clumps. The young leaves and bulbs are for
seasoning. Shallots, Allium
ascalonicum also have cylindrical hollow leaves but the plants are not
cespitose. They are perennials with
large clustered leaves that are widely used in pickling. The leaves are short and shaped like an
awl. True Onions, Allium
cepa, are biennials with a single large bulb and long, hollow cylindrical
leaves. A single leafless scape
arises from each bulb and may attain a height of 2-3 ft. There are numerous small flowers. Many different forms occur with either
round, flat, white or colored bulbs.
Spanish and Bermuda onions are large and mild flavored. The early colonists brought onions to
America and division, bulblets and seeds propagate them. They are used for flavoring, as a vegetable,
for pickles and in medicine. These plants have nutrient
materials stored in structures that develop above the ground. They are the pot herbs and salad
plants. Many parts of the shoot
system of the plant may be utilized for storage. Leaves are used in cabbage, spinach, kale and lettuce; stems are
used in kohlrabi and asparagus; buds are used in Brussels sprouts; leafstalks
are used in rhubarb and celery; and immature flowers and flower stalks are
used in broccoli and cauliflower. The
food value and chemical make-up of herbage vegetables are similar to those of
the earth vegetables. However, there
is more water and therefore a smaller amount of carbohydrate. They contain more proteins because the
leaves are the chemical plants of the plant, and also a large amount of
mineral salts and vitamins that make them an essential part of the human
diet. There is also the value gained
from plant fiber. Cynara
scolymus is indigenous to the Mediterranean region and Canary
Islands. The artichoke plant resembles
a thistle in size and growth habit.
Flower stalks end in globular inflorescences with many subtending
involueral bracts. The immature heads
and the fleshy bases of the leaves and the thickened receptacle are consumed
usually after cooking. Artichokes
prefer low ground near seacoasts.
They are widely cultivated in Central and Southern Europe and
California. Pickled artichoke hearts
are a popular item. Asparagus officinalis is indigenous to temperate
Europe and Western Asia and may still be seen growing wild in that
region. I has been prized since Roman
times and widely grown throughout Europe.
It was introduced to America with the first Post-Columbian
colonists. it ahs perennial roots
that sent up an erect branching stem several feet tall. It has modified branches called
cladophylls, which is typical of the entire genus, including the asparagus
fern. The axillary flowers are small
and the fruit is a berry. The new
shoots are juicy and succulent, and these are the asparagus that is
consumed. The plant becomes bushy and
woody if the shoots are allowed to develop.
it thrives best in fertile well-drained soil in humid temperate
climates with an abundance of sunshine.
it can be grown from seed or from one year-old crowns. The plant may live for 15-20 years. The shoots are consumed either green or
blanched. For best flavor asparagus
should be cooked within 12 hours of picking.
The food value is low and the water content is about 94 percent, but
there is more protein present than in most vegetables. Sometimes the pulp may be dried or canned
as a paste. Asparagus also has a
medicinal value. Cabbage, Brassica oleracea, is an ancient and
very important herbage vegetable. The
wild ancestor is the colewort, a stout weedy perennial of the coastal areas
of Great Britain and Southwestern Europe.
A great variety of cultivated forms have been produced by selection
from this plant. A Mediterranean type
climate is most suitable, but cabbage will grom from the arctic to the
subtropics. Cultivation is very
ancient, at least since 2,500 B.C..
Several varieties were known to the Greeks and Romans (e.g., true
cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower). it
became an important plant in Scotland and Ireland at an early date. Today the plants are grown worldwide
except in the low tropics. Cabbage
contains the antiscorbutic Vitaminn C
and is also rich in sulfur. It is the
most varied of all cultivated plants.
The most common forms include the collards or kales, Brussels sprouts,
head cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and kohlrabi. In kale and Brussels sprouts the stem of the first year is
elongated while in the others it is very short Brassica oleracea var. acephala is erect and
branching. These plants are also
known as Borecole or Marrow
Cabbage and they are very close to the wild form. They have many large broad leaves that are
used as a boiled green vegetable or livestock feed.. The plants are resistant to cold, heat and
drought. Giant cabbage kales of
England may rach a height of 8-9 ft. and the stout stems can be used for
rafters or canes. Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera has the
axillary buds on the erect stem developing into little heads. These miniature cabbages are the consumed
vegetable. Both tall and dwarf forms
occur. Brussels sprouts are
cool-season plants and are more tender and delicate than common cabbage.
Brassica oleracea var.
capitata is the familiar cabbage with a short stem and a great mass of
thick overlapping leaves that form a head.
The older leaves surround the younger, smaller and more tender leaves
and the miniature stem, so that when sectioned it resembles a huge bud. There are many varieties that hive either
smooth or curled leaves. The latter
are the Savoy cabbages with excellent flavor. Both green and red cabbages are grown. Cabbage is adapted to cool climates and
can be grown on heavy soil. The plant
is very old and was introduced into England by the Romans. Cabbage contains 91 percent water with
some sugar and starch, considerable protein and valuable lime salts. It is consumed ray as Slaw
or cooked. Steaming is preferred
to boiling because the nutrients are retained. Sauerkraut is cabbage fermented
in its own juice together with salt.
Lactic acid bacteria act on the sugar to produce lactic acid that is
responsible for the sour taste.
Sauerkraut originated in Asia and spread westward throughout Europe in
early times. Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes does not form
a head, but the short stem is transformed into a juicy mass, which stands out
of the ground. It is large, spherical
and turnip like, white or purple in color with large leaf scars. Kohlrabi is an early spring or fall crop
as it does not do well in hot weather.
It has been considered a distinct species, Brassica caulorapa. Cauliflower and Broccoli (Brassica
oleracea var. botrytis) In both of these forms there is a short erect stem with
an undeveloped inflorescence. In
Cauliflower he whole inflorescence forms a large head of aborted flowers on
thick hypertrophied branches. The
leaves are frequently tied around the mass of flowers to keep them
white. In Broccoli the heads are
smaller and the leaves larger and the whole plant remains green. These are ancient cultivated plants that
are more delicate and easier to digest than cabbage. Apium graveolens var. dulce is indigenous to
temperate Europe from England to Asia Minor.
Wild plants are tough and rank bear an acrid and poisonous juice. it grows in ditches, marshes and other wet
places. Under cultivation it is a
biennial that forms a fleshy root and clump of compound leaves with long
leafstalks. The stalks are large and
succulent and their quality is improved by blanching before harvest. This is accomplished by placing boards,
soil or paper around them to shut out light and so to prevent chlorophyll
from developing. Celery requires a
rich sandy loam and lost of water. It
is grown as a winter crop in the subtropics and as a summer crop in temperate
regions. Celery was originally grown in the Old World for its
foliage that was used for flavoring and as a garnish and for medicinal
purposes. The roots are often
boiled. The outer stalks that are too
tough to consume are used as a basis for cream of celery soup. Celery seeds are grown to be used as Savory. The
larger turniplike roots of a European variety, Celeriac (Apium
graveolens var. rapaceum) are used for flavoring and soups. Chicory, Cichorium intybus, and Endive, C.
endivia, have been cultivated since the Middle Ages but still retain their
wild appearance and have not been greatly modified from the wild plants. Chicory is a perennial with a long taproot, coarse
branching stem and abundant basal leaves.
The flowers are generally blue.
This plant is native to Europe but has escaped cultivation in
America. it is used as a salad plant
or for greens. The roasted root is an
important adulterant of coffee Endive, an annual or biennial, is indigenous to India
and was a favorite salad plant of the ancient Egyptians and Greeks. The young basal leaves often have curled
margins and are used in salad. They
may be blanched before use. Lactuca sativa is native to Southern Europe and
Western Asia. It is a descendent of
the wild lettuce, Lactuca scariola, a common weed of roadsides and
waste land in both Hemispheres. Three
varieties of lettuce were cultivated by the ancient Greeks, and Persian kings
used it before 300 B.C. (Hill 1952).
The Moors developed many varieties among them the Romaine Lettuce. The plant has a basal rosette of leaves and later in the season
a stalk with flowers and fruits.
Lettuce has a milky juice. it
has little food value except for vitamins and iron salts. There are several hundred varieties
grown. The plant thrives in sandy or
loamy soil and requires cool weather and partial shade in summer. Principal varieties include head lettuce,
cos, romaine and leaf lettuce. Rheum rhaponticum has succulent acid
leafstalks. Native to Asia it is a
perennial with large rhizomes and it produces a number of very large leaves
early in the season. Later an
elongated flower stalk develops that bears dense masses of tiny white
flowers. It is widely cultivated as a
food plant and occasionally as an ornamental, in temperate regions of Europe
and America. Rhubarb is nearly 95
percent water with a little sugar and fat and salts of oxalic and malic
acid. The stems are used for pies and
sauces and a wine is made from the juice.
The leaves should be avoided as they are poisonous. Spinacia oleracea is a common herbage vegetable
used for greens. Native to
Southwestern Asia it is widely cultivated in cool regions where there is an
abundance of wat er. It produces a large
number of basal leaves early in the season, and later the flowering
portion. Spinach is an annual that
occurs as several forms. It is used
as a pot herb and cooked vegetable. Chinese Cabbage, Brassica
pekinensis and B. chinensis, is an annual plant used for greens
and salads. Dandelion,
Taraxacum officinale, is popular for its greens collected in the wild
state. Water
Cress, Nasturtium officinale, is an aquatic perennial that is
used for salads. New Zealand Spinach, Tetragona expansa,
is a warm-weather crop where only the tender young leaves are used. Tampala, Amaranthus
gangeticus, is a kind of lettuce with both red and green varieties. Additionally, there are many wild species
used by local residents for pot herbs, especially in springtime. The leaves of turnips, beets and mustard
are also favored. These are technically fruits but
are consumed as vegetables, many requiring cooking. Most of them resemble other vegetables, the avocado being an
exception. Persea americana, the avocado or alligator pear,
is a species with many different varieties occurring from Mexico to South
America. The brownish-green
pear-shaped fruit varies from 4-6 in. in length, is actually a one-seeded
berry. The pulp surrounding the large
seed has a buttery consistency and contains up to 30 percent fat,
considerable carbohydrate and more proteins than any other fruit. The vitamin content is also very
high. There are over 500 varieties
and three major races: the
Guatemalan, West Indian and Mexican.
These differ in shape, size and hardiness as well as fat content. A few dwarf varieties such as Gwen and
Little Cotto have been developed.
Avocados have been used since ancient times in America and are
consumed either fresh or cooked. The Guacamole of Mexico is a favorite dish that
combines avocado flesh with chile pepper and other spices. Jack Fruit & Breadfruit
<Photos> Breadfruit, Artocarpus altilis, has been a
valuable human food in tropical countries of the world. It has been cultivated since
antiquity. This is a very handsome
tree with deeply incised leaves that reaches a height of 40-60 ft. The fruits are prickly and about the size
of a melon. They are brownish yellow
when ripe with a fibrous yellow pulp.
These are often borne in small clusters. The fruit is consumed fresh or cooked. It may be broiled, baked, fried roasted or
ground up and used for bread. During
the months when the fruit is not available a paste that has been stored is
used. There are over 110 varieties of
breadfruit, some being seedless.
There are few fruits trees that give a greater yield. An 8-year old tree may produce 700-800
fruits. The carbohydrate content is
very high. Jackfruit, Artocarpus heterophyllus, is
similar. an Indo-Malayan species, it
is now widely dispersed in tropical countries. It is also a handsome tree that may reach of height of 60-70
ft. The leaves are entire and huge
fruits, 1-2 ft. long weighting 20-40 lbs. are borne on the trunk. Chayote (Chocho) Sechium edule is a trailing vine native to
tropical America. It produces gourd
like fruit that is used as a vegetable.
The fruits are actually pepos, berries with a spongy pulp and a hard
firm rind. Chayote is a perennial
with large tuberous roots. Both
fruits and tubers were used since ancient times in Neotropical America. The plants grow vigorously and have a
prolific yield. Both the tubers and
young and old fruits are consumed, but the foliage can be used as greens or
forage and the young shoots are a substitute for asparagus. The flavor varies with the age of the
fruit. The straw is valuable for
making hats and baskets. It is a good
bee plant and is sometimes planted for ornamental purposes. Cucumis sativus is a gourd fruit that is
believed to have originated in India.
It was cultivated since before 2,000 B.C. Reference to cucumber is found in the earliest writings of
Hebrews, Egyptians and Greeks. The
plant reached Europe by the 17th Century.
it is a rough-stemmed trailing vine with yellow axillary flowers and
round to elongated prickly fruits.
The water content is around 96 percent. Cucumbers are consumed raw, pickled or cooked Pickles are made from small
cucumbers or special varieties. The
fruits are soaked in brine and treated with boiling vinegar. Sometimes dill and other spices are added
to provide a distinctive flavor. Solanum melongena is
indigenous in India but is widely grown worldwide. Several taxonomic varieties exist. The plant is an erect branching herb that may reach a few feet
in height. The fruit is a berry that
varies from large ovoid to slender, whitish or purple. Cultivation is as an annual that requires
a high temperature. The fruit is cut
into slices and fried or broiled. Hibiscus esculentus is native to tropical
Africa. It was being cultivated in
Europe by 1216 A.D. The plant is a
stout annual that resembles cotton in its habit. The young pods are mucilaginous and are favored in soups under
the name Gumbo, the Spanish word for okra. It may be cooked in several ways. Young pods when cooked resemble asparagus
in flavor. It is frequently dried or
canned. The stems and mature pods
yield a fiber that is used to make paper and for textiles. These are gourd fruits native to America that belong to
the genus Cucurbita. The
several cultivated species have never been found in the wild state and have
been important in the diet of Amerindians since antiquity. There had been some speculation that the
genus originated in Africa. At least
two varieties were grown in Peru as early as 2,000 B.C. Cucurbita pepo was cultivated by
North American peoples also since about 2,000 B.C. and Cucurbita moschata by
312 A.D. These plants are coarse annual vines with large yellow
flowers and fruits that rest on the ground surface. The many varieties are insect pollinated and readily
cross. For example, they may be grown
in glasshouses in the presence of mosquito colonies maintained in tanks of
water. Immature fruits are used as
fresh vegetables stewed, boiled or fried, while mature fruit5s are baked,
canned or fed to livestock. The seeds
are high in fats and proteins and can be utilized as a source of an edible
vegetable oil. Pumpkin seeds that are
fried in oil and salted are available as Pepitos. Cucurbita pepo includes the field pumpkins that
are used for pies, canning and livestock feed; the summer or crookneck
squashes, acorn squashes, scallop squashes, pattypans or cymlings; zucchinis;
vegetable marrows; and small inedible gourds grown for ornamental
purposes. Cucurbita moschata
includes autumn and winter varieties such as the butternut squash. Cucurbita mixta includes the cushaw
squashes and some gourds. Cucurbita
maxima include such autumn and winter squashes as the buttercup, mammoth,
Hubbard and turban. Cucurbita
ficifolia is the only perennial species that was cultivated by
Amerindians in Neotropical America since ancient times and was undoubtedly
used also to make containers. This
species in clues the Malabar and other ornamental gourds. Lycopersicon esculentum is thought to have
originated in the Peru-Ecuador area, from which it spread northward in
Pre-Columbian times to Mexico where it became domesticated. Tomato was transported to Europe by
Spanish explorers. it was originally
considered to be poisonous and was grown for ornamental purposes only under
the names of Tomatl, Love
Apple or Pomme d’Amour. Tomatoes are coarse, branching, erect or trailing herbs
with a true berry for fruit. They
differ in habit depending on environmental conditions. There are over 180 varieties among which
several taxonomic groups may exist.
They are perennials in warmer regions but generally are grown as
annuals. Tomatoes are consumed raw or
cooked and in preserves. They are
particularly high in vitamins. Only
the pulp retains the characteristic flavor.
The waste consisting of skins, cores, seeds and unripe parts are used
to extract a fixed oil that can be used for food, soap or as a drying oil. The oil cake is valuable livestock
feed. Ripe tomatoes are also used for
sauces, ketchup, and tomato juice and tomato paste. Green tomatoes are used for pickles and preserves or are fried.
Peppers
belonging to the genus Capsicum are increasingly used as vegetables
instead of only as a spice, but they are considered in the section, Spices and Other Flavoring Substances Olives, which
are frequently consumed as vegetables in salads and cooked dishes, are
discussed under, “Fruits of Tropical &
Subtropical Regions.” ============================================================================== |