Economic Importance of Plants 267 



from the rootlike, underground stem of the plant Zingiber officinale of 

 the ginger family. Cinnamon is the young bark of the tree Cinnamo- 

 mum zeylanicum of the laurel family. Cloves are the dried flower buds 

 of the tree Carybphyllus aromaticus of the myrtle family. Red pepper 

 is obtained from the dried, berrylike fruits of the shrub Capsicum annum 

 of the nightshade family. Black pepper is obtained from the dried, un- 

 ripe berry of the plant Piper nigrum of the pepper family. Allspice is 

 obtained from the dried fruit of the evergreen tree Pimenta officinalis 

 of the myrtle family. 



Savory Substances. — Savory substances are aromatic and are either 

 the herbs, seeds, or seedlike fruits of plants which possess specific volatile 

 oils. They are usually used whole rather than in powder form. The 

 following will illustrate this group: 



Garden sage is the fresh or dried herb of the plant Salvia officinalis 

 of the mint family. Sweet marjoram is the fresh or dried herb of the 

 plant Originum marjorana of the mint family. Parsley (garden) is the 

 fresh or dried herb of the plant Petroselinum sativum of the parsley fam- 

 ily. Thyme is the fresh or dried herb of the plant Thymus vulgaris of the 

 mint family. Summer savory is secured from the fresh or dried plant 

 Satureia hortensis of the mint family. Caraway is the seedlike fruit of 

 the plant Carum carvi of the parsley family. An.ise is the seedlike fruit 

 of the plant Pimpinella anisum of the parsley family. Coriander is ob- 

 tained from the plant Coriandrum sativum of the parsley family. 



Medicines and Poisons. — A medicine may be defined as any sub- 

 stance to prevent, relieve, or cure a disease. A poison may be defined 

 as any substance or agency (exclusive of injurious physical, mechanical, 

 or bacterial agencies) which is capable of destroying life or injuring 

 health when applied externally or administered in moderate doses in- 

 ternally. 



Some plants contain certain substances which, unless taken in large 

 doses, are not poisonous, but on the other hand may be somewhat stimu- 

 lating, soothing, slightly irritating, or even more or less nutritious. Sub- 

 stances of this kind may be illustrated by the following: . 



Castor oil is secured from the seeds of the castor oil plant (Ricinus 

 communis) of the spurge family. It acts as an irritant and lubricant. 

 Cacao butter is the fixed oil of cacao seed obtained from the plant 

 Theohroma cacao (silk-cotton family). It is used for soothing or lubri- 

 cating purposes. The oils of olives and almond may be used for the 

 same purposes. Asafetida is obtained by drying the juices from the roots 



