Showing papers in "Economic Botany in 1978"
TL;DR: Native to Brazil,Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi, of the family Anacardiaceae, has been commonly cultivated in Florida for over 50 years as a dooryard ornamental, giving rise to the popular misnomer “Florida holly.”
Abstract: Native to Brazil,Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi, of the family Anacardiaceae, has been commonly cultivated in Florida for over 50 years as a dooryard ornamental. Use of its sprays of showy red fruits for Christmas decoration gave rise to the popular misnomer “Florida holly.” Too late it was found to become a large, spreading tree; aggressive seedlings began springing up near and far. Jungles ofSchinus have crowded out native vegetation over vast areas of Florida and the Bahamas, as in all the islands of Hawaii. When in bloom, the tree is a major source of respiratory difficulty and dermatitis; the fruits, in quantity, intoxicate birds and cause fatal trauma in four-footed animals. The abundant nectar yields a spicy commercial honey and beekeepers are opposed to eradication programs.
166 citations
TL;DR: An additional 100 species respresenting 13 additional families and 60 additional genera have been evaluated, and some of these species also offer promise as future crops, and a few other species offer some promise.
Abstract: Agricultural production of rubber and other hydrocarbons in the United States may be compatible with increased food and fiber production if entire plants are harvested and processed for fiber, protein, and carbohydrate as well. Procedures and criteria have been established for the preliminary evaluation of plant species as potential multi-use hydrocarbon-producing crops. Previously, 106 species representing 44 families and 81 genera were evaluated. Now an additional 100 species respresenting 13 additional families and 60 additional genera have been evaluated, and some of these species also offer promise as future crops. Several Labiatae are high in natural rubber (NR) content: Pycnanthemum incanum (Mountain Mint) and Teucrium canadense (American Germander) were evaluated as promising species. Three Compositae, Cacalia atriplicifolia (Pale Indian-Plant), Solidago graminifolia (Grass-leafed Golden-rod, and Solidago rigida (Stiff Golden-rod) were also evaluated as promising species for NR. Campanuala americana (Tall Bellflower, Campanulaceae) has potential as a source of both oil and NR. Euphorbia dentata (Euphorbiaceae) does not produce NR but is very high in protein and oil contents. Sassafras albudim (Sassafras, Lauraceae) is of interest for its rapid growth rate in combination with a high oil content. A few other species offer some promise.
104 citations
TL;DR: The use of wild teparies appears to be discontinued, but certain domesticated varieties are still grown by local commercial and subsistence farmers in southwestern North America as mentioned in this paper, and the recent subsidence of tepary cultivation is related to breakdown of traditional economies and land use, and to the introduction of energy intensive irrigated agriculture.
Abstract: Ethnohistorically, wild and domesticated teparies (Phaseolus acutifolius: Leguminosae) are significant native food crops in southwestern North America. Their value rests in adaptations to arid environments, and high protein content and productivity. Use of wild teparies appears to be discontinued, but certain domesticated varieties are still grown by local commercial and subsistence farmers. The recent subsidence of tepary cultivation is related to breakdown of traditional economies and land use, and to the introduction of energy-intensive irrigated agriculture. An earlier and unsuccessful attempt to introduce teparies into modern agriculture was poorly timed. Teparies have considerable potential for low maintenance agriculture in arid and semi-arid lands.
93 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a preliminary evaluation of plant species as potential multi-use hydrocarbon-producing crops was conducted. But the evaluation was limited to 106 species representing 44 families and 81 genera.
Abstract: Agricultural production of rubber and other hydrocarbons in the United States may be compatible with increased food and fiber production if entire plants are harvested and processed for fiber, protein, and carbohydrate as well. Thus, procedures and criteria have been established for the preliminary evaluation of plant species as potential multi-use hydrocarbon-producing crops. Previously, 106 species representing 44 families and 81 genera were evaluated. Now an additional 100 species representing 13 additional families and 60 additional genera have been evaluated, and some of these species also offer promise as future crops. Several Labiatae are high in natural rubber (NR) content;Pycnanthemum incanum (Mountain Mint) andTeucrium canadense (American Germander) were evaluated as promising species. Three Compositae,Cacalia atriplicifolia (Pale Indian-Plant),Solidago graminifolia (Grass-leafed Golden-rod), andSolidago rigida (Stiff Goldenrod) were also evaluated as promising species for NR.Campanula americana (Tall Bellflower, Campanulaceae) has potential as a source of both oil and NR.Euphorbia dentata (Euphorbiaceae ) does not produce NR but is very high in protein and oil contents.Sassafras albidum (Sassafras, Lauraceae ) is of interest for its rapid growth rate in combination with a high oil content. A few other species offer some promise.
80 citations
TL;DR: It is assumed that northern Amazonia is the place of domestication of cassava and that Goias is the primary center of diversity of Mananhot species as a “biological group”.
Abstract: Wild species ofManihot are progenitors of cassava. They constitute valuable genetic reservoirs with genes of new characters. Study of geographic distribution of wildManihot species showed concentration of wild species in a number of centers in South and Central America. Considering Vavilov’s concept of centers of diversity based on the Age and Area hypothesis of Willis, and Harlan’s theory of Introgression, and by studying Indian immigrations in Pre-Columbian times, it is assumed that northern Amazonia is the place of domestication of cassava and that Goias is the primary center of diversity ofManihot species as a “biological group”.
72 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors collected 158 weed species from rice fields of Hooghly and Midnapore districts of West Bengal and found that 124 of them possess economic importance in one way or other.
Abstract: Out of 158 weed species collected from rice fields of Hooghly and Midnapore districts of West Bengal, 124 possess economic importance in one way or other. The various uses of these weeds may aid dealers in crude drugs, manufacturers of plant products, or persons interested in the beneficial aspects of plants.
57 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the plants used by aboriginal tribes of Ratan Mahal and surrounding hills are discussed and some of the important food and medicinal plants restricted to these tribes or this region are discussed.
Abstract: This paper deals with the plants used by aboriginal tribes of Ratan Mahal and surrounding hills. Some of the important food and medicinal plants restricted to these tribes or this region are discussed. Many uses of plants reported here have not been recorded earlier. “What does interest us academically and practically is how to salvage some of the medicobotanical lore before it shall have been forever entombed with the culture that gave it birth. ...” (6).
52 citations
TL;DR: The totora matara (also known as matara and merme), Scirpus californicus, is widely used in Ecuador and Peru for a number of purposes as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: The totora (also known as matara and merme),Scirpus californicus, is widely used in Ecuador and Peru for a number of purposes. Floats made from it are still found at L.ake San Pablo and Yaguarcocha in Ecuador and at Huanchaco and L.ake Titicaca in Peru. Totora mats of highland Ecuador are woven, whereas woven mats are rare in Peru where twining seems to be the common method. Although commonly known by the Spanish name esteras, the mats are sometimes referred to as petates, a Mexican name, which may have reached the Andes in pre-Conquest times. Totoras are also used to make fans and baskets, and as food for both man and animals, the former only in the area of Lake Titicaca. The totora may have been cultivated in prehistoric times. The extensive altitudinal distribution and the apparent lack of seed set in some highland lakes suggest that man may be implicated in its spread. The totora is definitely known to be cultivated in both Peru and Ecuador in recent times. The totora comprises two subspecies: subsp.californicus found in the highlands of Ecuador and in both highland and coastal sites in Peru, and subsp.Tatora, confined to the highlands of Peru. There may be some justification for considering the two as distinct species. Chromosome counts ofn = 32 and 34 are reported for subsp.catifornicus andn = 35 for subsp.Tatora. Plants of both subspecies were found to grow well in the greenhouses at Indiana University. The totora of Easter Island, previously regarded as a variety of subsp.californicus, was found to be virtually identical to American populations of the subspecies. Although Heyerdahi has claimed that the totora was introduced into Easter Island by Peruvians in prehistoric times, it is pointed out that birds are equally, or more likely, responsible for its introduction there.
45 citations
TL;DR: It appears that pulses have evolved not by producing novel characters under domestication, but rather novel combinations of characters already expressed in wild forms.
Abstract: From a consideration of evolution under domestication in the pulses a common pattern emerges. It is suggested that positive selection for a single character, namely, seed size, could have set in motion a complex of selection pressures that not only produced larger seeds and fruits but concomitantly produced a modified shoot architecture. The ultimate production of dwarf plants capable of free-standing growth effectively liberated pulses from dependence on other species for mechanical support and from the implications of their ancestral ecology. Characteristic features of individual pulse species not found in their closest wild relatives can almost invariably be found in other members of the same tribe or elsewhere in the family. This suggests a deep underlying genetical homology in the family as a whole and that Vavilov’s law of homologous series could with benefit be extended beyond the cultigens and enable plant breeders to set themselves more ambitious yet realistic objectives. It appears that pulses have evolved not by producing novel characters under domestication, but rather novel combinations of characters already expressed in wild forms.
43 citations
TL;DR: The effects delineated by modern experimentation correlate remarkably well with those ascribed to the plants in mythology, folklore, and other pre–contemporary documents.
Abstract: Thujone, C10H16O, is the primary constituent of essential oils derived from a variety of plants, including wormwood, Artemisia absinthium; mugwort, Artemisia vulgaris; sage, Salvia officinalis; clary, Salvia sclarea; tansy, Tanacetum vulgare; and yellow cedar or the tree of life, Thuja occidentalis. While oils derived from the individual species may vary in the modifying constituents which they contain, the pharmacological effects common to thujone–containing plants are generally considered to include the following: 1 ) anthelmintic, 2) psychedelic, 3) uterine, 4) antidote to opium and other central nervous system depressant poisons. The effects delineated by modern experimentation correlate remarkably well with those ascribed to the plants in mythology, folklore, and other pre–contemporary documents.
42 citations
TL;DR: A nutrient analysis of water hyacinths grown in sewage wastewaters was conducted in this article, which showed that the amino acid content of the leaves was found to compare favorably with that of soybean and cottonseed meal.
Abstract: A nutrient analysis of water hyacinths grown in sewage wastewaters was conducted. Crude protein averaged 32.9% dry weight in the leaves, where it was most concentrated. The amino acid content of water hyacinth leaves was found to compare favorably with that of soybean and cottonseed meal. The vitamin and mineral content of dried water hyacinths met or exceeded the FAO recommended daily allowance, in many cases. It is concluded that in favorable climatic zones, water hyacinths grown in enriched mediums, such as sewage lagoons, could potentially serve as a substantial dietary supplement or nutrient source.
TL;DR: The data suggest that the ability to produce tetraploid apomictic seedlings is a variable genetic trait present in all or nearly all clones able to reproduce by adventitious embryony.
Abstract: Populations of apomictic seedlings of clones ofCitrus species,Citrus hybrids, andPoncirus in the sub-family Aurantioideae were examined for spontaneous tetraploids as a source of materials for use in breeding experiments. Diagnostic features found useful in identifying nucellar tetraploids were leaf shape, petiole blade shape, leaf blade thickness, leaf color, comparative size differences in leaf venation, oil glands, and stomata, stem thickness, and relative size and developmental pattern of the root system. In older or bearing-age plants, nucellar tetraploids may be identified by differences in growth habit, vigor, size, time of growth initiation and bloom, and flower and fruit characteristics. Data are given for tetraploid frequency in glasshouse-grown, first-year nucellar seedlings of 42 populations of 32 clones of different genetic and seed origin and for tetraploid frequency in commercialnursery nucellar seedlings of the Carrizo rootstock clone in two consecutive years. Comparative data are given for quantitative development of roots, stems, and leaves of tetraploids and similar diploid nucellar seedlings. The data suggest that the ability to produce tetraploid apomictic seedlings is a variable genetic trait present in all or nearly all clones able to reproduce by adventitious embryony. Aspects of tetraploid nucellar seedlings that might warrant their testing as tree-size-controlling rootstocks in commercial citrus growing are discussed.
TL;DR: The use of seaweeds in the diet of native Polynesians has been studied in the literature as mentioned in this paper, showing that two to three meals a week are probably traditional Hawaiian, Japanese or Filipino in the examples chosen above, the remainder being western.
Abstract: Rapid and frequent air service to Hawaii has brought about a stronger westernization in food choices and food habits than was possible 30 or 40 years ago. The transport of more fresh foods from the Orient is also possible. Western fastfood establishments such as McDonald's and Kentucky Fried Chicken are patronized as heavily as similar places in California. They have nearly entirely replaced "saiinin stands" of pre-World War II where a bowl of noodles and a bamboo stick of barbecued meat could be had quickly. Chinese restaurants are the favorite choice of students in ethnobotany at the University of Hawaii (polls taken in 1976, 1977), but there is no question that a hamburger or hot dog is everyone's favorite food, regardless of ethnic background. Against this change in food availability and food habits, continued use of seaweeds in the diet is surprising. Those of Hawaiian, Japanese and Filipino ancestry, the principal ethnic groups historically having seaweeds in their diets, purchase enough seaweeds to keep several suppliers in business (personal observation). As used by these groups of people, seaweed food preparations appear to be unsuitable as additions to standard western meals. Their flavor is inherently "strong," i.e., very definite, unlike for example the relatively pallid string bean; they may look like tangled strings; their color (black, brown, purple, dark red) unlike most western foods. Where in a western menu would you place a dish containing seaweed dressed in soy sauce and sugar (all three items with a distinctive flavor); where cold rolls of rice wrapped in purple seaweed, and where chopped, salted fresh seaweed, intended to flavor something bland, but not used as a gravy or sauce? I suggest that two to three meals a week are probably traditional Hawaiian, Japanese or Filipino in the examples chosen above, the remainder being western, i.e., "meat and potatoes." Hawaiian preparation of seaweed or li,nu (edible seaweed) consists of chopping or mashing the fresh raw weed, adding salt and perhaps fresh chili pepper, and eating it as a relish in a fish and poi (or more recently, rice) meal. Poi is derived from taro, Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott, and is steamed then pounded with water into a sticky paste with a consistency like that of chocolate pudding. It is served cold and has a faintly acid flavor. The piquancy of a variety of seaweeds added to bland poi or rice has been one of the historical and current reasons for retaining seaweeds in the food choices of Hawaiians, used here to include only native Polynesian descendants. From a list compiled by Reed (1907) of 70 "economic" seaweeds used by Hawaiians for food, Abbott and Williamson (1974) were able to identify 29 species by both Hawaiian common name and Latin binomial. The discrepancy reflects in part, multiplicity of Hawaiian names for the same species, or a lack of knowledge of the meaning of Hawaiian common names, resulting in inapplicable or inappropriate names for certain species. It is at the native Hawaiian feast, a luau, that celebrates the first birthday of a child, or the 75th birthday of a parent or grandparent, or the 50th wedding anniversary that a variety of seaweeds is found on the festive board. At these times, those who know where certain species grow are charged with collection and preparation as their contribution to the feast. At least four species of algae commonly appear: limu kohu (Asparagopsis taxiformis, a red alga), limnu eleele
TL;DR: Dobkin de Rios as discussed by the authors investigated the psychotropic flora and fauna in Mayan culture and noted the frequent use of the water lily motif in association with the toad (Bufo marinus).
Abstract: A suggestion that certain water lilies might have narcotic properties is found in their frequent use as a motif in funerary art among the Egyptians as well as Mayans. The work of Rands (1953, 1955) traced the New World distribution of water lily motifs throughout Mayan art and made important mythic associations. From the middle of the Classical period until the inception of the Mexican periods, the water lily motif is extremely common and highly varied in its representation. Rands makes the association between this tradition and that in Asiatic art. Although Conard, in his 1905 monograph on the water lilies, speaks of the importance of Nymphaea caerulea Sav. (Fig. 1) in a decorative and an emblematic sense, he cannot attribute any mythic associations other than the obvious and does not mention the possibility of water lily cults. He further denies the assertions of earlier writers that the Nymphaeaceae have any real medicinal value or unusual chemical properties. This represents the current status of thought among most ethnobotanists, pharmacologists, and anthropologists. In extending the earlier works of Rands, Dobkin de Rios (1974, 1977) investigated the psychotropic flora and fauna in Mayan culture and noted the frequent use of the water lily motif in association with the toad (Bufo marinus). These toads contain bufotenine in glands located near the tympanum. The substance is released in the matrix of a milky exudate when the amphibian is aroused. Bufotenine is capable of inducing profound hallucinations after breaking the bloodbrain barrier. This led Dobkin de Rios to the assertion that Mayan depictions of the water lily were probably more than decorative and constituted a source for the development of a belief system that could be explained, in part, on the use of the toad and the water lily to alter states of consciousness. This hypothesis met with some hostile reactions from anthropologists, who found such a stylistic approach inadequate, even in light of the amassed evidence. Emboden (1974) touched upon the use of Nymphaea caerulea as a narcotic and has been in contact with Dobkin de Rios concerning the use of the water lily flower as a narcotic. This paper explores the use of water lilies as narcotics in the old world and especially in ancient Egypt. In a future paper coauthored with Dobkin de Rios we will treat transcultural phenomena related to the use of narcotic water lilies in a comprehensive manner. Of the several Mayan sites in which water lily motifs have been found, perhaps the most dramatic are the murals at Bonampak, which are so like some of the Egyptian murals that the similarity is startling. The association of the water lily with the sensory modes pointed out by Rands (1953) is strongly in evidence. In one of the principal Bonampak murals, which I have seen only recreated in the Peabody Museum of Harvard University, there is depicted a dance ritual in which water lilies are associated with the noses and foreheads of some of the dancers. Percussion instruments are played and many of the dancers are masked. Trumpets are being blown as this unexplained ceremony takes place. Diaz (1977) has commented on these depictions and supports the contention that the water lily was used as a ritual narcotic. He quotes from poetry of a ritual nature that is a kind of hymn to the "precious aquatic flowers" and the "flowers that cause vertigo, the beautiful narcotic flowers." The Nahuatl term quetzalaxochiacatl meaning
TL;DR: In anthropological studies of Southern European peasant cuture, very little attention has been devoted to the peasant's knowledge and use of the natural environment, particularly wild plants as mentioned in this paper, although in some of the European natural historical literature, particularly that describing the medicinal plants of specific localities, passing mention is made of the local names and uses of plants.
Abstract: In anthropological studies of Southern European peasant cuture, very little attention has been devoted to the peasant's knowledge and use of the natural environment, particularly wild plants. Most ethnobotanical literature has been concerned with the use of plants by band or tribal level peoples. This report attempts to remedy that situation somewhat by describing the wild plant knowledge of peasants in the village of Khamma on the Italian Island of Pantelleria, which lies midway between Sicily and the coastline of Tunisia. The authors are aware of only a few unpublished papers which have been devoted to the peasant use of plants in Southern Europe (Forbes, 1975; Sordinas, 197 1), although in some of the European natural historical literature, particularly that describing the medicinal plants of specific localities, passing mention is made of the local names and uses of plants. The work of Catanzaro (1968) does this to a limited degree for Pantelleria.
TL;DR: The stage appears to be set for an eventful second century in which the crop will play an increasingly important role in the developing countries, and the six great steps in Hevea domestication are mentioned.
Abstract: We have pointed out that the story ofHevea as a crop covers barely a century, and we have mentioned six great steps inHevea domestication.
The stage appears to be set for an eventful second century in which the crop will play an increasingly important role in the developing countries.
TL;DR: A review of this problem and a study of the plants as they occur in Malaysia, Singapore, and Ceylon, has revealed that in fact only one species is involved and that the ‘large’ and the "small’ forms hitherto referred to the two species are merely growth phases of the one.
Abstract: A cultivated, usually sterile species ofPandanus, found rather widely in Malesia (especially in W. Indonesia, Malaya, and the Philippines, but also known in Ceylon), commonly used in cooking, e.g., to flavour rice and jellies, has been called in the past by several different scientific names, and indeed two distinct species were thought to exist. A review of this problem and a study of the plants as they occur in Malaysia, Singapore, and Ceylon, has revealed that in fact only one species is involved; that the ‘large’ and the ‘small’ forms hitherto referred to the two species are merely growth phases of the one; and that the correct botanical name for the plant isPandanus amaryllifolius Roxb. Notes on morphology, nomenclature, and uses of the plant are appended.
TL;DR: A controlled cross between Cannabis sativa L. and C. ruderalis Janisch gave progeny intermediate in both cannabinoid content and morphology, and Earliness of flowering, number of flowers, and height characteristics were intermediate between the parents.
Abstract: A controlled cross betweenCannabis sativa L. andC. ruderalis Janisch. gave progeny intermediate in both cannabinoid content and morphology. The progeny fell into two distinct populations, those whose tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content was closer to theC. sativa parent (greater than 60% of total cannabinoids) and those whose THC content was closer to theC. ruderalis parent (less than 40% of total cannabinoids). The lower THC group was twice as frequent as the other group. Earliness of flowering, number of flowers, and height characteristics were intermediate between the parents.
TL;DR: The feral species,Cucurbita foetidissima, the perennial Buffalo gourd, has the potential of becoming a cultivated food crop, producing seeds rich in edible oil and protein.
Abstract: The feral species,Cucurbita foetidissima, the perennial Buffalo gourd, has the potential of becoming a cultivated food crop, producing seeds rich in edible oil and protein. It also produces an extensive storage root system rich in starch. It has evolved in the arid regions of North America and is adapted to growing on arid to semiarid lands, which constitute much of the world’s land mass, lands now marginal for crop production.
TL;DR: Analysis of 54 Louisiana honey samples revealed 23 species of minor honeybee plants (pollen contribution 1–15%).
Abstract: Analysis of 54 Louisiana honey samples revealed 23 species of minor honeybee plants (pollen contribution 1–15%). These species, in order of decreasing frequency of occurrence in the honey samples, were:Gleditsia spp., honey locust and water locust;Quercus spp., oak;Vitis spp., grape;Ilex spp., holly;Fraxinus spp., ash;Nyssa spp., tupelo and black-gum; Poaceae, Grass Family;Mimosa strigillosa, mimosa;Vicia spp., vetch;Verbena spp., vervain;Castaneapumila, chinquapin;Ulmus spp., elm;Trifolium incarnatum, crimson clover;Ligustrum spp., privet;Celtis laevigata, hackberry or sugarberry;Forestiera acuminata, swamp privet;Ampelopsis spp., peppervine;Allium spp., onion, garlic, or leek;Cassia fasciculata, partridge pea;Cercis canadensis, redbud; Chenopodiaceae, Goosefoot Family;Polygonum spp., smartweed;Brunnichia ovata, eardrop vine. Pollen-type descriptions and brief plant descriptions are given for the minor honeybee flora. Trace pollen types (pollen contributions <1%) are listed.
TL;DR: The Romanian Government mechanically harvests 125,000 tons of dry marsh grass (Phragmites communis Trinius) annually from the vast reedlands of the Danube Delta which, when processed, yield up to 60% in unbleached pulp as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: With an adequate technology, the Romanian Government mechanically harvests 125,000 tons of dry marsh grass (Phragmites communis Trinius) annually from the vast reedlands of the Danube Delta which, when processed, yield up to 60% in unbleached pulp. The reed pulp is mixed with wood pulp in the production of fabricated paper. At $85.00 per ton of reed raw material, the reed pulp industry amounts to over $10 million annual revenue.
TL;DR: Kirch et al. as discussed by the authors used both ethnobotanical and archaeological methods to generate a model of agricultural adaptation in the humid tropics region of the southwestern Pacific (Futuna and Uvea).
Abstract: The Austronesian settlement of Oceania, which began more than four to five millennia ago, resulted in the introduction of agricultural economies (including adventive cultigen sets ) to a range of previously uninhabited insular ecosystems. Ethnobotanical investigation of the resulting diversity and variability in Oceanic cultivation systems has a reasonably long background (Barrau, 1958, 1961, 1965a,b). Only recently, however, have attempts at direct archaeological testing of ethnobotanical hypotheses been forthcoming (Yen, 1971, 1973; Yen et al., 1972), in conjunction with a general interest in the processes of human adaptation to insular ecology. The research reported here comprised one portion of an ethnoarchaeological study of indigenous agricultural systems and settlement patterns in western Polynesia, specifically in the Horne and Wallis Islands (Futuna and Uvea ) ( Kirch, 1976a,b ). Both ethnobotanical and archaeological methods were utilized to generate a model of agricultural adaptation in the humid tropics region of the southwestern Pacific (Kirch, 1978). Futuna and Urea were selected primarily because they retain indigenous agricultural systems (Barrau, 1963, 1965d; Yen, 1974a), a virtually unique situation in Polynesia, where traditional agricultures generally succumbed to the effects of Western economic pressures soon after European contact. The purpose of this article is to present a synopsis of the indigenous Uvean agricultural s y s t e m in many respects typical of tropical Polynesian agriculture -and to summarize certain implications for prehistory and the study of agricultural adaptation. Selection of western Polynesia as a research
TL;DR: In this article, the amino acid balance of Cordeauxia edulis seed is compared to those of other food proteins, and the absence of phytohemagglutins is a favorable factor in the nutritive value.
Abstract: Cordeauxia edulis is a bush well adapted to semi-arid regions. 2n = 24 chromosomes have been counted. The massive and fast growth of its root system contrasts with the slow development of the aerial parts of the seedlings. We suggest a comparison between this slow development and the low content of the seed reserve proteins. Globulins constitute, in fact, only a small part of the whole nitrogen content of the seed compared to alimentary Papilionaceae, e.g.,Lablab purpureus. The distribution of amino-acids, dialysable peptides, salino-soluble proteins and insoluble proteins is analyzed. The amino-acid balance ofCordeauxia seed is compared to those of other food proteins. Compared with other legumes, it is characterized by a methionine deficiency. The absence of phytohemagglutins is a favorable factor in the nutritive value.
TL;DR: Results from experimental work are presented, and a theory for the evolution of African cultivated rice is put forward based on taxonomic studies, and the species group into complexes the delimitation of which is a matter of opinion.
Abstract: The genus Oryza contains two cultivated species,O. sativa L., the Asiatic rice, andO. glaberrima Steud. which is limited to Africa. Despite much taxonomic work on the relationships of the wild species of the genus, they are still imperfectly known and there has not been unanimous agreement on nomenclature. Most of the species group into complexes the delimitation of which is a matter of opinion. This paper presents results from experimental work, and a theory for the evolution of African cultivated rice is put forward based on taxonomic studies.
TL;DR: It is polymorphic, varying in height, growth habit, spininess, flower color, and size of floral parts, capsules, and seeds, and occupies several distinct environmental niches, from low-lying meadows close to swamps and streams to semi-arid grassland /thornbush plains.
Abstract: Kenaf,Hibiscus cannabinus L., occurs as a wild and ruderal plant in Kenya and Tanzania. It is polymorphic, varying in height, growth habit, spininess, flower color, and size of floral parts, capsules, and seeds. It occupies several distinct environmental niches, from low-lying meadows close to swamps and streams to semi-arid grassland /thornbush plains. It is also found in various weedy situations, such as cultivated and fallow fields, and fence- and hedgerows. At least one ecotype appears to be specifically adapted as a weed of cultivated fields. Leaves and stem-tips of this plant are used as food. It is not cultivated for this purpose, although it is sometimes encouraged in fields of maize, cassava, and perhaps other crops. It is apparently not used for fiber by the natives, possibly because fiber of the introduced sisal (Agave sisalana Perr.) is readily available everywhere. Kenaf fiber is produced commercially on a plantation in Tanzania, from a cultivar developed in Guatemala. The occurrence of twelve other taxa of Hibiscus section Furcaria in East Africa is discussed briefly.
TL;DR: The first-hand reports of drinking ayahuasca by residents of Amazonia, where use is widespread, are reported in this paper, where the author relates his repeated experiences within the three other levels of hallucination and also correlates these experiences with those of others he observed who drank at the same time.
Abstract: There are few first-hand reports of drinking ayahuasca by residents of Amazonia, where use is widespread. One of us (F.A.F. ), who lives in Iquitos, took ayahuasca 30 times during a three-year period between 1972 and 1974 in an attempt to experience all levels of hallucination. Although unable to achieve the ultimate goal of telepathy and extrasensory perception, this author clearly relates his repeated experiences within the three other levels of hallucination and also correlates these experiences with those of others he observed who drank ayahuasca at the same time.
TL;DR: It seems most appropriate to use this occasion to declare my debt and thanks to the Society for Economic Botany for inspiring and furthering an investigation which is possibly one of the more useful of my various activities over the past several years.
Abstract: It seems most appropriate to me to use this occasion to declare my debt and my thanks to the Society for Economic Botany for inspiring and furthering the course of an investigation which is possibly one of the more useful of my various activities over the past several years. For one thing, in early May, 1970, at the request of the National Cancer Institute, Dr. Richard Evans Schultes, our Editor, and Joseph Sutton, Managing Editor of our journal, Economic Botany, stopped Volume 24, No. 2, on its way to press in order to include my paper, "Tentative Correlations of Plant Usage and Esophageal Cancer Zones." The members of this Society are entitled to a resum6 of developments in this study since that time. But, before going ahead, I should step back a little, for the benefit of new members who may not be aware of what was going on at that time. I shall be very brief and I ask you to bear with me because I will be leading up to a conclusion which has a bearing on the benefits or otherwise of plant usage by you and me and people everywhere. Esophageal cancer has a peculiar geographic distribution with striking variations from high to low incidence between adjacent areas. Remarkably high mortality rates (over 100 per 100,000) exist in the Province of Honan, China, the Turkmen and Uzbek regions of Russia and neighboring northern Iran, and in the Transkei in southeastern Africa. Areas with the next highest rates are the Normandy Peninsula of France, and the islands of Curacao, Netherlands Antilles. Other relatively high regions are Bombay, India, western Kenya and northern Chile. In the United States as a whole, the incidence is low (3.28 per 100,000), but it has been steadily rising among non-white males for the past 21 years, reaching over 20 per 100,000 in certain localities. In the three areas of highest incidence in the world, and in Curacao, the male-female rate is nearly equal. In most other high-incidence areas, the male rate is 2-10 times the female rate; in France, 20 times. In Durban, South Africa, the rate among Asian women far exceeds that among males. The disease was first noted among the Bantu people in the Transkei in 1943; by 1953, there was found to be a five-fold increase. This situation attracted world-wide attention and much speculation as to the cause. Dr. Rex Burrell worked among the Bantu for ten years and prepared a list of the local plants used by the people for food and folk-medicine. In 1962, the National Cancer Institute asked me to evaluate this list and select the plants most worthy of investigation. Subsequently, they asked that I prepare a comparative list of South African herbs and those of the Netherlands Antilles or,
TL;DR: The initial studies were performed using glucose as the sole carbon source and were followed by studies to determine the optimal growth conditions on hydrolyzed oat hulls, which selected several strains of the fungus Trichoderma viride to grow selected microorganisms.
Abstract: It is now almost a clich6 to state that the expanding world population is placing a burden on land as well as agricultural resources. The world's food supplies, especially proteinaceous foodstuffs, are in increasing demand and will continue to be so if population increases at present rates (Murray, 1974). Currently, one-third to one-half of the dry matter of agricultural crops is harvested as grain, fruit, bean, or other primary product (Donovan et al., 1973). The residue or by-product is either left to decompose or accumulates at some later stage of the crop-processing cycle. Most crops produce agricultural wastes, and disposal often presents considerable problems. Such wastes have potential as substrates in the production of microbial biomass. The nutritional value of these agricultural wastes can be upgraded to serve as reliable sources of good quality animal feed. It is only in recent years that the full potential of microorganisms as a major food source for animals has been realized. Microorganisms contain high levels of protein, double their weight more rapidly than plants, and require less space for the production of a given quantity of food than other sources (Dunlop, 1973). Oat hulls are a typical agricultural waste residue that has a low economic value. They contain approximately 34% cellulose and 30% pentosans (Table I), giving a total carbohydrate content of approximately 64% (Caldwell & Pomeranz, 1973). Since most microorganisms have much the same carbohydrate conversion efficiency, approximately 40-50% by weight (Morris et al., 1973), the amount of convertible carbohydrate in oat hulls assumes economic importance. Partial hydrolysis of oat hulls can be achieved with 3% HCI at temperatures not in excess of 90 ~ for four hours (ConAgra report, 1973). This partially hydrolyzed oat hull material contains approximately 10% reducing sugar content and can serve as an excellent substrate on which to grow selected microorganisms. Microorganisms selected for biomass production should grow rapidly on the chosen substrate and produce a high protein content with a nutritionally adequate amino acid profile. The microorganisms selected for our investigations were several strains of the fungus Trichoderma viride. This species is known for its superior cellulolytic activity and is able to utilize as substrates both the reducing sugars present in hydrolyzed oat hulls as well as cellulose (Mandels & Weber, 1969). The initial studies were performed using glucose as the sole carbon source and were followed by studies to determine the optimal growth conditions on hydrolyzed oat hulls.
TL;DR: Results from a collaborative research project directed towards the potential production of Thaumatococcus daniellii in protected cropping systems in the U.K. are described.
Abstract: An acceptable, non-toxic, non-caloric 'natural' sweetener has great potential as an alternative to 'synthetic' sweeteners, some of which have taste-limiting properties (Radar et al., 1967), or to sucrose, which may be dietetically unacceptable. It has long been known that certain plants indigenous to tropical West Africa produce fruits which are intensely sweet or have taste-modifying properties (e.g., Inglett and May, 1968). The discovery of intense sweetness in proteinaceous form in fruits of Thaumatococcus daniellii (Van der Wel and Loeve, 1972) came at an opportune time when alternatives were sought to the organic synthesis of analogues of sugar substitutes such as cyclamates and saccharin (Cagan, 1973a, b). Thaumatococcus daniellii (Family Marantaceae) is a tropical, rhizomatous, perennial herb with a characteristic pulvinus at the distal end of each petiole. The large leaves are ovate-elliptical (up to 60 cm long and 40 cm wide) and are borne individually on petioles up to 3 m long. Inflorescences are inconspicuous, single or simply branched spikes and emerge from swollen petiole bases at ground level (Tomlinson, 1961 ). Each inflorescence generally produces between one and three fleshy, trigonal fruits which mature to a dark red/brown colour. At maturity, the three seeds in each fruit are black, extremely hard, with a pale yellow basal aril. T. daniellii is common throughout the West African rain forest zone from Sierra Leone to Zaire ( 1300 to 2000 mm rainfall per annum ), and at altitudes up to 1300 m OD. Vegetative growth is seasonal with flowering and subsequent fruit-set occurring throughout two distinct periods, viz., February to June and August to October, respectively. There are limited qualitative botanical data on this species (e.g., Tomlinson, 1961 ) but, to our knowledge, nothing is known of the factors affecting growth and reproductive development. This paper describes results from a collaborative research project directed towards the potential production of T. daniellii in protected cropping systems in the U.K. Information gained with respect to seed germination, methods of vegetative propagation and effects of population density on vegetative and reproductive growth would also be relevant to agronomic situations in West Africa.