Botany Final Flashcards
Tobacco (Nicotiana)
Nicotine accumulates in upper leaves; acts as natural insecticide. Curing affects flavor/aroma.
Coca (Erythroxylum coca)
Leaves ~1% cocaine. Traditional use: altitude/work aid. Local anesthetic.
Opium Poppy
Latex from capsule contains >50 alkaloids (e.g., morphine, codeine). Affects CNS.
Marijuana (Cannabis sativa)
Only non-pollinated pistillate flowers yield THC-rich resin from glandular trichomes.
Morning Glory
Aztecs used seeds with lysergic acid derivatives as hallucinogens.
Peyote
Spineless cactus with hallucinogenic alkaloid mescaline.
Jimsonweed
Contains toxic alkaloids. Datura = ‘poison’ in Sanskrit.
Poisonous Plant Strategy
Plants deter herbivores via toxins (e.g., tomatine in tomatoes, locoweed).
Types of Toxic Compounds
Alkaloids (e.g., taxine), glycosides (oleander), cyanide (cassava), ricin (castor bean).
Milder Toxins & Allergens
Oxalic acid (rhubarb), tannins (potato), urushiol (poison ivy), pollen (hay fever).
Cotton
Most important global fiber. Surface fiber, high cellulose, ginning process used.
Kapok
Seed fiber, light and waterproof. Used in upholstery, life vests.
Milkweed
Seed fiber, used for packing due to light, dispersal-friendly fibers.
Hemp
Bast fiber. Used for textiles, rope, insulation. Extracted by retting.
Flax
Bast fiber. Used to make linen. Extracted via retting.
Sisal
Leaf fiber from Agave. Requires decortication. Used in ropes and brushes.
Piña
Leaf fiber from pineapple. Used in fine textiles.
Luffa
Fruit fiber used as natural sponge or scrubber.
Scientific Name
Common Name
Nicotiana tabacum / N. rustica
Tobacco
Erythroxylum coca
Coca
Papaver somniferum
Opium Poppy
Cannabis sativa
Marijuana / Hemp
Ipomoea spp.
Morning Glory
Lophophora williamsii
Peyote
Datura stramonium
Jimsonweed
Delphinium spp.
Larkspur
Astragalus spp.
Locoweed
Taxus spp.
Yew
Ranunculus spp.
Buttercups
Nerium oleander
Oleander
Convallaria majalis
Lily of the Valley
Manihot esculenta
Cassava
Phaseolus lunatus
Lima Beans
Ricinus communis
Castor Bean
Rheum spp.
Rhubarb
Solanum tuberosum
Potato
Toxicodendron radicans
Poison Ivy
Gossypium hirsutum
American Upland Cotton
Gossypium barbadense
Sea Island Cotton
Ceiba pentandra
Kapok
Cannabis sativa
Hemp
Linum usitatissimum
Flax
Agave sisalana / A. fourcroydes
Sisal
Ananas comosus
Piña (Pineapple fiber)
Luffa aegyptiaca
Luffa (sponge gourd)
What part of the plant does bast fiber come from?
Phloem tissue of dicot stems
What is the primary psychoactive compound in marijuana?
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)
What process removes cotton fibers from seeds?
Ginning
What is retting?
A microbial process used to extract bast fibers by rotting soft stem tissue
What is decortication?
Scraping away unwanted tissue from leaves to retain fibers
Which toxic compound is found in cassava and needs to be removed?
Cyanide
Which compound in poison ivy causes skin irritation?
Urushiol oil
What type of plant produces both staminate and pistillate flowers on separate individuals?
Dioecious plants
Who is considered the ‘Grandfather of Toxicology’?
Paracelsus
What is the famous quote by Paracelsus about toxicity?
“The dose makes the poison.”
Why do plants produce toxic compounds?
To deter herbivores and reduce predation
What makes kapok fibers suitable for life vests?
They are lightweight and waterproof
What is the main use of flax fibers?
Linen cloth production
Which plant fiber was historically used to make the original jeans?
Hemp
What compound makes rhubarb leaves mildly toxic?
Oxalic acid
