Ethnobotany. Lecture 21

Alexey Shipunov

Minot State University

March 18, 2013

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 1 / 48

Outline

1 Fruits, nuts and vegetablesBerriesNutsGourd plants

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 2 / 48

Durian chemistry I

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 3 / 48

Durian chemistry II

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 4 / 48

Chocolate tree fruits (cacao “beans”)

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 5 / 48

Chocolate tree, Theobroma cacao

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 6 / 48

Avocado (Persea americana) pollination

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 7 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Berries

Fruits, nuts and vegetablesBerries

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 8 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Berries

Currants and gooseberries

Belong to Saxifragaceae family; multiple species of genus Ribesare cultivatedAll are shrubs, gooseberries (Ribes uva-crispa) have spineswhereas currants (mostly R. rubrum and R. nigrum) notRich of pectins and vitamin C

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 9 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Berries

Gooseberry

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 10 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Berries

Black currant

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 11 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Berries

Blueberry and cranberry

Belong to heath family, Ericaceae and genus VacciniumVaccinium macrocarpon is American cranberry; V.corymbosum isthe most cultivated species of blueberriesHave high food and medicinal value, provide vitamins, antioxidants(carotenoids) and organic acids; V. vitis-idaea (lingonberry) isprobably most valuable

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 12 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Berries

Blueberry

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 13 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Berries

Cranberry

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 14 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Berries

Cranberry harvesting

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 15 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Berries

Lingonberry

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 16 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Nuts

Fruits, nuts and vegetablesNuts

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 17 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Nuts

Nuts in general

Contain proteins and oil in seed endosperm and/or cotyledonsThe main way of dispersal is the weak memory of collectinganimals

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 18 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Nuts

Walnut, Juglans regia

Belongs to walnut family, Juglandaceae, only one species iscultivatedAsian originHuge deciduous tree, nuts are rich of tannins and group Bvitamins

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 19 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Nuts

Walnut

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 20 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Nuts

Pecan

Carya illinoiensis, one species of hickoryAmerican originSimilar to walnut, but has less proteins and more sugars

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 21 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Nuts

Pecan

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 22 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Nuts

Hazelnut, Corylus avellana and other species

Shrub of birch family, Betulaceae; several species are cultivatedNut is (among other common compounds) rich of carotenes

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 23 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Nuts

Hazel female flower

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 24 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Nuts

Pistachio, Pistacia vera

Deciduous trees of Central Asian originNuts promote the lowering of cholesterol levelGreen parts of tree contain poisonous urushiol, like allAnacardiacae family (including poison ivy)

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 25 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Nuts

Pistachio

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 26 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Nuts

Urushiol

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 27 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Nuts

Brazil nut, Bertholletia excelsa

Large tropical tree of Lecythidaceae familyAmong others, it is the richest dietary source of selenium

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 28 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Nuts

Brazil nut flowers

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 29 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Nuts

Brazil nut fruit

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 30 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Nuts

Macadamia, Macadamia integrifolia

Member of Proteaceae family; Australian plantRich of fats and microelements; toxic to dogs

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 31 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Nuts

Macadamia

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 32 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Nuts

Chestnut, Castanea sativa

Member of oak family, FagaceaeOld European culture, traditional to France, England and GermanyRich of tannins and therefore usually fried

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 33 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Nuts

Chestnut

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 34 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Gourd plants

Fruits, nuts and vegetablesGourd plants

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 35 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Gourd plants

Gourds, Cucurbitaceae family

≈ 900 species, mostly tropical and subtropical plantsPrefer dry regions, important component of different desertsHairy herbs or vines with tendrils (modified shoots)Flowers unisexualPetals and stamens fusedPistil with 3 carpels, ovary inferiorFruit is a berry

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 36 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Gourd plants

Pumpkins and squashes, Cucurbita spp.

Central American originPlants of multiple uses; it is normal to harvest the underriped

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 37 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Gourd plants

Pumpkinhead, Sawhorse and Tip (Ozma)

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 38 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Gourd plants

Watermelon, Citrullus lanatus

African originThe source of water, multiple medicine uses (e.g., for kidneydiseases)

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 39 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Gourd plants

Watermelon flower

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 40 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Gourd plants

Melon, Cucumis melo

Central Asian originRich of sugars (some cultivars up to 20%), used as sugar sourcein Central Asia

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 41 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Gourd plants

Japanese square melon

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 42 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Gourd plants

Cucumber, Cucumis sativus

Annual herbaceous vine from India forests, wild relatives not foundMay grow as water culture, widely cultivated in greenhouses,some cultivars have one week for fruit development

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 43 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Gourd plants

Indian Dosakai round cucumber

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 44 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Gourd plants

Chayote, Sechium edule

One of relatively “new” cultures from MexicoHigh yield culture, one plant may give up to 40 kg of fruits

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 45 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Gourd plants

Chayote

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 46 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Gourd plants

Summary

Nuts are plants accumulating oils and proteins in their seeds, theymostly dispersed by “bad memory” animalsGourd plants are intermediates between fruits and vegetables

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 47 / 48

Fruits, nuts and vegetables Gourd plants

For Further Reading

A. Shipunov.Ethnobotany [Electronic resource].2011—onwards.Mode of access:http://ashipunov.info/shipunov/school/biol_310

Shipunov (MSU) Ethnobotany. Lecture 21 March 18, 2013 48 / 48