Food Plants of the World

Plants and plant-derived products make up the bulk of what we eat and drink every day, and people often wonder where their favourite food or drink comes from. This scientifically accurate photographic guide provides quick and colourful answers.

"Food Plants of the World" is a comprehensive overview of the plants that provide us with food, beverages, spices and flavours. It is written in easy language but gives accurate scientific information on the plants and their uses. This expanded and revised second edition of the book includes:

• Descriptions of more than 400 food and flavour plants and their close relatives. For each plant, the following information is given: plant description, origin, history, cultivation, harvesting, properties and culinary uses.
• More than 1000 excellent full-colour photographs, showing the plants, flowers and actual plant parts that are used.
• Introductory chapters on each of the various categories of plant use; cereals, pulses (legumes), nuts and seeds, fruits, vegetables, culinary herbs, sugar plants, beverages, spices and flavourings.
• Interesting facts about the historical and contemporary uses of the various plant-derived products.
• A checklist of more than 900 of the most important and well-known food plants of the world, listed according to scientific name but giving the common names, family name, region of origin, main uses and plant parts used.