The document provides an extensive overview of various spices, their botanical classifications, uses, and economic importance, particularly focusing on fennel, saffron, clove, and black pepper. It discusses the nutritional and medicinal properties of spices, their role in enhancing food flavor, and different plant parts used in their production. Additionally, it outlines the characteristics and applications of several specific spices, emphasizing their significance in culinary arts and traditional medicine.

1. Spices : Listing of important spices, their family and part
used. Economic importance with special reference to
Fennel, Saffron, Clove and Black Pepper
By
N. Sannigrahi, Associate Professor
Department of Botany
Nistarini College, Purulia ( W.B) India

3.  The spices and condiments have been playing a prominent role
in all the civilization of antiquity in ancient India and China.
The spices can not be grouped as foods for they contain less
nutritive value but they can give flavor and aroma to food
make it pleasure of eating. They commonly termed as food
adjuncts as they stimulate appetite. Food and condiments are
although used as similar but the basic differences lies. In
general, all aromatic vegetables that are used as flavoring the
food and drinks are called spices and it is generally restricted
to hard or hardened parts of the plants. Condiments are spices
or other flavoring substances which possess a sharp taste and
added to food after it has been cooked. Thus ,the spices are
one of the integral part of the food flavor.

4.  A spice is a seed, fruit, root, bark, or other plant substance
primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices are
distinguished from herbs, which are the leaves, flowers, or
stems of plants used for flavoring or as a garnish. Spices are
sometimes used in medicine, religious rituals, cosmetics or
perfume production. For example, vanilla is commonly used
as an ingredient in fragrance manufacturing.
 A spice may be available in several forms: fresh, whole dried,
or pre-ground dried. Generally, spices are dried. Spices may be
ground into a powder for convenience. A whole dried spice
has the longest shelf life, so it can be purchased and stored in
larger amounts, making it cheaper on a per-serving basis. A
fresh spice, such as ginger, is usually more flavorful than its
dried form, but fresh spices are more expensive and have a

5.  much shorter shelf life. Some spices are not always available
either fresh or whole, for example turmeric, and often must be
purchased in ground form. Small seeds, such as fennel and
mustard seeds, are often used both whole and in powder form.
 Food would be boring without spices. Aroma is integrated
with the flavor of the food. According to food scientist, Dr.
Guy Crosby, humans can identify more than 10000 individual
receptors present around the taste bud and noses.Orthonasal
and retro nasal receptors play a very important role in this
regard. Bitter, salty, sour, cooling, earthy, floral, fruity,
herbaceous, hot, nutty, piney, pungent, sulfery, woody etc are
some of the characteristics of the food flavor that can be
sensitized by the different receptors to make the food easily
consumable by human beings.

6.  Different parts of the plant organs act as source of spices as
listed below:
 FROM ROOTS: Angelic- Angelica archangelica L.
(Apiaceae), Horse –radish, Amoracia lapathfolia Gilib. (
Brassicaceae);Lovage, Levisticum officinale Koth. (Apiaceae)
 FROM UNDERGROUND STEMS
 Sweet flag, Acorus calamus L.( Araceae);Shallot, Allium
ascalonicum L. (Liliaceae);Garlic, Allium sativum L
(Liliaceae);Mango zinger, Curcuma amada Roxb.
 FROM BARK
 Cassia china, Cinnamomum aromaticum Nees. ( Lauraceae),
 Cinnamom, Cinnamomum zeylanicum Bl. ( Lauraceae)

7.  FROM LEAVES & TWIGS: Leucas, Leucas zeylanica R.Br. (
Lamiaceae, Lemon verbena, Lippia citriodora (Verbenaceae),
Mint, Mentha longifolia (Linn.) Huds. ( Lamiaceae);
Peppermint, Mentha piperita L. ( Lamiaceae)
 FROM FLOWER BUDS, FLOWERS: Saffron, Crocus sativus
Linn. ( Iridaceae),Edible Caper, Capparis spinosa L.(
Capparidaceae)
 FROM FRUITS: Sweet pepper , Capsicumn annum L. (
Solanaceae),Red Pepper, Capsicum frutescens L.(solanaceae)
Caraway, Carum carvi L.( Apiaceae) Coriander, Coriandrum
sativum L.( Apiaceae), Cumin, Cuminum cyminum L.(
Apiaceae),Badrang, Fagara budrunga Roxb. ( Rutaceae),
Allspice, Pimenta dioica (Myrtaceae), Indian Long Pepper,
Piper longum L.( Piperaceae),Vanila, Vanilla planifolia
(Orchidaceae),Ammi, Trachyspermum ammi ( Apiaceae)

8.  FROM SEEDS: Bengal cardamom, Amomum aromaticum
Roxb. ( Zingiberaceae); Lesser Cardamom, Elettaria
cardamomum ( Zingiberaceae);Nutmeg, Myristica fragrans
(Myristicaceae);Black cumin, Nigella sativa L.(
Rananculaceae); Pomegranate, Punica granatum
(Punicaceae);Sesame, Sesamum indicum L.( Pedaliaceae)
 FROM LICHENS
 Parmelia, Parmellia abessinica (Parmeliaceae)
 INGREDIENTS :Cashew nut, Anacardium occidentale L. (
Anacardiaceae); Almonds, Prunus amygdalus
(Rosaceae);Carambola, Averrhoa carambola L. (
Oxalidaceae);Sour lime , Citrus carandas L. ( Rutaceae); Red
Sorrel, Hibiscus sabdariffa L. ( Malvaceae),

9. Name of the plant Family Parts Used
Ferula foetida Apiaceae Root stock
Cinnamomum aromaticum Lauraceae Leaves
Levisticum officinale Apiaceae Root stocks
Acorus calamus Araceae Rhizomes
Alium ascalonicum Apiaceae Bulb
Alpinia galanga Zingiberaceae Reddish
rhizome
Cucuma amada Roxb. Zingiberaceae Rhizome
Cucuma domestica Zingiberaceae Rhizome
Kaemeferia galanga Zingiberaceae Rhizome
Mentha arvensis L. Lamiaceae Leaves
Lipia citridora H B & K Lamiaceae Leaves

10. COMMON
NAME
BOTANICAL NAME FAMILY PARTS
USED
Pepper mint Mentha piperita Lamiaceae Leaves
Curry leaf tree Murraya koenigii Rutaceae Leaves
Rumex Rumex hastatus Asteraceae Leaves
Thyme Thymus vulgaris Lamiaceae Dried
leaves
Edible caper Capparis spinosa Capparidaceae Capers
Saffron Crocus sativus Tridaceae Dried
stigma
Clove Syzygium aromaticum Myrtaceae Unopened
flower
Cardamom Eletteria cardamomum Zingiberaceae Seeds
Garden sage Salvia officinalis Lamiaceae Leaves

11.  Spices are mostly food additives that enrich the taste and
aroma of the food. Spices possesses medicinal and nutritional
properties having strong effect on lipid metabolism and anti-
inflammatory potential. A large number of chemical present in
the spices but the most important ones are
 Ascorbic acid, bete-carotene, Camphene, Carvacol, Eugnol,
methyl eugenol, myrcene, myristic acid, myristicin,
Acetophenone, Nerol, Hexonol, Nerolidol, Citrol, Pipierine,
Pepper phenol amides, Peppercom, Lauric acid, different other
anti-oxidants like superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione
peroxides other compounds having strong effect as anticancer
agent, to minimize stress factor and to regulate different
metabolic activities for the dynamic equilibrium of the whole
body of the consumers in general and human beings in
particular.

12.  Botanical name: Foeniculum vulgare Mill. :
 Family: Apiaceae. Stout , glabrous, aromatic herb, 5-6 ft high;
cultivated at an altitude of 6000 ft; grows in any good soil but
thrives best in rich, well drained loam or black sandy soil
containing sufficient lime; propagated by seeds by
broadcasting; harvested before the fruits fully ripe; fruits are
threshed out and cleaned by winnowing.
 Plant Part uses: Dried ripe fruit & Seed.
 Uses:
 1. Fruits used for flavoring dishes due to fragrant odor and
aroma
 2. Fruits are also used as masticatory after having lunch or
dinner or in paan.
 3. Fruits yield essential oil used in flavoring dishes. The main
constituent of oil is anethole.

13.  4. Fruits are carminative, stimulant and aromatic with
medicinal value.
 Useful in the diseases of chest, spleen and kidney,
 Hot infusion is used in lacteal secretion
 Fennel oil-contains moisture 3-6%, protein 9.5%, fat 1%,
Crude fibers 18.5%, Carbohydrates 42.3%, mineral matter
13.4%, along with potassium, sodium, iron, vitamin B1,
vitaminB2, niacin with calorific value of 370 calories /100 g.
 The volatile oil collected by steam distillation, colorless or
pale yellow with characteristic odor and taste; anetholic, used
as flavoring agent in culinary, confectionary, cordials and
liqueurs,
 Good aromatic and makes good vomicide against hookworm.

15.  Saffron: Botanical name: Crocus sativas Linn. Family:
Iridaceae
 A rhizomatous herb, dried stigmas and tops of the style make
the saffron of commerce. The product is obtained from the
stigmas of flowers, 4000 of which are required to produce
only 25 gms of saffron.
 Part used: Dried Stigma of Crocus sativus
 Uses: 1. Apart from flavoring and coloring properties it has
extraordinary medicinal value also.
 2. Mostly used in exotic dishes like sweets, Biryani etc.
 3. It is effective medicine with ghee for diabetes.
 4. Used as dyestuff with pleasant aroma,
 5. It is used in cooked rice and sweet rice along with number
of dishes.

17.  Clove: Syzygium aromaticum, Family: Myrtaceae.
 Most valuable spice yielding plant, first introduced in East
India Company in 1800 AD. In India. The plant generally
attains a height of 12 meters, unopened dried flower buds are
used to collect the clove. A medium cone shaped evergreen
tree with green buds at the time of harvestation but dried in
sun to turn dark brown in color. It is propagated by seeds and
begin to germinate within 4-5 weeks after the seedlings
developed.
 Plant part used: Dry Buds Very aromatic spice with a fine
flavor imparting warming properties.
 2. Culinary spice in both sweet and Savory dishes.
 3. It is used in Pickles, gravy, baked food, cake, pudding,
syrups etc.
 4. Oil of clove is used in confectionary, Pickels, Sausages etc.

19.  Black Pepper: Botanical Name: Piper nigrum L. Family:
Piperaceae. Vernacular name:, Bengali: Golmorich ; A
climbing perennial herb, cultivated nodes rooted, bisexual
with bitter taste in fruit, need warm humid condition for
propagation
 Part used: White pepper and black paper both are Piper
nigrum. Fully mature unripe dried fruits are Black pepper
while ripe berries are stemmed then dried to get white pepper
(sheetal mirchi).
 Green pepper is tender green spike of unripe fruits. Used as
pickles.
 1.Medicinally in Malaria, hemorrhoids/dyspepsia etc.
 2. Essential preservative of meat or perishable food.
 3. Flavoring Agent.
 4. Oil of pepper is used in flavoring Sausages.

21.  This presentation has been made without any financial
interest, to enrich open source of information. The presenter
acknowledges the followings to develop this PPT.
 Google for images
 Different websites for information
 Economic Botany By B.P. Pandey
 Economic Botany by Bhabananda Baruah
 Fundamentals of Biochemistry by Jain, Jain, Jain
 Food Science by B. Srilakshmi