1. Five plants that have changed the
world
(Adapted from Seeds of Change; Five Plants That Transformed Mankind, book by
Henry Hobhouse)
2. Quinine
Chinchona sp.
Quinine
Discovered by the Quechua, who are
indigenous to Peru and Bolivia; later, the
Jesuits were the first to bring cinchona
to Europe.
Enabling Europeans to move into
Malarial regions and colonise parts of
the world.
3. Sugar cane (Saccharum sp.)
Tropical, perennial grass, forms lateral shoots at
the base to produce multiple stems,
Typically 3-4 metres high and about 5 cm in
diameter.
The stems grow into cane stalk, which when
mature constitutes approximately 75% of the
entire plant.
A mature stalk is typically composed of 11–16%
fibre, 12–16% soluble sugars, 2–3% non-
sugars, and 63–73% water.
