They consist of rhizomes, bulbs, barks, flower buds, stigmas, fruits, seeds, and leaves. They are commonly spoken of loosely as herbs, spices, and spice seeds.
Herbs are the fragrant leaves of plants like marjoram, mint, rosemary, and thyme.
Spices are the highly esteemed, fragrant or pungent plant products of tropical and subtropical regions, the dominant species of the trade including cloves, ginger, and pepper. Spice seeds are the tiny aromatic fruits and oily seeds of herbaceous plants including cumin, fennel, poppy, and sesame. Herbs, spices, and spice seeds are employed as adjuncts to impart flavor or piquancy to foods. In the small quantities used to prepare culinary dishes they have little or no nutritive value, but they stimulate the appetite, add taste to food, and delight the gourmet. Greece is famous for its unique herbs and spices.