North American Cornucopia
Publisher: CRC Press
Published: 2013
Language: eng
ISBN-13: 9781322631271
Subjects: Edible Plants; Endemic plants; Plantes comestibles; Plantes endémiques
Description: Many North American plants have characteristics that are especially promising for creating varieties needed to expand food production, and there are excellent prospects of generating new economically competitive crops from these natives. The inadequacy of current crops to meet the food demands of the world's huge, growing population makes the potential of indigenous North American food plants even more significant. These plants can also generate crops that are more compatible with the ecology of the world, and many also have inherent health benefits.Presenting detailed scholarship, a thoroughly accessible style, and numerous entertaining anecdotes, North American Cornucopia: Top 100 Indigenous Food Plants is a full-color book dedicated to the most important 100 native food plants of North America north of Mexico that have achieved commercial success or have substantial market potential. The introductory chapter reviews the historical development of North American indigenous crops and factors bearing on their future economic success. The rest of the book consists of 100 chapters, each dedicated to a particular crop. The book employs a user-friendly chapter format that presents the material in sections offering in-depth coverage of each plant.The first section of each chapter provides information on the scientific and English names of the plants, followed by a section on the geography and ecology of the wild forms, accompanied by a map showing the North American distribution. A section entitled "Plant Portrait" comprises a basic description of the plant, its history, and its economic and social importance. This is followed by "Culinary Portrait," concerned with food uses and culinary vocabulary. The chapters then provide an analysis of the economic future of each crop, discuss notable and interesting scientific or technological observations and accomplishments, and present extensive references.
Notes: Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries (CBHL) Annual Literature Award - Nominee, 2015
Table of contents: title: Chapter 1 Introduction; title: chapter 2 Acerola; title: chapter 3 American Chestnut; title: chapter 4 American Ginseng; title: chapter 5 American Persimmon; title: chapter 6 Anise Hyssop; title: chapter 7 Aronia; title: chapter 8 Azolla (Mosquito Ferns); title: chapter 9 Bergamot; title: chapter 10 Bilberry; title: chapter 11 Black Walnut; title: chapter 12 Blackberries and Dewberries; title: chapter 13 Blue Honeysuckle; title: chapter 14 Blue Waxweed; title: chapter 15 Blueberries; title: chapter 16 Buffaloberries; title: chapter 17 Buffalo Gourd; title: chapter 18 Butternut; title: chapter 19 Cabbage Palmetto; title: chapter 20 Cactus Pear; title: chapter 21 California Bay; title: chapter 22 Camas; title: chapter 23 Canada Garlic; title: chapter 24 Cattails; title: chapter 25 Cherries: North American Species; title: chapter 26 Chinkapin; title: chapter 27 Chive; title: chapter 28 Chufa; title: chapter 29 Cloudberry; title: chapter 30 Coast Tarweed; title: chapter 31 Cranberry; title: chapter 32 (American) Cranberry Bush (Highbush Cranberry); title: chapter 33 Crowberry; title: chapter 34 Devil's Claw; title: chapter 35 Duck Potato; title: chapter 36 Dwarf Cape Gooseberry; title: chapter 37 Dwarf Glasswort; title: chapter 38 Elder; title: chapter 39 Epazote; title: chapter 40 Evening Primrose; title: chapter 41 Fiddlehead Fern (Ostrich Fern); title: chapter 42 Golden Chia; title: chapter 43 Golden Currant; title: chapter 44 Grapes; title: chapter 45 Groundnut (Apios); title: chapter 46 Hawthorns (Including Mayhaws); title: chapter 47 Hazelnuts; title: chapter 48 Hickories; title: chapter 49 Hog Peanut; title: chapter 50 Honewort; title: chapter 51 Hop; title: chapter 52 Huckleberries; title: chapter 53 Jerusalem Artichoke; title: chapter 54 Jojoba; title: chapter 55 Joshua Tree; title: chapter 56 Juniper; title: chapter 57 Labrador Tea; title: chapter 58 Lingonberry; title: chapter 59 May-Apple; title: chapter 60 Maypop; title: chapter 61 Mesquite; title: chapter 62 Mexican Oregano; title: chapter 63 Mountain Mint; title: chapter 64 Nettle (Stinging Nettle); title: chapter 65 Nodding Onion; title: chapter 66 Northern Gooseberry; title: chapter 67 Ogechee Lime; title: chapter 68 Oregon Grape; title: chapter 69 Paper Birch; title: chapter 70 Paradise Tree; title: chapter 71 Pawpaw; title: chapter 72 Pecan; title: chapter 73 Piñon Pine; title: chapter 74 Plums: North American Species; title: chapter 75 Pokeweed; title: chapter 76 Prairie Turnip; title: chapter 77 Raspberries; title: chapter 78 Red Mulberry; title: chapter 79 Reed (Common); title: chapter 80 Roses; title: chapter 81 Saguaro; title: chapter 82 Salal; title: chapter 83 Salmonberry; title: chapter 84 Saskatoon; title: chapter 85 Sassafras; title: chapter 86 Saw Palmetto; title: chapter 87 Scotch Lovage; title: chapter 88 Scurvy Grass; title: chapter 89 Sea Grape; title: chapter 90 Spicebush; title: chapter 91 Squash (Cucurbita pepo squash); title: chapter 92 Strawberries: North American Species; title: chapter 93 Sugar Maple; title: chapter 94 Sunower; title: chapter 95 Sweet Gale; title: chapter 96 Tepary Bean; title: chapter 97 Wild Leek (Ramp); title: chapter 98 Wild Rice; title: chapter 99 Winter Purslane; title: chapter 100 Yampah; title: chapter 101 Yerba Buena.