Text & photographs by Dr. Mahadeswara Swamy
Many plants possess distinctive aroma, flavour or fragrance. The whole plant or some parts may be aromatic like root, wood, bark, foliage, flowers, fruits, seeds. They are called aromatic plants. Aromatic compounds are basically essential oils made up of low molecular weight terpenoid compounds (phenylpropenes and terpenes) which evaporate at room temperature (volatile). They possess biological activities and widely used as spices in culinary preparations for flavouring and fragrance, herbal beverages, cosmetics, aromatherapy, pesticide repellents etc. A few examples which we come across in our daily life are Mint (whole plant), Turmeric (root), Ginger (stem), Coriander, Curry leaves (leaves), Cloves (flower buds), Sandal wood (wood); Cardamom, Pepper (fruit), Cinnamon (bark). ‘Allspice’ is one such aromatic tree yielding spice(s) derived from the dried, unripe fruits & leaves. It is so named because it combines the flavours of cloves, black pepper, nutmeg and cinnamon, though, in my opinion, it has an unique flavour of its own.
