Ch17 Herbs and Spices Test Questions & Answers

Plants and Society, 8e (Levetin)

Chapter 17 Herbs and Spices

1) Essential oils are least concentrated in which of the following plant parts?

A) roots

B) leaves

C) flowers

D) Fruits

E) None of the above are correct.

2) Most essential oils are classified chemically as which of the following?

A) polyphenols

B) terpenes

C) flavonoids

D) alkaloids

E) tannins

3) In addition to being flavorful to humans and discouraging herbivores such as insects, research has shown that many herbs and spices can also ________.

A) cause certain cancers

B) be used to treat superficial wounds

C) inhibit the growth of bacterial and fungi

D) encourage the growth of beneficial fungi

E) do more than one of the above

4) Onions, k garlic, allspice, and oregano were found to be the most effective for killing which of the following organisms?

A) fungi

B) bacteria

C) protozoa

D) carnivores

E) None of the above are correct.

5) Unfortunately, the current "aromatherapy" industry in the United States is not well regulated, and pure, unadulterated essential oils are not always available for scientific study. The current revival of aromatherapy can be traced to French researchers in the early to mid-twentieth century, especially ________.

A) Rene Gattefosse

B) Marco Polo

C) Kublai Khan

D) Ferdinand Magellan

E) Anne Hathaway

6) In Ancient Greece, the "middlemen" who brought spices from the Far East to sell to and trade with the Greeks were ________ merchants.

A) Indian

B) Chinese

C) Hebrew

D) Egyptian

E) Arab

7) After the first century, the Romans began trading directly with India by ships, via the Red Sea, to the Indian Ocean, thus breaking the centuries-old Arab monopoly on ________.

A) Spice trading

B) Herb business with China

C) Pepper growing under waterfalls protected by dragons

D) Aromatherapy in Europe

E) None of the above are correct.

8) Which of the following statements about aromatherapy is not correct?

A) None of the essential oils have been shown to be effective in any way.

B) The aromatherapy industry is not regulated.

C) Rigorous scientific testing of essential oils has not been done.

D) Essential oils from varieties within the same species may have different effects.

E) Some essential oils can be toxic.

9) Alaric the Visigoth threatened Rome with destruction unless he received gold, silver, silk, and 3000 pounds of ________ in addition to gold, silver, silks, and other valuable items.

A) cinnamon

B) pepper

C) ginger

D) saffron

E) oregano

10) Which of the following people did not help Portugal monopolize the spice trade to Europe through trading outposts in the East?

A) Vasco da Gama

B) Alfonso de Albuquerque

C) Alvares Cabral

D) Ferdinand Magellan

E) All of the above helped expand Portugal's control on the spice trade.

11) The travels and adventures of ________ to the Far East in the 13th century encouraged European explorers to travel East in search of exotic spices.

A) Alexander the Great

B) Christopher Columbus

C) Marco Polo

D) Henry the Navigator

E) Magellan

12) Christopher Columbus went to his grave still believing he had found ________.

A) the fountain of youth

B) the source of all the exotic spices Europe craved

C) that Earth was round

D) the western sea route to the Far East

E) the lost tribe of Israel

13) In the 16th century, the country that monopolized the spice trade was ________.

A) England

B) Holland

C) Italy

D) Spain

E) Portugal

14) The country that monopolized the spice trade in the 17th century was ________.

A) England

B) Holland

C) Italy

D) Spain

E) Portugal

15) Which of the following is not a correct association?

A) Allspice :: Pimenta dioica, myrtle family

B) Capsicum peppers :: Capsicum spp., tomato family

C) Nutmeg :: Myristica fragrans, nutmeg family

D) Mace :: Myristica fragrans, nutmeg family

E) Vanilla :: Eugenia caryophyllata, myrtle family

16) Which of the following is not a New World spice?

A) allspice

B) vanilla

C) cinnamon

D) paprika

E) All of the above are New World spices.

17) This spice is one of the oldest known spices. It derives from the secondary phloem of a tree kept bushy in cultivation. This spice is derived from plants in the species:

A) Cinnamomum cassia

B) Piper nigrum

C) Myristica fragrans

D) Zingiber officinale

E) None of the above are correct.

18) This spice is produced from unripe dried berries and has a biting flavor due to volatile oils. This spice is derived from plants in the species

A) Cinnamomum cassia.

B) Piper nigrum.

C) Myristica fragrans.

D) Zingiber officinale.

E) Eugenia caryophyllata.

19) This spice is native to the Spice Islands and is from unopened flower buds that must remain unopened. This spice is derived from plants in the species ________.

A) Cinnamomum cassia

B) Piper nigrum

C) Myristica fragrans

D) Zingiber officinale

E) Eugenia caryophyllata

20) Which of the following pair of spices come from the same species of tree?

A) nutmeg and mace

B) ginger and turmeric

C) black pepper and chili pepper

D) cinnamon and allspice

E) marjoram and oregano

21) Which of the following is correct about cloves?

A) Its scientific name is Myristica fragrans.

B) Cloves were not highly valued in ancient China.

C) Cloves are native to the New World, especially from high elevations in the Andes.

D) Cloves are an unopened flower bud.

E) Cloves are harvested when the nuts are mature for harvesting.

22) Which of the following spices can cause hallucinations accompanied by vomiting, dizziness, and headaches?

A) turmeric

B) nutmeg

C) allspice

D) marjoram

E) oregano

23) This spicy spice is made from the aril of a fruit produced by pistillate flowers. This spice is which of the following?

A) turmeric

B) nutmeg

C) mace

D) marjoram

E) More than one of the above are correct.

24) Nutmeg can do which of the following?

A) Aids in digestion

B) Stimulates the appetite

C) Eases intestinal discomfort

D) Reduces vomiting and nausea

E) All of the above are correct.

25) This spice is produced from a rhizome of an herbaceous perennial and has been used to relieve nausea. This spice is derived from plants in the species ________.

A) Curcuma longa

B) Capsicum annuum

C) Myristica fragrans

D) Zingiber officinale

E) Crocus sativus

26) This spice is used to prepare mustard and is the main spice in curry powder; it is derived from plants in the species ________.

A) Curcuma longa

B) Capsicum annuum

C) Myristica fragrans

D) Zingiber officinale

E) Crocus sativus

27) Curcumin has been shown to be an effective as an antioxidant and an antibacterial agent. It may also be effective against certain cancers. Curcumin is derived from which of the following?

A) ginger.

B) cinnamon.

C) turmeric.

D) saffron.

E) hot chilies.

28) This spice is obtained from stigmas and the spice plant is propagated by corms. This spice is derived from plants in the species ________.

A) Curcuma longa

B) Capsicum annuum

C) Myristica fragrans

D) Zingiber officinale

E) Crocus sativus

29) Which of the following is the most expensive of all the spices?

A) ginger

B) cinnamon

C) turmeric

D) saffron

E) mace

30) The New World spice that fooled Columbus into thinking he had found a trade route to the Far East is of the genus ________.

A) Capsicum

B) Vanilla

C) Pimenta

D) Ocimum

E) Petroselinum

31) Which of the following is correct about mace or nutmeg?

A) They are both derived from the plant Myristica fragrans.

B) Nutmeg trees are usually, but not always, dioecious.

C) The glossy, dark brown seeds are covered by a thick net called an aril.

D) In large quantities, both nutmeg and mace can be hallucinogenic.

E) All of the above are correct.

32) The concentration of capsaicin is highest in ________ peppers.

A) tabasco

B) jalapeno

C) ghost

D) bell

E) paprika

33) Among the following species, which includes one of the "hottest" chili pepper from South America?

A) Capsicum annuum

B) Capsicum frutescens

C) Capsicum chinense

D) Capsicum baccatum

E) Capsicum chaconese

34) Capsaicin has been shown to be effective as which of the following?

A) a blood thinner

B) an aggravator of arthritis

C) a substitute for sugar

D) a fungicide

E) More than one of the above are correct.

35) This spice is produced from the capsules of an orchid which grows as a vine native to Central America. This spice is derived from plants in the species ________.

A) Curcuma longa

B) Vanilla planifolia

C) Myristica fragrans

D) Zingiber officinale

E) Crocus sativus

36) Which of the following is correct about turmeric?

A) Turmeric has a long history in the Indian Ayurvedic system and is used as a remedy for medical complaints.

B) Turmeric is the world's most expensive spice.

C) The flavor and aroma of turmeric is pungent, slightly bitter, and musky.

D) Curcumin from turmeric has no known medicinal properties.

E) Turmeric can only be used for flavoring; no other function is known.

37) "Sweating" is a process employed in the production of ________.

A) allspice

B) ginger

C) saffron

D) vanilla

E) More than one of the above are correct.

38) Which of the following plants produces a precursor compound related to one produced by Vanilla planifolia?

A) Capsicum chinense

B) Curcuma longa

C) Myristica fragrans

D) Zingiber officinale

E) Crocus sativus

39) This spice is produced from dried berries of an evergreen tree that resemble peppercorns. This spice is derived from plants in the species ________.

A) Capsicum chinense

B) Curcuma longa

C) Myristica fragrans

D) Zingiber officinale

E) Pimenta dioica

40) Which of the following is not correct about capsicum peppers?

A) They all belong to a single genus in the Family Solanaceae.

B) There are very few varieties, and these are grown only in the Neotropics.

C) Capsicum chinense does not have its origins in China.

D) The capsaicin content is negligible in sweet bell peppers but in very high concentrations in jalapeno peppers.

E) The hottest peppers have a capsaicin detectability range of about 1 part per million.

41) To create yeast that produced vanillin, genetic researchers inserted the genes of fungi, bacteria, and ________ into the yeast genome.

A) viruses

B) mice

C) humans

D) pigs

E) fruit flies

42) Members of this herbal family have square stems, aromatic, simple leaves. This herbal family is which of the following?

A) Lamiaceae

B) Apiaceae

C) Brassicaceae

D) Alliaceae

E) Liliaceae

43) An herb that mimics estrogen and inhibits androgen is which of the following?

A) garlic

B) lavender

C) coriander

D) sage

E) oregano

44) This herb grows as a small shrub with gray-green leaves and produces fragrant essential oils in its flowers. It also has antiseptic properties. This herb is found in the genus ________.

A) Brassica

B) Armoracia

C) Allium

D) Lavandula

E) Mentha

45) This herbal family produces umbels and schizocarps, which are typically used as herbs. This herbal family is which of the following?

A) Lamiaceae

B) Apiaceae

C) Brassicaceae

D) Alliaceae

E) Liliaceae

46) Isothiocyanates found in ________ may help prevent tooth decay and alleviate the symptoms of asthma.

A) garlic

B) peppermint

C) lavender

D) oregano

E) wasabi

47) Which of the following is true about vanilla?

A) Vanilla is originally from an orchid, Vanilla planifolia, indigenous to the New World tropics.

B) Uncured or unfermented vanilla beans lack the characteristic flavor, which is due to vanillin.

C) When properly cured, the pods are black.

D) Synthetic vanilla accounts for 99 percent of all vanilla currently sold on the market.

E) All of the above are correct.

48) Each of the following compounds is paired correctly with the plant in which it is found except one. Choose the exception.

A) curcumin :: saffron

B) capsaicin :: chili pepper

C) sinigrin :: black pepper

D) allicin :: garlic

E) menthol :: peppermint

49) Curcumin, found in chili peppers, has shown promise as a treatment for cancer.

50) There is no clear distinction between herbs and spices.

51) The characteristic scents of aromatic plants are due to the presence of essential oils, which are types of secondary plant compounds that are may not be essential to a plant's basic metabolic function.

52) Chemically, most essential oils are classified as terpenes, which may have evolved to deter herbivores, especially insects.

53) Essentials oils do not have any known antimicrobial properties.

54) Herbs are generally aromatic leaves or seeds, whereas spices are usually aromatic fruits, flowers, bark, or other plants of tropical origin.

55) Saffron is a spice derived from the stamens of crocus flowers.

56) The Ebers Papyrus, dated at about 3,500 years ago, lists the medical uses of many plants, and provides evidence that an active spice trade already existed.

57) During the time of the Ancient Greek civilization, the spice trade was flourishing between the Mediterranean region and the Far East, brought in by Arab traders.

58) When Rome fell in A.D. 476, the trade between Europe and the East virtually disappeared. However, during the Dark Ages, exotic spices from the East were abundant throughout Europe.

59) In Marco Polo's book, The Travels of Marco Polo, the author describes the abundant spices and plantations of the East, whose presence helped establish new overland routes for exploration by Europeans.

60) Nutmeg is obtained from the tree, Myristica fragrans.

61) Garlic has been linked to gynecomastia in boys.

62) The pungent odor of garlic is due to the release of the compound, allicin.

63) ________ is a compound extracted from an orchid fruit.

64) ________ seeds contain an oil that has been extracted for use in chemical warfare as well as being ground with vinegar and turmeric into a paste to make a very popular condiment.

65) Capsicum peppers are the source of the pungent alkaloid ________, a New World rival to black pepper.

66) ________ are actually the dried unopened flower buds of a myrtle tree.

67) ________ is nicknamed the "pizza herb" because it gives pizza sauce its distinctive flavor.

68) ________ and onion contain a sulfurous oil that imparts a powerful taste and aroma which has a use as an antiseptic.

69) ________ are volatile substances that contribute to the scent and flavor of aromatic plants.

70) The ________ is a document from ancient Egypt that records the medicinal uses of many herbs and spices.

71) ________ is the belief that the application of certain essential oils can heal ailments of the body and mind.