Food

Common name for certain members of the Polygonaceae, a family of herbs and shrubs found chiefly in north temperate areas and having a characteristic pungent juice containing oxalic acid. MORE

an erect grass, Oryza sativa, that grows in East Asia on wet ground and has drooping flower spikes and yellow oblong edible grains that become white when polished. MORE

Tall, coarse annual of the grass family, somewhat similar in appearance to corn (but having the grain in a panicle rather than an ear) and used for much the same purposes. MORE

Originally grown as a food crop for animals, it is increasingly used for human consumption in cooking oils and margarine, as a flour, soya milk, soy sauce, or processed into tofu, miso, or textured vegetable protein. MORE

Cereal plant of the genus Triticum of the family Gramineae (grass family), a major food and an important commodity on the world grain market. MORE

Wild rice (called also Canada rice, Indian rice, and water oats) is a hardy annual with broad blades, reedy stems, and large terminal panicles. MORE

The "nuts" of sweet-almond varieties are eaten raw or roasted and are pressed to obtain almond oil. Bitter-almond varieties also yield oil, from which the poisonous prussic acid is removed in the extraction process. Almond oil is used for flavoring, in soaps and cosmetics, and medicinally as a demulcent. MORE

Common name for the Cruciferae, a large family chiefly of herbs of north temperate regions. The easily distinguished flowers of the Cruciferae have four petals arranged diagonally ( "cruciform" ) and alternating with the four sepals. MORE

Name for a low, annual leguminous plant (Arachis hypogaea) of the family Leguminosae and for its edible seeds. MORE

Common name for some members of the Juglandaceae, a family of chiefly deciduous, resinous trees characterized by large and aromatic compound leaves. MORE