The Triumph of Seeds (45 page)

Johnson, Samuel (writer),
153

Josephus, Flavius (historian),
83

Junglesop seeds,
169

Junipers,
188

Kaolinite,
189–190

Keillor, Garrison (radio host),
150

Keystone species,
6

Kibale Forest, Uganda,
26

Kidd, William (pirate),
132

Kola nut,
147

Lamb, Charles (poet),
145–146

Larder-hoarder,
122

Lear, Edward (painter),
84 (fig.)

Lecithin,
48–49

Legumes

crop rotation,
37

endospermic,
49

synergy with grains,
37–38

Lenin, V. I. (Soviet leader),
104

Lentils,
28
,
37

Lilienthal, Otto (aviation pioneer),
206

Lloyd’s of London (insurer),
153
,
156

Locust beans,
50

London’s Great Fire,
94

Longevity, seed,
88–95

Lotus seeds,
88

Louis XIV (king),
144

Mace,
131–132
,
138

Machnicki, Noelle (scientist),
134–141
,
173

Madrona tree,
23

Magellan, Ferdinand (explorer),
132

Mandeville, John (English traveler),
197

Mango,
187

Manzanillo,
185

Mao Zedong (chairman),
142

Maple,
206–207

Marcellus Shale,
51

Markov, Georgi (writer),
161–167

Marula,
186
,
190

Marx, Karl (philosopher),
202

Masada dates,
85–88

Masada Fortress,
83–85
,
84 (fig.)
,
86 (fig.)
,
88

Masis, José (field assistant),
4–5
,
7
,
17
,
179–181
,
192

Maygrass,
27

Meat dishes, flavoring of,
138–139

Medicinal plants,
87
,
168–170

Megagametophyte,
17

Mende people,
76
,
213

Mendel, Gregor (geneticist),
70–80
,
122
,
212

Metabolism, reliance upon water,
99

Methuselah,
87–89
,
93–94

Milk thistle,
170

Millet,
21–22
,
27
,
75

Mistletoes,
17
,
168

Monkeys,
6
,
26
,
169
,
180
,
189

Moss,
65
,
71

Moth mullein,
95

Mulga grass,
27–28

Mustard,
45
,
75
,
88
,
91
,
94
,
131

Myo-insitol,
100

Myristicin,
138

Naked woolybutt,
27

Napp, Cyrill (abbot),
71

National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation.
See
National Seed Bank

National Seed Bank,
96–98
,
106

Native Americans, use of grasses by,
27

Natural Science Society of Brünn,
77–78

Natural selection,
72
,
74
,
125

Newman, David (drug development expert),
169–170

Newton, Isaac (scientist/mathematician),
153

Nietzsche, Friedrich (philosopher),
168

Nitrogen fixation,
37

Norway rats,
122
,
123 (photo)

Nutmeg,
131–132
,
134
,
138

Nuts,
39–48
,
126

Oats,
21
,
28

Ocean current, dispersal by,
200–201

Oils

almond,
44

canola,
45

coconut,
43

seed-based oil products,
48

Oleander, climbing,
170

Olives,
186

Omwifa,
186

Oplustil, Stanislav (paleontologist),
62

Orange,
189

Orchids,
17
,
214–215

Origin of Species
(Darwin),
72

Pacas,
116
,
119

Pacific Northwest Farmers Cooperative,
33

Pain, from capsaicin,
140–141

Palms

bat roosts in,
179–181

coconut,
41–43

date,
75
,
85–88

tagua nut,
48

Palouse Prairie,
19–21
,
21 (photo)
,
33–34
,
37

Parrots,
189

Peas

author’s experiments with,
70
,
72–73
,
76–79

harvesting,
73

illustration of pod and seeds,
74 (fig.)

Mendel and,
70–80

planting instructions,
7

rodent predation of,
122–123
,
123 (photo)

rosary pea,
167–168

varieties,
72
,
75
,
79
,
122

Peccaries,
18
,
123

Pennsylvanian Period,
52

Pepper,
131
,
133–134
,
138

Peppercorns,
131

Perisperm,
17

Permian Period,
56
,
61

Peter Paul Manufacturing Company,
39

Petroleum, modern appetite for,
131

PGPR (polyglycerol polyricinoleate),
48

Pincushion proteas,
88

Pine nuts,
67

Pineapple,
186

Pineda, Marcus (rancher),
181

Pink mallow,
215

Piperine,
138

Pit viper,
3–5
,
4 (fig.)

Plague,
30–31

Plant breeding,
69
,
75–76
,
212

Pliny the Elder (scholar/author),
86

Plot frame,
19

Poisons in seeds,
164–175

Pokeweed,
170

Pollan, Michael (author/food activist),
69

Pollen

evolution of,
64
,
66

pollination in angiosperms,
68–69

transfer in hand-pollination,
77

Pollination,
68–69

hand-pollination,
71–72
,
75
,
77

in hawkweeds,
78