American Plants (Solanaceae)

Members of Solanacaea

Many of the species of the Solanacea Family evolved in the Andean/Amazonian region in habitats varying dramatically. The tuberous member of the family potato and its sibling tomato, its cousin eggplant and a more distant cousin pepper and a very distant cousin tobacco plant are all members of this family varying in biological properties. Thus they are all economically important plants and dispersed from their home ground, they are now cultivated throughout the world.

Relationship of important members of Solanacaea

These crops imported from the new world changed culinary habits in the old world. Potato, tomato, pepper became almost an indispensable part of the European diet and spread to the rest of the world. 

Potato was slow to be adapted but when it was it played an important role in the population boom in the 19th century Europe. But due its lack of genetic variation it proved vulnerable to disease. An instance of it happened in Ireland when the crops were damaged by a fungus like organism that caused late blight leading to the Great Irish Famine of 1845. In the Andes where it was originated the scope of genetic variety is much broader where only a few samples had been transported and cultivated in the rest of the world.

Genetic varience of potato

As with potato, the Spanish distributed tomato globally from its original source Mexico. In 1544 an Italian physician and botanist (it was good times when they could be both) Pietro Andrea Mattioli described it as a new type of eggplant that was red or golden color hence its name pomi d'oro (golden apple).

Capsicum genus, known as peppers added another dimension in our perception of flavours and became a key ingredient in many cuisines.

Also another member of the Solanoid family had an immense destructive effect on human health. The tobacco plant... It was addictive that worked its effect through the alkaloid nicotine, a stimulant on both pathways in the autonomic nervous system; sympathetic and parasympathetic. Being one of the main sources of instant gratification it contributed greatly to the rise of cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer. Policyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were one of the major culprits released during the burning of the leaves.

A Smoking Club, 1859, F. W. Fairholt

All this was down to "Guns, Germs and Steel" and the greed of gold seekers and one Columbus' ambition to go East by sailing West that resulted in the "Columbian Exchange".