[...]... by Plants This page intentionally left blank CHAPTER 1 What Plant Resins Are and Are Not The literature on resins, although relatively abundant, is not very precise as far as exact use of terms is concerned confusion which, in a way, reflects the complexity of the world of resins —Jost et al 1989 To understand the many topics covered in Plant Resins, it is necessary to have a clear idea of what plant. .. chemistry, secretory structures, and functions in the plant Interest in the chemistry of resins and the secretory structures in which they are synthesized and stored began in the later 19th century in Germany A pioneering book, Die Harze und die Harzebehälter, resins and resin-containing structures, was published by Tschirch and his students in 1906 Recognition that detailed chemical knowledge of plant. .. biosynthesis of terpenes and phenolic secondary compounds constituting resins, showing interconnection with relevant primary compounds and processes 26 | CHAPTER 1 What Plant Resins Are I briefly discuss the biosynthesis of terpenoid and phenolic resins, as well as some of their characteristic components, as a basis for understanding the ecological interactions that are important to the plant and to the human... rigor and clarity by distinguishing resins from other materials with which they are commonly confused (e.g., gums and mucilage) based on three criteria: chemistry, secretory structures, and ecological roles in the plant Part I also includes a discussion of more recent major breakthroughs in the understanding of terpenoid biosynthesis and the ultrastructural evidence for its compartmentation, and how... of the ecological roles resins play in plants These were natural interests, arising from my training as an ecologist and paleobotanist Later, my queries turned to how humans have used resins throughout history, and my interest in that intensified when I taught an undergraduate course, Plants and Human Affairs, and coauthored a textbook on the subject I became convinced that resins are remarkable materials... Use 466 Extractive and Indigenous Reserves 468 Agroforestry 469 Plantations 471 Enrichment Planting 472 Enhanced Pest Protection of Resin-Producing Trees 473 Archeology and Anthropology of Resins 475 Appendix 1 Resin-Producing Conifers 477 Appendix 2 Resin-Producing Angiosperms 480 Appendix 3 Skeletons of Characteristic Components of Fossil Resins 486 Appendix 4 Age, Location, and Plant Source of Amber... petrochemicals and other alternatives, or whether new technologies as well as policies that preserve plant resources, particularly in the tropics, will enable change in uses of resins and an important future for them Plant Resins only provides a progress report on our current knowledge—I hope this synthesis of the many facets of resins will stimulate future research on these remarkable plant products... CONTENTS Convolvulaceous Resins 418 Jalap 418 Other Ipomoea Resins 420 Scammony 420 Hashish and Hops Resin 421 Hashish 421 Hops 425 Propolis 427 Allergenic Anacard Resins 429 Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, and Poison Sumac 430 Other Poisonous Anacards 433 Chemistry of the Poisonous Resins 434 Labdanum 435 Desert Shrub Surface Resins 437 Myoporaceae 438 Asteraceae 439 Dragon’s Blood 441 Other Resins 444 Podophylloresin... the understanding of amber-producing plants These chemical and paleoecological studies, together with my background as a plant ecologist, prepared me to be intrigued by the correlation that the greatest diversity of trees producing copious amounts of resins are tropical angiosperms (plants with true flowers) This interest coincided with the rapid advance of the field of biochemical ecology, and I was... surrounding the term resin Thus in Plant Resins, plant resin is defined operationally as primarily a lipid-soluble mixture of volatile and nonvolatile terpenoid and/ or phenolic secondary compounds that are (1) usually secreted in specialized structures located either internally or on the surface of the plant and (2) of potential significance in ecological interactions Note that resins consist primarily of secondary . Plant Resins