Color illustration of a pepper plant (Capsicum annuum L.). This spice, native to South and Central America, is now cultivated in most tropical countries, particularly in Indonesia. In more temperate regions, such as Southern Europe, however, the cultivation of the milder vegetable variety known as bell pepper has gained greater importance. Plaque: Geneva Conservatory and Botanical Garden – 1990

The colour plate shows a historical botanical illustration of the plant Capsicum longum (a variety of Spanish pepper, now usually classified as Capsicum annuum), which belongs to the nightshade family. These plants require plenty of sun, warmth and nutrient-rich, well-drained soil. The fruits are used worldwide as a spice (hot or mild) and as a vegetable in cooking. The substance responsible for the heat is capsaicin, which is also used in medicine (e.g. in heat patches). Plaque: Geneva Conservatory and Botanical Garden – 1990

Color chart of black pepper (Piper nigrum L.), the most important species of the genus Piper in the pepper family. The genus Piper comprises about two thousand species, only a few of which are used as spices. Plaque: Geneva Conservatory and Botanical Garden – 1990

Color chart of ginger (Zingiber officinale R.). This fast-growing perennial bears a certain resemblance to our common reed. Its robust rhizomes—underground stems as thick as a thumb—branch out horizontally and form root tubers with aromatic flesh. They produce two distinctly different above-ground shoots. The foliage shoots, which grow to a height of one to one and a half meters, bear lanceolate, alternate leaves up to twenty centimeters long and two centimeters wide. The flowering or inflorescence shoots, on the other hand, are only about thirty centimeters tall and covered with short, scale-like bracts. They form spike-like inflorescences, about five centimeters long, with greenish-yellow flowers. Plaque: Geneva Conservatory and Botanical Garden – 1990

This botanical illustration depicts the ginger plant (Zingiber officinale). It has upright, reed-like shoots with narrow, lance-shaped leaves. The inflorescence is a separate, leafless stalk with cone-like bracts and yellow-purple flowers. The characteristic underground ginger root is used as a spice and remedy. Detailed botanical drawings of the individual parts of the flower can also be seen at the bottom right. Plaque: Geneva Conservatory and Botanical Garden – 1990

A fresh ginger root (Zingiber officinale). Strictly speaking, this is the underground rhizome of the ginger plant. It is characterized by its knobby shape and a light brown, slightly woody skin. The juicy, yellowish interior has a pleasantly spicy, aromatic, and slightly lemony flavor. Ginger is popular as a versatile spice in soups, curries, and teas, as well as a traditional home remedy for colds and nausea. – 1990

Color plate of the clove (Caryophyllus (Syzygium) aromaticus L.). The illustration originally appeared in an issue of “Curtis’s Botanical Magazine” from 1827. This historical botanical illustration depicts a flowering branch of the clove tree, whose unopened, dried flower buds are used as cloves in cooking. Plaque: Geneva Conservatory and Botanical Garden – 1990

Illustration of cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) showing the leaves, the rootstock with its rhizomes, and the flowering stem with flowers, fruits, and seeds. Cardamom belongs to the ginger family, but its effects are less intense than those of ginger itself; furthermore, it is the seeds, not the root tubers, that are used. Cardamom is a staple in every curry blend, but it is also a key ingredient in gingerbread, along with cinnamon, cloves, coriander, and anise. The Chinese regard cardamom as an effective remedy for digestive complaints of all kinds. Plaque: Geneva Conservatory and Botanical Garden – 1990

Color chart of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.). The plant, which may have originated in India, is a close relative of ginger. Today, turmeric is cultivated and found growing wild from the Indian subcontinent (the Malabar Coast, Madras, Bengal) throughout Southeast Asia to Oceania, as well as in Madagascar, the Antilles, and Brazil. Plaque: Geneva Conservatory and Botanical Garden – 1990

Color illustration of the true nutmeg (Myristica fragrans H.) from a German work of the last century. The illustration shows a flowering branch alongside the various stages of development and details of the fruit. The pinnate, alternate leaves are evergreen, up to fifteen centimeters long, glossy green on top, and pale green with a silvery sheen on the underside. Plaque: Geneva Conservatory and Botanical Garden – 1990

The botanical illustration shows the nutmeg (Myristica fragrans). The leaves are dark green, leathery, elliptical in shape and taper to a point. The small, pale yellow or cream-coloured flowers grow in the leaf axils. The pear-shaped fruits split open when ripe, exposing the seed. A bright red, net-like tissue (mace) surrounds the dark seed. The hard, dark kernel contains the actual nutmeg with its characteristic marbled structure inside. Plate: Geneva Conservatory and Botanical Garden – 1990

This historical botanical illustration from *The Botanical Magazine* (1827) by William Jackson Hooker depicts a ripe, split fruit of the nutmeg tree (Myristica fragrans). The thick, bright orange outer husk surrounds the seed. When the fruit is ripe, it splits open of its own accord. The two important spices obtained from a single fruit are: Mace (mace flower): The bright red, net-like tissue (aril) visible inside the opened shell. It envelops the actual nut. When dried, it is used as a spice in its own right. The nutmeg: The dark brown seed at the centre of the whole fruit. In the illustration, it shimmers darkly beneath the red coat of the mace. Plate: Geneva Conservatory and Botanical Garden – 1990

Color chart of the spice or true vanilla (Vanilla planifolia). This orchid species, native to the tropics of the New World, is now cultivated around the equator and regarded by some as a flavoring agent and by others as a true spice. It was already used in pre-Columbian times by the indigenous peoples of Central America to flavor tobacco and cocoa. The Spanish conquistadors brought the vanilla plant to Europe at the end of the 15th century; later, attempts were made to cultivate the plant in various tropical colonies, which succeeded only when the problem of the lack of natural pollinators—especially hummingbirds—was overcome through self-pollination. Plaque: Geneva Conservatory and Botanical Garden – 199

Color chart featuring a twig and dried bark of the cinnamon tree (Cinnamomum sp.). The finest cinnamon comes from the Ceylon cinnamon tree, which is now found from southern India through Southeast Asia and Indonesia to China. It has also been introduced to the Seychelles, Mauritius, Madagascar, the Antilles, Guyana, and Brazil. However, it is most common in Sri Lanka, where four subspecies are distinguished. The plantations are located primarily in the southwest of the island, from the coast up to an altitude of 1,000 meters. Plaque: Geneva Conservatory and Botanical Garden – 1990

This botanical illustration depicts the Ceylon cinnamon tree (Cinnamomum verum, synonym Cinnamomum zeylanicum). It shows a branch with the characteristic trifoliate leaves and white inflorescences. Also included are botanical cross-sections of flowers, stamens and ovaries for identification purposes. Plate: Geneva Conservatory and Botanical Garden – 1990

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