Table 1.  Supermarket Botany

Crop

Native region

Part eaten/used

Artichoke

Mediterranean

Leaves associated with the flowers, receptacle

Asparagus*

Mediterranean

Young shoot

Bamboo*

Asia

Shoots

Beet*

Mediterranean

Root (red pigment, betalain, not readily digested)

Bok-Choi (pak choi)

Asia

Leaves; this plant is a variety of Fast Plant

Broccoli*

Europe

Immature flower buds and stems

Brussels Sprouts*

Europe

Lateral buds (meristems)

Carrot*

Mediterranean

Root

Cauliflower*

Europe

Immature flower buds (curd) and stems

Garlic*

Mediterranean

Bulb; vegetable

Kohlrabi*

Mediterranean

Veggie, hypocotyl swells to form edible structure, like an above ground radish

Leek*

Near East

Veggie, bulb

Lettuce*

Eurasia

Veggie, head lettuce is essentially a meristem

Manioc (Cassava)*

South America

Veggie, root, loaded with HCN, must be detoxified before eating

Parsnip*

Mediterranean

Veggie, root, like a white radish

Potato � White*

South America

Veggie, stem (tuber)

Radish*

W. Asia

Veggie, root or stem (hypocotyl)

Rhubarb*

Europe

Veggie, leaf stalk (petiole)

Rutabaga*

Europe

Veggie, root

Spinach*

Asia

Veggie, leaf

Turnip*

Eurasia

Veggie, root