Piper mikanianum, a plant that's been quietly guarding stored grains and seeds from pests and fungi. It's not just any ordinary plant. It has a powerful secret weapon: its essential oil. This oil has been shown to be a strong fighter against common storage problems. The oil was carefully extracted using a process called hydro-distillation. This process took four...

The plant Alpinia uraiensis is a unique species found only in Taiwan. It has been studied for its essential oils, which are found in various parts of the plant. These oils have been shown to have strong antioxidant and antifungal properties. To extract these oils, a process called hydrodistillation was used. This method involves using steam to separate the oils fro...

Brazil is home to a unique landscape called canga. This is a type of rocky terrain that is rich in iron. It is also home to many plants that are found nowhere else in the world. Two of these plants are Lippia hermannioides and Matayba marginata. These plants grow in a specific type of environment known as ferruginous rupestrian fields. These fields are found on the r...