Modern Plants of Power

Question 8: Which are the ‘Top Three’ most important / influential plants of power today (and I don't necessarily mean by the amount or value produced). Justify and explain your answer.

If I were to answer this question in the most obvious way possible, I would argue that corn, wheat, and rice are the most important and influential plants of power. They are the grains that feed the world - providing an essential part of people's diet from China to the United States. However, there is a different interpretation of the question. Rather than focusing on the most-consumed crops, I will discuss three of the most interesting and controversial modern plants. I have chosen three incredibly different plants that are all important for a wide variety of reasons. 

1) When thinking of plants, a tree comes to mind or perhaps a flowering bush. People usually don't stop to consider the plants of the sea - such as phytoplankton and algae. The first of the most influential plants of power is marine phytoplankton. Marine phytoplankton is a micro algae which essentially feeds the entire population of the ocean. It actually makes up a quarter of all vegetation on the planet. Perhaps most importantly, it provides the earth with over 90% of it's oxygen. That alone makes it the most influential plant in the world. However, there is even more to it! According to doctors, phytoplankton contains all nine amino acids that the body cannot make. The essential fatty acids, such as Omega-3 and Omega-6, are also available as well as many more critical vitamins. If that's not enough to convince you that phytoplankton is important, I don't know what is!!

An image of microscopic phytoplankton.

2) On an entirely different note, I will now turn to a plant that has been a recent source of controversy in the world right now, Cannabis Sativa. I hardly consider it to be one of the most important plants in the world, but it is certainly a very hotly debated plant which makes it very interesting. Cannabis Sativa has a thousand different reputations. In days past it has been used for its oil and as a source of fiber. To some people, it is regarded as a dangerous substance akin to hard drugs such as heroin and cocaine. To others, it is appreciated as a recreational drug that is not detrimental or particularly beneficial for one's health. In parts of the scientific and medical community, it is heralded as a potential curative plant. All of these reputations are valid, though some are far more accurate than others. In recent years, the legality of cannabis has been contested around the world. For example; formerly, it was illegal in the United States. Today, drug laws are being debated in every state. So far, it is fully legal in Oregon, Washington, and Colorado. In California and several other states it is both decriminalized and it is allowed for medical reasons. For more information on legality by state, consult Wikipedia. The issue of legalization is a complex debate. On one hand, a multitude of people can benefit from regulation of the substance, and the state can benefit from heavy taxes on it's sale. Additionally, too many people are in jail for possession of small amounts and the U.S. cannot afford to keep them. On the other hand, you can certainly call into question the benefits of making recreational drug use more popular. 

All parts of the plants are used for a variety of different reasons.

3) Finally, I will talk about a plant that I don't know much about - Cassava. Nevertheless it is incredibly important, particularly Africa and South America. Cassava is a staple food; it actually provides a basic diet for more than half a billion people - or 1 in 14 members of the world population. Originally domesticated in Brazil, Cassava is still important to the region's cuisine. As a crop that does well in poor soil with limited rainfall, and can be harvested year round when needed, it is a critical source of food in the developing world. 

Photo sources: 

Photo 1: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/99/Phytoplankton_-_the_foundation_of_the_oceanic_food_chain.jpg

Photo 2: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/79/Cannabis_sativa_Koehler_drawing.jpg

Photo 3: http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/multimedia/archive/00369/118979221_Cassava_369115c.jpg