Chris Mattison / Close up of succulent plant (Peperomia columella) cultivated plant form Peru. Focus-stacked image.

Derek Galon / Ripe nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) fruits ready for harvesting. Visible inside is the nut covered with red mace. Dominica, Eastern Caribbean, September 2019

Nigel Cattlin / Red chili peppers (Capsicum sp) at food market. Bangkok, Thailand.

Juan Carlos Munoz / Local market with pulses and spices, Chitwan National Park, Inner Terai lowlands, Nepal. February 2018.

Staffan Widstrand / Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) covering (or aril) which is the source of the spice Mace,near Lobo village, Triton Bay, mainland New Guinea, Western Papua, Indonesian New Guinea

Juan Carlos Munoz / Saffron crocuses (Crocus sativus), cultivated for saffron, Lleida, Catalonia, Spain, November.

Juan Carlos Munoz / Saffron crocuses (Crocus sativus), cultivated for saffron, Lleida, Catalonia, Spain, November.

Juan Carlos Munoz / Saffron crocuses (Crocus sativus), cultivated for saffron, Lleida, Catalonia, Spain, November.

Juan Carlos Munoz / Saffron crocuses (Crocus sativus), cultivated for saffron, Lleida, Catalonia, Spain, November.

Juan Carlos Munoz / Saffron crocuses (Crocus sativus), cultivated for saffron, Lleida, Catalonia, Spain, November.

Juan Carlos Munoz / Saffron crocuses (Crocus sativus), cultivated for saffron, Lleida, Catalonia, Spain, November.

Juan Carlos Munoz / Person holding harvested Saffron crocuses (Crocus sativus), cultivated for saffron, Lleida, Catalonia, Spain, November.

Juan Carlos Munoz / Person holding harvested Saffron crocuses (Crocus sativus), cultivated for saffron, Lleida, Catalonia, Spain, November.

Juan Carlos Munoz / Person holding harvested Saffron crocuses (Crocus sativus), cultivated for saffron, Lleida, Catalonia, Spain, November.

Juan Carlos Munoz / Basket containing harvested Saffron crocuses (Crocus sativus) in a field, cultivated for saffron, Lleida, Catalonia, Spain, November.

Juan Carlos Munoz / Baskets of harvested Saffron crocuses (Crocus sativus), cultivated for saffron, Lleida, Catalonia, Spain, November.

Juan Carlos Munoz / Baskets of harvested Saffron crocuses (Crocus sativus), cultivated for saffron, Lleida, Catalonia, Spain, November.

Pete Oxford / Woman selling Betel leaf (Piper betle) a mild stimulant, Barabazar market, Shillong, Meghalaya, North East India. October 2014

Adrian Davies / Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) seed with lacy reddish covering or aril, used to make mace. Barbados.

Adrian Davies / Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) seed with lacy reddish covering or aril, used to make mace. Barbados.

Pal Hermansen / Coriander seed (Coriandrum sativum) on white background.

Aflo / Ginger tabby cat on wall, Mijas, Spain

TJ Rich / Cinnamon sticks (Cinnamomum verum) and other spices and herbs, Sri Lanka.

TJ Rich / Cinnamon sticks (Cinnamomum verum) Sri Lanka.

TJ Rich / Cinnamon sticks (Cinnamomum verum) and other spices, Sri Lanka.

Pal Hermansen / Ginseng root (Panax) against black background.

Pal Hermansen / Ginger root (Zingiber officinale) which looks like a human figure, against white background.

Pal Hermansen / Spice market, Aix en Provence, France.

Adrian Davies / Vanilla (Vanilla planifolia) fruit pods on vine, Eden Project, Cornwall, England, UK, native to Mexico.

Adrian Davies / Vanilla (Vanilla planifolia) fruit pods on vine, Eden Project, Cornwall, England, UK, native to Mexico.

Visuals Unlimited / Animal skins, food and spices sold in Marrakesh Market, Morocco.

Staffan Widstrand / Market stall with spices and garlic for sale, Pulicat Lake, Tamil Nadu, India, January 2013.

Ben Lascelles / Green Chili and Root Ginger at a road side market, Bhaktapu, Kathmandu, Nepal

Juan Manuel Borrero / Illustration of Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum). Pencil and watercolor painting.

Sandesh Kadur / Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) pods held in hand. Grows wild in the monsoon forests of the Western Ghats, and cultivated for its value in ayurvedic medicine and as a food spice. India.

Pete Oxford / Spices for sale in the Medina, Fes, Morocco, June 2009

Pete Oxford / Spices for sale in the Medina, Fes, Morocco, June 2009

Pete Oxford / Spices and snake skins for sale in the Medicine and Fetish Market, Djemaa el-Fna (the square), Marrakech, Morocco, June 2009

Juan Manuel Borrero / Selection of spices for sale on market stall, Belen Market. Iquitos. Loreto. Peru October 2009

Fabio Liverani / Man sitting on mat outside his home, preparing Cinnamon (Cinnamomun sp.) Madu River, Sri Lanka. June 2010

Fabio Liverani / Man sitting on mat outside his home, preparing Cinnamon (Cinnamomun sp.) Madu River, Sri Lanka. June 2010

Staffan Widstrand / Fruit and spices for sale at the food market, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, February 2007

Jurgen Freund / Woman showing vanilla beans freshly dried, Tonga, Melanesia, 2007

Jurgen Freund / Vanilla {Vanilla planifolia} plantation, Tonga, Melanesia, 2007

Jurgen Freund / Vanilla {Vanilla planifolia} plantation, Tonga, Melanesia, 2007

Jurgen Freund / Pandanus leaves drying in the sun, Tonga, Melanesia, 2007

Jurgen Freund / Pandanus leaves drying in the sun, Tonga, Melanesia, 2007

Jouan & Rius / Woman spreads Vanilla beans for drying in the sun, Maroantsetra, North East Madagascar