gases with the air; and stalks support leaves and connect them with roots Plants are essentially stationary chemical factories, made up of chambers for carbohydrate synthesis and carbohydrate storage, and tubes to transfer chemicals from one part of the factory to another, with structural reinforcement — also mainly carbohydrates — to provide mechanical rigidity and strength Parasitic animals, by contrast, must find and feed on other organisms, so they are constructed mainly of muscle proteins that transform chemical energy into physical motion (p 121) Why Plants Have Strong Flavors and Effects Animals can also use their mobility to avoid becoming another creature’s meal, by fleeing or fighting But stationary plants? They compensate for their immobility with a remarkable ability for chemical synthesis These master alchemists produce thousands of strong-tasting, sometimes poisonous warning signals that discourage bacteria, fungi, insects, and us from attacking them A partial list of their chemical warfare agents would include irritating compounds like mustard oil, hot-chilli capsaicin, and the tear-inducing factor in onions; bitter and toxic alkaloids like caffeine in coffee and solanine in potatoes; the cyanide compounds found in lima beans and many fruit seeds; and substances that interfere with the digestive process, including astringent tannins and inhibitors of digestive enzymes If plants are so well endowed with their own natural pesticides, then why isn’t the world littered with the corpses of their victims? Because animals have learned to recognize and avoid potentially harmful plants with the help of their senses of smell and taste, which can detect chemical compounds in very small concentrations Animals have developed appropriate innate ... capsaicin, and the tear-inducing factor in onions; bitter and toxic alkaloids like caffeine in coffee and solanine in potatoes; the cyanide compounds found in lima beans and many fruit seeds; and substances... own natural pesticides, then why isn’t the world littered with the corpses of their victims? Because animals have learned to recognize and avoid potentially harmful plants with the help of their senses of smell and taste, which can detect chemical... interfere with the digestive process, including astringent tannins and inhibitors of digestive enzymes If plants are so well endowed with their own natural pesticides, then why isn’t the world littered with the corpses of their