Resin

Rare card · No. 60095

A resin is a highly viscous liquid or solid that can be converted into a polymer. Resins may be biological or synthetic in origin but are typically harvested from plants. Resins are mixtures of organic compounds insoluble in water, predominantly terpenes. Technically, resins should not be confused with gums, which consist predominantly of water-soluble polysaccharides, although the two terms are often interchangeable in the less formal context. Common resins include pine oleoresins, amber, hashish, frankincense, myrrh, and the animal-derived resin shellac. Resins are used in varnishes, adhesives, food additives, incenses, and perfumes. Resins protect plants from insects and pathogens and are secreted in response to injury. Resins repel herbivores, insects, and pathogens, while the volatile phenolic compounds may attract benefactors such as predators of insects that attack the plant.

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