Final answer:
The botanical name for sugar cane alludes to its initial use as an exotic medicinal, discovered by Europeans during the Crusades and subsequently becoming a widely demanded sweetener in Europe.
Step-by-step explanation:
The botanical name for sugar cane has historical ties to an apothecary, much like how pharmaceutical companies today look to nature for new medicinal drugs. Europeans, upon encountering sugar cane during the Crusades, initially considered it an exotic medicinal before it became widely used as a sweetener. As sugar cane cultivation grew, especially in the hands of the Portuguese and Spanish on the Canary and Madeira Islands, so did European demand for sugar, marking the beginning of a widespread sugar addiction that surpassed the use of honey as the main sweetener in the region. The production of sugar from sugar cane was labor-intensive, involving the dangerous work of enslaved Africans in the Americas, especially in South America and the Caribbean, where sugar was a major export. The laborers not only grew and harvested the sugar cane but also processed it into sugar and molasses, the latter of which could be distilled into rum. The name of sugar cane hints at its historical medicinal value as well as its impact on trade and economy during these times.