The sunflower (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Helianthus annuus</Emphasis>) in Mexico: further evidence for a North American domestication |
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Authors: | Charles B Heiser |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Biology, Jordan Hall. Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA |
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Abstract: | I have concluded that my initial verification of a specimen recovered from the San Andrés archaeological site in Mexico as
domesticated sunflower was incorrect. The specimen in question is most likely the seed of a bottle gourd. As yet there is
no compelling evidence that the sunflower was grown as a food crop in Mexico prior to European contact. In addition, the complete
absence of any early historical record for the sunflower in Mexico argues against its presence in pre-Columbian times. Although
no dates or boundaries can be set, the wild sunflower may have grown in northernmost Mexico in early times. A southward range
expansion for the species is probably very recent, perhaps in the last few hundred years with the development of a modern
road system. The widely used common names of the sunflower in Mexico are in Spanish or with Spanish words in them, which suggests
that the sunflower is a post-contact arrival.
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Keywords: | Bottle gourd Domesticated sunflower Girasol Helianthus annuus Lagenaria siceraria Maíz de teja Mexico North America Plant domestication |
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