Zea mexicana (Schrad.) Reeves & Mangel

• Common Name: Teosinte
• Family: Poaceae Barnh.

• Country of Origin: Mexico
• Habitat:

• Description: [syn. Euchlaena mexicana Schrad.]

  Annual or perennial, stems to 10 or rarely 15 feet, coarse, branching at base, flattened on one side between the dark-colored fruiting nodes; leaf blades sword-shaped, long-pointed, to 3.25 inches wide, midrib prominent, sheaths expanded, very strongly veined; female spikelets solitary on opposite sides of obliquely articulate rachis, first glume hard, covering the cavity, second glume membranous, lemma hyaline; grains about /25 inches long, glossy, with markings resembling and insect pupa on the face.

  Closely related to and resembling Z. Mays, with which it readily hybridizes. Thought to be one of the progenitors of modern corn.

• Culture: Short day plant - needs about 60 days to flower.

Additional images for this accession:

Accession Data:

• Accession # 198501220
• Source: Unknown
• Accession Date: 12-31-1985
• Bench: 2210 - XER:Chihuahuan-Tehuacan Deserts
• Qty: 2 confirmed on 05-16-2013

Classification:

• Division: Magnoliophyta
• Class: Liliopsida
• SubClass: commelinids
• Order: Poales
• SubOrder:
• Family: Poaceae
• SubFamily: Panicoideae
• Tribe: Maydeae
• SubTribe:

References:

Hortus Third, LHJ Bailey Hortorium, 1976

data regenerated on Wed, 22 May 2013 14:17:05 -0400