reproduce with man`s assistance to be correct---in the wild, both the more
primitive ('wild') forms as well as the more 'advanced' (improved) forms of
maize/corn can and are 'planted' by the activities of wild animals, who
'open' the enclosing modified leaves to get at the seed/kernels contained
within, and a certain small percentage of these are dislodged by them to
fall and germinate, thus carrying on the plants lineage, as it was with the
original 'design'. >>
>>Julius,
I think you are correct that maize can be disseminated by natural means but
to my knowledge maize has not been recognized as a natural species for
nearly
half a century. When I was in college Dr. Charles Heiser was one of the
researchers. I remember his economic botany lectures going into great detail
into the bigeneric origin of maize - apparently created and nurtured into
its
final form by Indians of southern Mexico and Central America.
Jim Langhammer<<
Dear Jim,
Wish I had all my 'ducks in a row' AND all my literature in order when
something like this comes up! There was an article, in I believe a
"Natural History' Mag just a few (3-5?) years ago, the author says they had
FINALLY discovered in Mexico the or one of the wild 'grasses' that was
definitely the or one of the parents of maize as we now know it, the seed
'head' was long and scraggly, with just a 'line' or two of small
seed/kernels with pointed 'tips', the silk came off of these ends. Do NOT
remember if there were modified leaves enclosing the whole caboodle, but
think that there were. 'Primitive' man then took it from there, and a FINE
job they did with this grain.
As you say, wild animals/birds would/could/do certainly disseminate the seed
of both the 'wild' and cultivated forms of this grain. AND---for those of
us who love to EAT maize AND potatoes, one has not LIVED until one has lived
in Peru or Ecuador, and samples the fantastic and great variety of these two
basic foods that are cultivated, every size, color and FLAVOR seem
represented, I still savor in my mind the memory of some of these wonderful
foods one NEVER sees in the U.S.A.
Cheers,
Julius
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