Teosinte (disambiguation)

Last updated February 27, 2019

Teosinte may refer to several unrelated plants with grain/grain-like seeds eaten by the indigenous peoples of Mexico and Central America:

Zea species
- Zea diploperennis
- Zea luxurians
- Zea nicaraguensis
- Zea perennis
Zea nicaraguensis is a true grass species in the genus Zea. It is considered to be phenotypically the most distinctive, as well as the most threatened teosinte. This teosinte thrives in flooded conditions along 200 m of a coastal estuarine river in northwest Nicaragua. Virtually all populations of teosinte are either threatened or endangered: Z. nicaraguensis survives as about 6000 plants in an area of 200 x 150 m. The Mexican and Nicaraguan governments have taken action in recent years to protect wild teosinte populations, using both in situ and ex situ conservation methods. Currently, a large amount of scientific interest exists in conferring beneficial teosinte traits, such as insect resistance, perennialism, and flood tolerance, to cultivated maize lines, although this is very difficult due to linked deleterious teosinte traits.
Zea perennis, the perennial teosinte, is a true grass species in the genus Zea and a teosinte. It is one of the two perennial species in the genus Zea. The other perennial, Z. diploperennis, is the sister taxon of Z. perennis. Those two species also form a clade with Z. luxurians. Together, the three species make up the Luxuriantes section in the genus Zea. Z. perennis is the sole tetraploid in the genus and fertile hybrids with diploid Zea species are rare. Ribosomal ITS evidence suggested introgression between Z. perennis and Z. mays that must have come from either crossing the ploidy barrier or been from the diploid ancestral pool. Z. perennis is generally considered to be an autotetraploid from some ancestral population of Z. diploperennis.
Tripsacum species
Dioon species
- Dioon mejiae

Zea is a genus of flowering plants in the grass family. The best-known species is Z. mays, one of the most important crops for human societies throughout much of the world. Several wild species are commonly known as teosintes and are native to Mesoamerica.

Zea diploperennis, the diploperennial teosinte, is a species of grass in the genus Zea and a teosinte. It is perennial. Virtually all populations of this teosinte are either threatened or endangered: Z. diploperennis exists in an area of only a few square miles. The Mexican and Nicaraguan governments have taken action in recent years to protect wild teosinte populations, using both in situ and ex situ conservation methods. Currently, a large amount of scientific interest exists in conferring beneficial teosinte traits, such as insect resistance, perennialism, and flood tolerance, to cultivated maize lines, although this is very difficult due to linked deleterious teosinte traits.

Zea luxurians is a true grass species in the genus Zea and a teosinte, found in Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.

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