Zea diploperennis

Zea diploperennis, the diploperennial teosinte,[1] is a species of grass (family: Poaceae) in the genus Zea and a teosinte (wild relative of maize or corn). 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 diploperennis
Zea diploperennis, Conservatoire botanique national de Brest, France, June 2007
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Genus: Zea
Species:
Z. diploperennis
Binomial name
Zea diploperennis
H.H.Iltis Doebley & R.Guzman & Pazy B., 1979

References

  1. "Zea diploperennis". Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS Database. USDA. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
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