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teosinte

teosinte

1 9.9
A wild grass from Mexico and Central America that is the ancestor of modern corn
  • noun
  • /ˌteɪ.oʊˈsɪn.teɪ/
  • Specialized
: teosinte
  • Called teosinte-branched, or tb1, this gene is largely responsible for the difference in branching patterns between maize and teosinte.
  • corn descended from teosinte

Examples

  • The ancient farmers cultivated teosinte to eventually develop the modern corn we know today.

  • And South America teosinte, the ancestor to mazed corn, makes terrible grain.

  • Also, we wanted to see if aerenchyma occurred in the offspring of the teosinte-corn crosses.

    Academic text (1997)
  • Called teosinte-branched, or tb1, this gene is largely responsible for the difference in branching patterns between maize and teosinte.

    Academic text (2002)
  • They found aerenchyma in the teosinte-corn offspring, as well as in all of the eastern gamagrass growing on well-aerated soils.

    Academic text (1997)
  • Many researchers study teosinte to gain insights into the genetics of maize.

  • In Central America, teosinte is regarded as the wild ancestor of corn, highlighting its importance in agricultural history.

Surface Forms

teosinte singular
teosintes plural

Etymology

Teosinte comes from the Nahuatl word teocintli, made of teo- 'god' and cintli 'corn'. So teosinte is like 'god's corn', a name that helps you remember it is the wild ancestor of modern corn.