Hernández Xolocotzi. Maize and Man

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Maize and Man in the Greater SouthwestAuthor(s): Efram Hernndez XolocotziSource: Economic Botany, Vol. 39, No. 4 (Oct. - Dec., 1985), pp. 416-430Published by: Springer on behalf of New York Botanical Garden PressStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4254793 .Accessed: 29/04/2013 13:50

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Maize and Man in the Greater Southwest1

EFRAIM HERNANDEZ XOLOCOTZI2

In northwest Mexico, along the Sierra Madre Occidental and the adjacent lopesand plains, maize forms the center of a series of cultural traits illustrative of the

interrelationships f man and plants. Here more than 20 racial types have beencollected. This diversity s related to the variation n climate and soil conditions,to human migrations rom the Mesoamerican ultural center o the Greater South-west area, and to the differential election by the ethnic groups n the region. Theagricultural ractices of the armers are reviewed o illustrate how different spectsof environment, conomic needs, ood preference, manner of utilization, and cer-emonial concepts constitute continuing orces of selection and motivation or in-troduction of varieties rom other areas. It is suggested that color of the grain isutilized as an indicator of physiological characteristics. A phenotypic analysis ofmore than 600 collections rom the area indicates the occurrence f constant in-

tercrossing mong maize populations.

Maize, the basic subsistence element of Mesoamerican cultures, forms the centerof a series of cultural traits illustrative of the interrelationships of man and plants.Although the topic of this symposium is limited to the Greater Southwest, themaize populations of this region form a constellation of closely allied racial groupsthat occupy an immense arc from the northeastern United States to the semiaridfields of Arizona and New Mexico, and then south along the Sierra Madre Oc-cidental in western Mexico to the Tehuacan area in the southeastern end of the

Mexican Central Plateau.According to the map included in the National Geographic Society Magazine(1972), the Sierra Madre Occidental in Mexico is occupied, from the United Statesborder to the south, by the following Indian groups within the Greater Southwest:Papago, Pima Alto, Opata, Pima Bajo, Tarahumar, Tepehuan, Huichol, Tepecan,Colotlan, and a cluster of small groups around the Rio Mayo headwaters (109Wlong., 27N lat.).

A closer study of field data gathered by the author and collaborators during the1968-1969 exploration of the Sierra Madre Occidental and of published infor-

mation (Bennett and Zingg, 1935; Wellhausen et al., 1952; Pennington, 1969;Hemrnandez X. and Alanis F., 1970) permits the identification of the racial com-ponents of maize in the Mexican part of the Greater Southwest. This presentationwill be based on general ecological regions (from south to north and from east towest).

The Eastern Region includes the northern limits of Michoacan, eastern Jalisco,western Guanajuato, and the plains and foothills of western Zacatecas, Durango,and Chihuahua; it lies at an elevation of 1,600-2,000 m and has a mild temperate,

1 Received 25 October 1984; accepted 17 May 1985.Presented at the Symposium on Ethnobotany f the Greater Southwest, Twenty-fifth Annual Meet-

ing, Society for Economic Botany, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 11-13 June 1984;symposium organized and chaired by Dr. Robert A. Bye, Jr.

2 Profesor-Investigador, entro de Botanica, Colegio de Postgraduados, 6230 Chapingo, Mexico.

Economic Botany, 39(4), 1985, pp. 416-430 1985, by the New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY 10458

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HERNANDEZ X.: MAIZE & MAN

humid climate. The maize races found are: Dulce (Fig. l a), Bofo (Pozolero),Reventador (Fig. 1b), C6nico Norteiio, Tablilla de Ocho, Chalquefio, CristalinoChihuahua (Fig. 4k), Apachito (Fig. 5n), Gordo (Fig. 5m), Blando (Fig. 3i), and

Palomero Toluquefio (Fig. 41).The Central Region is formed by the valleys and slopes of the Sierra MadreOccidental whose southern imits lie at the Jalisco-Nayarit tate boundary; o thenorth it extends slightly nto New Mexico. Isolated agricultural ields are generallyfound at 2,000 m elevation and have a cool temperate, humid climate. In Chi-huahua, he mountainous area usually receives snows in winter, which delay maizeplanting n spring until drying and warming of the soil has occurred. From southto north, the maize races are: Conico Nortefio, Jala (Fig. 2e), Tabloncillo, Cris-talino Chihuahua, Gordo, Apachito, Azul, Onavefio (Fig. 4j), and Blando.

The WesternRegion

includes theplains along

the Pacific Ocean and the Gulfof Baja California and the flood plains and slopes along the western limits of theSierra Madre. The agricultural ands are generally below 500 m elevation andhave a warm, humid climate up to the southern limits of Sonora. Farther norththe coastal plains are semiarid and arid, restricting maize cultivation to the floodplains and the areas closer to the mountains. The maize races are: Dulce, fromJalisco to northern Sinaloa; Dulcillo del Noroeste (Fig. 3h); Harinoso de Ocho(Fig. 3g) only in Sonora and Nayarit; Blando in Sonora; Bofo (Fig. 2d, a form ofwhich is called Pozolero in northeastern Jalisco) from Nayarit to Sonora; Tab-loncillo Perla (Fig. 1c) from Jalisco to Sonora; Onavefio, only in Sonora; Reven-tador, from Jalisco to northern Sinaloa; Chapalote Fig. 2f) in Sinaloa, and Sonora.

We might now visualize the distribution of the races along latitudinal bandsindicating the texture of the grain. This would give us:

Along a southern band (northern Jalisco, Nayarit, southern Zacatecas)dents: Tabloncillo, Jala, Conico Nortefio, Chalqueiioflints: Tabloncillo Perlafloury: Bofo, Pozoleropops: Reventador

sweet: DulceAlong a central band (Sinaloa, northern Zacatecas, Durango)

dent: Conico Norteioflint: Tabloncillo Perlafloury: Bofo (ceremonial maize)pop: Reventador, Chapalotesweet: Dulce

Along a northern band (Sonora, Chihuahua)

dent: C6nico Nortefioflints: Onavefio, Azul, Cristalino Chihuahua, Apachitofloury: Blando, Gordo, Harinoso de Ochopops: Chapalote, Palomero Toluquefio, Lady Fingersweets: Dulcillo Noroeste, Dulce

The south-north regions might give us an idea of the migration routes followedby cultural raits from the Mesoamerican center to the northwest of Mexico. Thelatitudinal sections should give an idea of the ecological variations encountered.

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ECONOMIC BOTANY

To understand what these raw data represent, we should recognize that maizehas been the basic food of the Mesoamerican ethnic groups since the origin andspread of agriculture. Before the introduction of domesticated animals, all parts

of the maize plant were used: the grain and the male inflorescence for food; thecane of the earless plants for sweet juice; the leaves and corn husks for wrappingtamales (small loaves of maize dough and other ingredients); the dry canes forconstruction material or for fuel; the cobs, stumps, and roots for fuel; corn smutfor food. With the introduction of farm animals the vegetative parts and grain ofmaize have become important for their feed but human consumption is still byfar the dominant purpose of production. As a result of this relationship, deep-rooted ceremonial beliefs will show their influence in the production practices,seed selection, and resulting plant populations of maize. We will work under theassumption that the migration of this domesticated plant northward has occurredwith a high proportion of the cultural traits related to its cultivation, use, andceremonial practices.

We might now ask some ethnobotanical questions related to:

1. the farmer's understanding of his environment in regard to the productionof maize;

2. the existence of maize populations of practically all types of texture of grain;3. the maintenance of the seedstock;4. the artificial selection by the farmer; and

5. the migration of maize populations.In case you expect the full answers now, may I anticipate that the purpose of thisexercise is to call attention to some relevant points of ethnobotany in need offurther inquiry, not to give solutions.

Our field observations in fairly isolated regions indicate that the Indian farmersknow the climatic regimes and their vagaries in their territories, the soils and theirqualities, especially in regard to water retention and fertility, and an ample spec-trum of the biological nature of the maize populations they handle. For instancein Bahia de Banderas, Jalisco, at 40 m elevation with a warm humid climate, wefound the following agricultural habitats, method of use, and reasons:

Rainfed ands, plowed, spring plantings: Tabloncillo Perla human consumption); Criollode Ocho,"early for forage and human consumption of corn on the cob. Criollo s a term used to indicate a localvariety; Criollo de Ocho is similar to Tabloncillo.

Fig. 1. Races of maize found in northwest Mexico: a. Dulce (1 = 1.5),*Jalisco, Zacatecas, Sinaloa;b. Reventador 1 = 2.11), Jalisco; c. Tabloncillo sub-race Perla (1 = 1.65), Nayarit, Sinaloa. * Scale

in centimeters, .e., 1 cm in Fig. la = 1.5 cm in actuality; 1 cm in Fig. lb = 2.11 cm in reality, etc.

Fig. 2. Races of maize found n northwest Mexico: d. Bofo (1 = 1.7),*Jalisco, Nayarit and Durango;e. Jala (1 = 2.30), Nayarit; . Chapalote 1 = 1),Nayarit and Sinaloa. * Scale n centimeters-see abovefor explanation.

Fig. 3. Races of maize found in northwest Mexico: g. Harinoso de Ocho (1 = 1.25),* Sonora; h.Dulcillo del Noroeste (1 = 1.7), Sonora and Sinaloa; i. Blando de Sonora (1 = 1.27), Sonora. * Scalein centimeters-see above for explanation.

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Soils with high water table, plowed, winter plantings: "Criollo Amarillo" (early), Criollo de Ochoearly commercial production. Criollo Amarillo is a yellow-grained orm of Criollo de Ocho.

Irrigated, lowed: "Arriaga" ntroduced rom Chiapas; ommercial crop. Arriaga s a variety similarto Tuxpenio.

Old slash-bum fields, spring planting: Tabloncillo; ubsistence.New slash-bum fields, spring planting: Criollo Amarillo; early, subsistence.Fields with drier soils, spring planting: Criollo Amarillo; early, subsistence.

These observations appear repeatedly where various microhabitats occur. InValparaiso, Zacatecas, where humid winds penetrate rom the Pacific, early plant-ings are made at 2,090 m elevation in Jan.-Feb.; regular rain-fed plantings aremade in June-July. At Madera, Chihuahua, 2,000 m elev., when rains are delayed,Apachito is planted because it is fast-growing.

It should be mentioned that the best indications of an understanding by the

farmer of the ecological conditions available for his agricultural ctivities are thedecisions he makes in regard o the best combination of seed and conditions. Thisin turn is related to the choices of seed available.

With regard to the seed found in the various areas, this includes not onlyrepresentatives of the main variants in texture, but also a color series of glassywhite, enamel white, yellow, pink, red, dark blue, and black (Table 1). The main-tenance of the various textures is related to the constant consumption of maizeand the need for variety in the monotonous diet. Capsicum has a similar reasonfor being (Hernandez X., 1970). Several studies (Bennett and Zingg, 1935; Kellyand

Anderson, 1943; Anderson, 1944; Foster, 1946; Beals, 1946;West,

1946;Pennington, 1969; Echeverria and Arroyo, 1982), have given ample informationon maize recipes. I shall limit myself to a few examples from the area, as recordedin my field notes:

dents: Tabloncillo: ortillas, piznate (flint grain with floury capping, cooked in water until it pops,dried, roasted over a clay grill, ground, the flour screened, water added, allowed to ferment)(colors: glassy white; yellow)

flints: Amarillo Cristalino: lotes (corn on the cob), tortillas, animal feedTab.-Perla: ortillas, pinole (flour maize roasted, ground, sugar or cinnamon added)Azul: "el mejor para tesgtiino" maize grains germinated under fresh pine leaves, young plants

dried, boiled in water, cooled, fermented n clay pots used previously or same purpose).Cristalino Chihuahua: ortillas(colors: white, yellow, blue)

floury: Blando: pinole, coricos (cookies of various shapes made of floury maize)Pozolero: pinole, elotes, huachales (cooked corn on the cob, dried, stored for later use), pozole(floury, usually pink maize, cooked until it bursts)Bofo:gordas floury maize, uncooked grains ground, ookies made adding brown sugar and puttingin oven), huajatole grains broken n large pieces, these and the cobs put in water until they sour;cooked; cobs removed and liquid drunk cold), pozole(colors: enamel white, yellow, pink, red, blue, black)

pops: Chapalote: pinole, ponteduro popped maize grains made into balls by adding brown sugar),flores (pop corn), esquite, coricosPalomero Toluquefio: loresReventador: lores, ponteduro

Fig. 4. Races of maize found in northwest Mexico: . Onavefio (1 = 2.23),* Sonora; k. Cristalinode Chihuahua 1 = 1.97), Durango and Chihuahua; 1. Palomero Toluquefno 1 = 1), Durango andChihuahua. * Scale in centimeters-see above for explanation.

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HERNANDEZ .: MAIZE& MAN

TABLE 1. USE OF COLOR OF GRAIN AS INDICATOR OF ECOLOGICAL, DIETARY, AND MEDICINAL

CHARACTERISTICS.

Medicinal-ceremonialColor of grain Ecological adaptation Dietary use and characteristics significance

yellow early; for drier oily, good for hogs andareas; for poorer chickenssoils

pink on floury intermediate or sweet corn on the cob;background late-growing pe- sweet pinole; sweet

riod canesdark purple on intermediate-grow- blue tortillas, softer and

floury back- ing period tastier; atole; best forground tesguino; coloring other

dishes

red on floury intermediate-grow- pozolero, the grain popsbackground ing period on boilingwhite, yellow, red, guardians of the milpa

black, all floury among the Huicholeswith enameledcolor

red on different protection of the milpabackgrounds against disease, hail,

drought and "eclipse"dark red on floury remedy against "pujos"

background (dysentery), for luck

Lady Finger: flores(colors: glassy white, yellow, dark brown, red)

sweets: Dulce: roasted, esquite, pinoleDulcillo Noroeste: pinole, esquite(colors: glassy yellow, pink, red)

Farmers in all areas cultivate a type suitable for tortillas and accepted for sale.In isolated communities the floury, pop and sweet types are cultivated in a few

rows separate from, but adjacent to, the main varieties. They are considered veryancient varieties that are fast disappearing. On slopes, the colored and sweetvarieties are grown along the upper limits of cultivation to prevent out-crossingto the prevailing dents or flints.

If one observes the piles of maize harvested in different places, one can appre-ciate some very heterogeneous mixtures and some surprisingly uniform lots. Withthe special color and texture types there is usually less mixture. It is understoodthat there are both careful and careless Indian farmers. If one has the privilegeof examining the maize granary of a farmer reputed to be careful, one will seemaize ears

separatedin

piles accordingto

race, color,and

texture,and clusters

of ears hung separately for seed, including a sufficient quantity of red-grained earsfor safeguarding the fields. Since the rainy season varies, a series of varieties mustbe available to meet the particular conditions of a given year: very early, white;

Fig. 5. Races of maize found in northwest Mexico: m. Gordo (1 = 2),* Chihuahua; n. Apachito(1 = 2), Chihuahua. * Scale in centimeters -see above for explanation.

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ECONOMIC BOTANY

early, yellow; intermediate, various colors; late, white. That this relationship holdstrue has been shown experimentally in the Puebla-Tlaxcala area of the CentralMexican Plateau (Lopez Herrera, 1975).

But the farmer can manipulate part of the environmental factors so that hemay give his plants a longer growing season by early plantings in soils that havestored moisture, and in this way separate the flowering periods of his maizevarieties, fostering genetic isolation between varieties. The reason for seekinglonger periods of growth seems to be related to an understanding that this iscorrelated with a higher yield (Bucio Alanis, 1954). This has been demonstratedby the planting of the late-maturing, higher-yielding Chalqueiio at Valparaiso,Zacatecas, and Victoria, Durango.

Basic to the maintenance of seed pure (homozygous) in color and texture is thefarmer's appreciation and response to the phenomenon of xenia in the kernel.Weatherwax (1942) reports that Indians in New England apparently had no un-derstanding of pollination. I am not in a position to say that the farmer knowsthe full process of pollination. Present-day farmers say that when one color typeaffects another color, it has been "married," and, in selecting their seed of thecolor and texture varieties, they shell the ears and select grains with the fullexpression of the character desired.

Apparently the specific needs of the ethnic groups are not fully met in certaincases, or the human trait of curiosity lies behind the constant introductions ofnew varieties from short and from long distances. Some examples:

1. sweet corn, from San Joaquin, California, to Sahuaripa, Sonora; "didn'tdo so well."

2. pop corn, from U.S. to Yecora and Sahuaripa, Sonora.3. Palomero Toluqueiio (pop) from the Mesa Central, to Las Varas, Madera,

and Guachochic, Chihuahua.4. Chalquefno, from Mexico State, to Zacatecas and Durango.5. Tabloncillo, from the coast of Nayarit, to Amatlan de Jara, Nayarit.6. Dulce, from central Jalisco northward, to southern Sonora.

7. Tuxpeiio, in Amatlan, Nayarit, from Torreon, Coahuila, and Tampico,Tamaulipas; in Ixtlan del Rio, Nayarit, from Tampico, Tamaulipas; "Tor-reon" at Puente Camotlan, Nayarit, from Bolanios, Jalisco.

8. Celaya, the variety "Argentino" from southern Guanajuato to Huazamota,Durango.

9. Chapalote, ca. Culiacfan, Sinaloa, "Chapalote" from Tamazula, Durango.10 Cuarenteno, ca. CuliacLan, inaloa from Mocorito ca. La Angostura, Sonora.11. Hibrido, Badiraguato, Sinaloa, 600-800 m, from Los Mochis, Sinaloa;

Tamazula, Durango, 500 m, H-503 from Mexico City.

With the presence of such a large number of races and the introduction of afew additional ones, it is not surprising that an analysis based on the phenotypiccharacters of the ears should give a high number of reciprocal hybrids, as shownin Table 2 taken from Hemrnandez X. (1973).

Apparently unsuccessful migrations of maize populations may neverthelessdonate genes involving simple genetic characteristics of the endosperm and beselected through the phenomenon of xenia. Apparently this explains the probableformation of Dulcillo del Noroeste from Dulce de Jalisco; Gordo, Azul and Po-

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TABLE 2. GENETIC VARIABILITY FOUND IN SIERRA MADRE OCCIDENTAL IN NORTHWEST

MEXICO, ACCORDING TO PHENOTYPIC CHARACTERS OF EARS OF 660 COLLECTIONS AND INDI-

CATED BY RACES AND RECOMBINATIONS.

Graintexture Tablon- Reven- C6nico Cristalinotypeb Race Tuxpefio cillo tador Nortenio Chih. Bolita Apachito

1, 3 Tabloncillo + + + +1, 3 C6nico Norteiio + + + Ia2 Bofo I | +5 Reventador +1 San Juanc + + + +4 Dulcillo N.O. I I I5 Lady Finger5 Dulce l I I

2 Harinoso-8 |1 Tuxpenio + + +1 Tablilla-8 I3 Cristalino Chih. + + I l l2 Gordo - +5 Apachito +3 Azul | | - +5 Palomero Tol. +1, 3 Celaya1, 3 Bolita (Cafime) + - - -

1, 3 Chalquefio +

a Vertical line refers to apparent genetic flow from a race in the upper row to a race in the left column; horizontal line to flow inreciprocal manner. A + indicates genetic flow in both directions. This series is the one registered above 1500 m (Hernandez X., 1973).

bGrain types: 1, dent; 2, floury; 3, flint; 4, sweet; 5, pop.c San Juan, undescribed, early, 12-row; small white dented grain; like Nal-Tel, from southwestern Tamaulipas.

zolero from Bofo and this in turn from Harinoso de Ocho; the presence of sweetand floury in Onave-no, which is normally a flint. Schuster and Bye (1983) reportthe results of an experiment designed to test the effect of long distance transportof exotic races to a new geographic area. Material from the Tarahumara regionof Mexico and from southern Arizona was grown in southwestern Colorado.Although the maize plants had problems of growth in their new setting they shedpollen and all produced viable seed. From our study of the Mexican northwest,we emphasize the permanent contribution that might be made through the influ-ence of pollen by the exotics on the local population. Bucio Alanis (1954) did astudy with the Mexican races comparing the F1 of crosses among said races andtheir progenitors. He indicates that in the majority of instances the hybrids tendedto be as early as the earlier parent and in various cases they were earlier. Inaddition, there was a marked effect on yield: the hybrids showed an increase,probably due to heterosis.

Finally we come to the problem of maize classification in the area, initiated inits modem, biosystematic approach by Anderson and Cutler (1942), Kelly andAnderson (1943), Anderson (1944, 1946), Carter and Anderson (1954), Wellhau-sen et al. (1952), and Hernandez X. and Alanis Flores (1970). The use of statisticaland chemical analyses has resulted in new efforts at phylogenetic classifications(Goodman and Paterniani, 1969; Goodman and Bird, 1977; Benz, 1981; YakoleffG. et al., 1982). There are several reasons for continuing this important taxonomic

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TABLE 3. MAIN MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF RACES OF MAIZE FOUND IN NORTH-

WEST MEXICO.

Length and diameterRace Ear shapea of ear, cm Row number Grain textureb Grain color

Dulce 1 13.7-4.5 14.5 a yellow, redDulcillo del 2 16.1-3.4 10.0 a glassy yellow

NoroesteReventador 2 16.5-3.2 12.0 b glassy white, pinkChapalote 2 11.0-2.9 12.3 b dark brownBlando de 2 18.7-3.7 12.0 c enamel white

SonoraOnavefio 2 20.0-4.4 12.0 d, c glassy whiteBofo 2 18.0-3.8 14.0 c white, red, dark

purple

Cristalino 3 26.6-4.9 12.0 d whiteChihuahua

Harinoso de 3 11.9-3.8 8.0 c enamel whiteOcho

Gordo 3 16.0-4.0 14.0 c enamel whiteTabloncillo 3 16.4-4.1 9.0 e white, smokyTabloncillo Perla 3 17.0-3.7 8.3 d whiteTuxpefio 3 19.7-4.4 12.6 e whiteJala 3 30.5-5.9 14.7 e whitePalomero

Toluquefio 4 10.2-3.4 23.0 b glassy white

Chalquefio 4 16.0-4.9 16.6 e glassy whiteC6nico 4 13.1-4.6 16.0 e glassy white

NortefioApachito 5 15.0-3.5 12.0 d white, pink

a Ear shape: 1, oblong; 2, ellipitcal; 3, cylindrical; 4, conical; 5, big butt.b Grain texture: a, shrunken; b, pop; c, floury; d, flint; e, dent.

task both at the micro and macro level: the need for a logical classification tohandle the populations under study, the need for a basis for analyzing possible

phylogenetic trends and, the need to monitor genetic changes in critical areas todiscover their possible causes (Table 3).

In this respect, probably one of our errors has been to disregard Edgar Ander-son's (1946) recommendation to undertake more population studies of maize inthe different indigenous areas of production. Such studies would give us a betterunderstanding of the crop as managed by the local farmers and would provideperiodic records for comparison. This broad analysis, plus information derivedfrom plant breeding programs, would help to define the best material represen-tative of a given race. This might help avoid the confusion created by the similarity

of phenotypic characters on different genetic backgrounds, as suggested by someof the results of research mentioned above.Perhaps a study similar to that conducted by Ortega Paczka (1973) in Chiapas

should be programmed for part of the Sierra Madre Occidental. Since a ratherextensive collection had been obtained by Hernandez X. from Chiapas in 1946and maintained in the germplasm bank in Mexico, a new collection was made in1971 to evaluate the changes that had occurred in maize (Ortega Paczka, 1973).The same basic and speciality types found in 1946 were recovered 25 yr later.

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National Geographic Society. 1972. Indians of North America. Map supplement. Natl. Geogr. Mag.142: 739 A.

Ortega Paczka, R. 1973. Variaci6n en maiz y cambios socioecon6micos en Chiapas, Mex. 1946-1971. M.C. tesis, Colegio Postgraduados, Chapingo, Mexico.

Pennington, C. W. 1969. The Tepehuan of Chihuahua. Their Material Culture. Univ. Utah Press,Salt Lake City, UT.Schuster, R. A., and R. A. Bye, Jr. 1983. Patterns of variation n exotic races of maize (Zea mays,

Gramineae) n a new geographic area. J. Ethnobiol. 3: 157-174.Weatherwax, P. 1942. The Indian as a corn breeder. Proc. Indiana Acad. Sci. 51: 13-21.Wellhausen, E. J., L. M. Roberts, and E. Hernmndez . in collaboration with P. C. Mangelsdorf. 1952.

Races of Maize n Mexico, Their Origins, Characteristics nd Distribution. Bussey nst., HarvardUniv., Cambridge, MA.

West, R. C. 1946. Cultural Geography of the Modern Tarascan Area. Inst. Soc. Anthropol. Publ.no. 7. Smithsonian Inst., Washington, DC.

Yakoleff G., V., E. Hernmndez X., C. Rodjind de Cuadra, and C. Larralde. 1982. Electrophoreticand immunological characterization f pollen protein of Zea mays races. Econ. Bot. 36: 113-123.

Book Review

Plant Chemosystematics. J. B. Harborne and B. L. Turner. Academic Press, Orlando, FL

32887. 1984. 562 pp. $95.00.When Biochemical Systematics was published in 1963, R. E. Alston and B. L. Turner

wrote that ".. . no significant taxonomic dispositions of higher plants rest primarily uponbiochemical criteria. We consider that an important objective of this book is to develop... an appreciation of the diversity of applications of biochemistry to systematics." Clearlythe authors achieved this goal, for in the decades following publication of their text one isimpressed by the large numbers of biochemical articles dealing with systematic problemswhich have appeared in botanical and other journals. Without doubt, ". . . the plant sys-tematist is carrying out the chemical work necessary to help resolve his particular taxonomicproblem," and this is the chief objective of the revised edition: to review the state andpotential of this approach to plant systematics through 1982.

And how admirably the authors accomplish their purpose. Divided into three parts,Introduction, Secondary Metabolites, and Macromolecular Approaches, and 21 chapters,they first outline the biochemical characters of application in plant systematics. Thus,secondary metabolites which are volatiles (e.g., sesquiterpenes, aromatic volatiles), defenceagents (e.g., alkaloids, cyanogenes, steroids), pigments (e.g., anthocyanins, betalains, ca-rotenoids), and storage metabolites (e.g., fatty acids, sugars, polyols), variations in metab-olism involving primary, secondary, and degradative pathways, and macromolecules (pro-teins, nucleic acids, polysaccharides), are all of potential value towards improvingclassification and phylogenetic schemes, particularly at the family level and lower. Theycite numerous infraspecific, specific, generic, and familial examples where applications ofchemistry along with exomorphic and other characters have been important in improving,highlighting, and confirming existing systems. They do this succinctly and objectively withan unparalleled mastery of their subject.

This is a first-rate reference for all biologists who utilize or wish to refer to biochemistryas it applies to classification and phylogeny/evolution of plants.

WALTER H. LEWIS, WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY, ST. Louis, MO 63130

National Geographic Society. 1972. Indians of North America. Map supplement. Natl. Geogr. Mag.142: 739 A.

Ortega Paczka, R. 1973. Variaci6n en maiz y cambios socioecon6micos en Chiapas, Mex. 1946-1971. M.C. tesis, Colegio Postgraduados, Chapingo, Mexico.

Pennington, C. W. 1969. The Tepehuan of Chihuahua. Their Material Culture. Univ. Utah Press,Salt Lake City, UT.Schuster, R. A., and R. A. Bye, Jr. 1983. Patterns of variation n exotic races of maize (Zea mays,

Gramineae) n a new geographic area. J. Ethnobiol. 3: 157-174.Weatherwax, P. 1942. The Indian as a corn breeder. Proc. Indiana Acad. Sci. 51: 13-21.Wellhausen, E. J., L. M. Roberts, and E. Hernmndez . in collaboration with P. C. Mangelsdorf. 1952.

Races of Maize n Mexico, Their Origins, Characteristics nd Distribution. Bussey nst., HarvardUniv., Cambridge, MA.

West, R. C. 1946. Cultural Geography of the Modern Tarascan Area. Inst. Soc. Anthropol. Publ.no. 7. Smithsonian Inst., Washington, DC.

Yakoleff G., V., E. Hernmndez X., C. Rodjind de Cuadra, and C. Larralde. 1982. Electrophoreticand immunological characterization f pollen protein of Zea mays races. Econ. Bot. 36: 113-123.

Book Review

Plant Chemosystematics. J. B. Harborne and B. L. Turner. Academic Press, Orlando, FL

32887. 1984. 562 pp. $95.00.When Biochemical Systematics was published in 1963, R. E. Alston and B. L. Turner

wrote that ".. . no significant taxonomic dispositions of higher plants rest primarily uponbiochemical criteria. We consider that an important objective of this book is to develop... an appreciation of the diversity of applications of biochemistry to systematics." Clearlythe authors achieved this goal, for in the decades following publication of their text one isimpressed by the large numbers of biochemical articles dealing with systematic problemswhich have appeared in botanical and other journals. Without doubt, ". . . the plant sys-tematist is carrying out the chemical work necessary to help resolve his particular taxonomicproblem," and this is the chief objective of the revised edition: to review the state andpotential of this approach to plant systematics through 1982.

And how admirably the authors accomplish their purpose. Divided into three parts,Introduction, Secondary Metabolites, and Macromolecular Approaches, and 21 chapters,they first outline the biochemical characters of application in plant systematics. Thus,secondary metabolites which are volatiles (e.g., sesquiterpenes, aromatic volatiles), defenceagents (e.g., alkaloids, cyanogenes, steroids), pigments (e.g., anthocyanins, betalains, ca-rotenoids), and storage metabolites (e.g., fatty acids, sugars, polyols), variations in metab-olism involving primary, secondary, and degradative pathways, and macromolecules (pro-teins, nucleic acids, polysaccharides), are all of potential value towards improvingclassification and phylogenetic schemes, particularly at the family level and lower. Theycite numerous infraspecific, specific, generic, and familial examples where applications ofchemistry along with exomorphic and other characters have been important in improving,highlighting, and confirming existing systems. They do this succinctly and objectively withan unparalleled mastery of their subject.

This is a first-rate reference for all biologists who utilize or wish to refer to biochemistryas it applies to classification and phylogeny/evolution of plants.

WALTER H. LEWIS, WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY, ST. Louis, MO 63130

43030 [VOL. 39VOL. 39

Documents

Hernández Xolocotzi. Maize and Man