List of food plants native to the Americas
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A number of popular and commercially important food plants are native to the Americas. Some are endemic, meaning they occur naturally only in the Americas and nowhere else, while others occur naturally both in the Americas and on other continents as well.
When complete, the list below will include all food plants native to the Americas (genera marked with a dagger † are endemic), regardless of when or where they were first used as a food source. For a list of food plants and other crops which were only introduced to Old World cultures as a result of the Columbian Exchange touched off by the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492, see New World crops.[1]
Grains
[edit]![](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Quinoa_growing_on_Isla_del_Sol%2C_Lake_Titicaca.jpg/220px-Quinoa_growing_on_Isla_del_Sol%2C_Lake_Titicaca.jpg)
- Corn/Maize[2] (Zea†)
- Quinoa[3] (Chenopodium)
- Several (though not all) species of amaranth[4] (Amaranthus)
- Some species of wild rice (Zizania)
- Indian Corn (Flint Corn)
Legumes
[edit]- Peanut[5] (Arachis†})
- Pinto, tepary, black, kidney, navy, scarlet runner[6] (Phaseolus coccineus) and lima beans[7] (Phaseolus†)
Nightshades
[edit]![](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8d/Heirlooms.jpg/220px-Heirlooms.jpg)
![](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/26/Cubanelle_Peppers.jpg/220px-Cubanelle_Peppers.jpg)
- Potato[8] (Solanum)
- Tomato[9][10] (Solanum)
- Bell and chili peppers[11] (Capsicum†)
- Tomatillo[12] (Physalis philadelphica)
Fruits
[edit]![](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/02/Guava_ID.jpg/220px-Guava_ID.jpg)
- Pineapple[13] (Ananas†)
- Guava[14] (Psidium† and Acca†)
- Passion fruit[15] (Passiflora)
- Papaya[16] (Carica† and Vasconcellea†)
- Cherimoya,[17] sugar-apple,[18] hog plum, and soursop[19] (Annona)
- Pawpaw[20] (Asimina†)
- Dragonfruit/pitaya[21][22] (Hylocereus† and Stenocereus†)
- Concord grape[23] (Vitis)
- Huckleberry[24][25] (Vaccinium and Gaylussacia†)
- Several (though not all) species of:
- Strawberry[26] (Fragaria)
- Blueberry[27] (Vaccinium)
- Cranberry[28] (Vaccinium)
- Raspberry[29] (Rubus)
- Salmonberry(Rubus)
- Oregon grape(Mahonia)
- Thimbleberry(Rubus)
- Mayhaw(Crataegus)
- Blackberry[30] (Rubus)
- Plum[31] (Prunus)
- Black cherry[32] (Prunus)
- Chokecherry[33] (Prunus virginiana)
- Hawthorn Berry[34] (Crataegus)
- Staghorn Sumac[35] (Rhus typhina)
- Prickly Pear[36][37] or Cactus Pear (Opuntia ficus-indica)
Nuts
[edit]- Peanut[38] (Arachis†) commarode Peanuts
- Cashew[39] (Anacardium†)
- American chestnut
- Pecan[40] (Carya)
- Black walnut[41] (Juglans)
- Brazil nut[42] (Bertholletia†)
- Butternut[43] or White Walnut (Juglans cinerea)
- Many species of Acorns - seeds of the genus Quercus Oak
- American Hazelnut
Other
[edit]- Cocoa[44] (Theobroma†)
- Vanilla[45] (Vanilla)
- Cassava[46] (Manihot†)
- Sweet potato[47] (Ipomoea)
- Jicama[48] (Pachyrhizus†)
- Jerusalem artichoke[49] and sunflower[50] (Helianthus†)
- Avocado[51] (Persea)
- Agave[52] (Agave†)
- Pumpkin and squash[53] (Cucurbita†)
- Chayote[54] (Sechium†)
- Chia[55] (Salvia)
- Maple Syrup[56]
- Honey[57] (Melipona, Apis nearctica)
- Yaupon[58] (Ilex vomitoria)
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Nunn, Nathan; Qian, Nancy (2010). "The Columbian Exchange: A History of Disease, Food, and Ideas". Journal of Economic Perspectives. 24 (2): 163–188. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.232.9242. doi:10.1257/jep.24.2.163. JSTOR 25703506.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Zea mays". Retrieved 2 January 2017.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Chenopodium quinoa". Retrieved 2 January 2017.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Amaranthus cruentus". Retrieved 8 January 2017.
- ^ Moretzsohn, Márcio C.; Gouvea, Ediene G.; Inglis, Peter W.; Leal-Bertioli, Soraya C. M.; Valls, José F. M.; Bertioli, David J. (2013-01-01). "A study of the relationships of cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea) and its most closely related wild species using intron sequences and microsatellite markers". Annals of Botany. 111 (1): 113–126. doi:10.1093/aob/mcs237. ISSN 0305-7364. PMC 3523650. PMID 23131301.
- ^ "Scarlet Runner Bean, Phaseolus coccineus".
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Phaseolus vulgaris". Retrieved 2 January 2017.
- ^ Hijmans, RJ; Spooner, DM (2001). "Geographic distribution of wild potato species". American Journal of Botany. 88 (11): 2101–12. doi:10.2307/3558435. JSTOR 3558435. PMID 21669641.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Solanum lycopersicum". Retrieved 2 January 2017.
- ^ "ASPT Monographs: Volume 84". Archived from the original on 1 February 2016. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Capsicum annum". Retrieved 2 January 2017.
- ^ "tomatillo | Description, Plant, & Uses | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Ananas comosus". Retrieved 2 January 2017.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Psidium guajava". Retrieved 2 January 2017.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Passiflora edulis". Retrieved 2 January 2017.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Carica papaya". Retrieved 2 January 2017.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Annona cherimola". Retrieved 5 January 2017.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Annona squamosa". Retrieved 8 January 2017.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Annona muricata". Retrieved 8 January 2017.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Asimina triloba". Retrieved 8 January 2017.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Hylocereus undatus". Retrieved 7 January 2017.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Stenocereus thurberi". Retrieved 7 January 2017.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Vitis labrusca". Retrieved 2 January 2017.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Vaccinium parvifolium". Retrieved 8 January 2017.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Gaylussacia baccata". Retrieved 8 January 2017.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Fragaria ananassa". Retrieved 2 January 2017.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Vaccinium corymbosum". Retrieved 2 January 2017.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Vaccinium macrocarpon". Retrieved 2 January 2017.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Rubus odoratus". Retrieved 7 January 2017.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Rubus ursinus". Retrieved 7 January 2017.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Prunus americana". Retrieved 7 January 2017.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Prunus serotina". Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- ^ "Prunus virginiana L. GRIN-Global". npgsweb.ars-grin.gov. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
- ^ "hawthorn | plant | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
- ^ "Staghorn Sumac". www.fs.fed.us. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
- ^ "prickly pear | Description, Uses, & Species | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
- ^ "Opuntia | Description, Distribution, & Species | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
- ^ Moretzsohn, Márcio C.; Gouvea, Ediene G.; Inglis, Peter W.; Leal-Bertioli, Soraya C. M.; Valls, José F. M.; Bertioli, David J. (2013-01-01). "A study of the relationships of cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea) and its most closely related wild species using intron sequences and microsatellite markers". Annals of Botany. 111 (1): 113–126. doi:10.1093/aob/mcs237. ISSN 0305-7364. PMC 3523650. PMID 23131301.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Anacardium Occidentale". Retrieved 3 January 2017.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Carya illinoinensis". Retrieved 3 January 2017.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Juglans nigra". Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Bertholletia excelsa". Retrieved 11 January 2017.
- ^ "butternut | Description, Tree, Nuts, & Facts". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Theobroma cacao". Retrieved 3 January 2017.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Vanilla planifolia". Retrieved 3 January 2017.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Manihot esculenta". Retrieved 2 January 2017.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Ipomoea batatas". Retrieved 3 January 2017.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Pachyrhizus erosus". Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Helianthus tuberosus". Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Helianthus annuus". Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Persea americana". Retrieved 3 January 2017.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Agave americana". Retrieved 8 January 2017.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Cucurbita pepo". Retrieved 3 January 2017.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Sechium edule". Retrieved 11 January 2017.
- ^ "USDA GRIN Taxonomy: Salvia hispanica". Retrieved 23 April 2017.
- ^ "Maple Syrup Industry | The Canadian Encyclopedia". www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
- ^ tamarack72 (2018-01-26). "Native North American Honey Bees?". Native Beeology. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Yaupon Holly: A North American Plant Source of Caffeine - American Botanical Council". www.herbalgram.org. Retrieved 2022-02-06.