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USEFUL DOMESTICATED AND WILD PLANTS

OF AMERICAN ORIGIN

(* = Known Pre-Columbian Usage) ¹

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COMMON NAME Roots & Tubers *Sweet potato *Manioc *American yam *Potato *Peruvian carrot Cocurito *Purple arrowroot *Jerusalem artichoke *Arrowroot *Oka *Yam bean *Jícama *Jícama, Potato bean *Aymara, Ajipa Añu *Ruba, Papa verde *Tannia, Yautia Farinaceous Plants *Amaranth, Gautli, Haautl *Mango, Teca *Goosefoot *Maize Protein Plants *Jack bean *Giant bean *Tawri, Indian lupin *Jícama *Tepary bean *Scarlet runner bean, Ayocote *Lima bean *Beans Oil Plants *Peanut, Maní, Cacahuete *Brazil nut, Paranut *Chia *Orinoco nut *Buffalo gourt, Chilicote *Abilla *Sunflower, Mirasol Physic nut Monkeypot Oiticia tree Oil Madi, Melosa Uaku *Soapberry, Jaboncillo *Jojoba Ucuba oiltree Mellinus Palms *Acrocomia palms *Astrocaryum palms *Attalea palms *Pejibaye, Pixba *Dendé, Corozo Queen Palm *Batana *Moriche *Oenocarpus palms *Abassu, Coruba *Wax palms Wax palm Urucuri palm Plants for Industry *Agave *Dwarf aloe *Cabuya *Maguey *Hennequen, Sisal *Gigante *Istle *Quiche *Sisal hemp *Maguey gigante *Cabuya *Rubber, Caucho *Silk cotton, Kapok, Ceibo *Calabash tree, Calabacero, Tecomate, Jicaro *Jicaro, Guacal *Cotton *Para rubber, Caucho *Indigo Manicoba *Sapota, Sapodilla *Guayule *Yucca Aromatics, Narcotics, Stimulants, Spices, Aesthetics *Annatto, Achiote *Chile peppers Golden root, Raicilla Quinine, Cascarilla Snake bark, Mambee *Dahlia *Tonka tree, Cumaru *Coca Yerba mate *Tobacco (hybrid) Wild tobacco Guarana, Yoco Allspice, Pimienta Bay Rum *Copal *Black nightshade *Kaahée, Sweet Paraguay herb *Marigold *Cacao, cocoa *Vanilla *Misc Flowers Timber *Pino de Parana *Pino *Mangroves *Balsa *Pines *Mahogony, Caoba *Bamboo Pasture Plants (tropical) Grasses Savannah grass Buffel grass *Teosinte *Arrowleaf Panicum grass Bahia grass Sorghum Guatemala grass Legumes Peanut-like plants Yerba rosada Calopo Vichada Bejuquillo Grass pea, Almorta Horse tamarind Aromatic & Fleshy Fruits Fruit Trees *Cashew *Jocote *Hog plum, Jobo *Peruvian pepper *Soursop (Guanabana) *Sour- & Sweetsops Biriba *Cow tree, Macho *Chestnut *Zapote del Monte *Papaya *Papayas *Zapote *Mamey Madrono, Naranjito Bacuri do Parana *Avocado, Aguacate *Membrillo Coroboro, Guanipol *Guama *Algarrobo, Mesquite *Barbados cherry, Acerola *Nance, Chaparro *Milk trees Red mulberry Uvilla, Guarumo *Guayabo, Pitomba, etc. *Guava, Guayaba Feijoa *Yba-Puro Mountain plum, Manzanilla *Uvero de Playa, Sea Grape Trumpillo, Madroño *Jagua, Genipap *White sapote *Genip tree *Yellow Genip *Zapote Verde *Star apple Achras Zapota, Sapodilla *Sapota Mamey Colorado Sapote Mamey Taruma Herb & Bush Fruits *Liane *Boro-boro, Moco-moco *Liane *Pineapple, Ananas, Piña *Cochineal plant *Pitahaya *Prickly pear, Tuna *Prickly pear *Walnut squash *Warty Crookneck Squash *Pumpkin *Winter Squash *Squash *Pepino Hueco *Bottle gourd, Tecomate *Sponge gourd, Luffa *Chayote Tacaco *Secana, Cajuba *Passion Vine *Chilean strawberry, Fresa Tree tomato, Tomatillo *Tomatillo, Husk tomato *Tomato, Tomate *Tomato *Melon pear, Pepino Dulce *Orinoco Apple, Topiro *Yucca

SCIENTIFIC NAME Ipomoea batatas (L.) Poir Manihot esculenta Crantz Dioscorea trifida Willd. Solanum tuberosum L. Arracacia esculenta DC Calathea allouia (Aubl.) Lindl. Canna edulis Ker. Helianthus tuberosus L. Maranta arundinacea Oxalis tuberosa Mol Pachyrrhizos erosus (L.) Urban Pachyrrizus erosus (L.) Urban Pachyrrhizus tuberosus (Lam.) Sprengel Pachyrrhizus ahipa (Wedd.) Parodi Tropaeolum tuberosum R.P. Ullucus tuberosus Lozano Xanthosoma sagittifolium L. (Schott) Amaranthus spp. Bromus mango Desv. Chenopodium spp. Zea mays L. Canavalia ensiformis (L.) DC. Canavalia plagiosperma Piper Canavalia spp. Lupinus mutabilis Sweet Pachyrrhizus spp. Phaseolus acutifolius L. Phaseolus coccineus L Phaseolus lunatus L. *Phaseolus aborigineus Burkhart Phaseolus spp Arachis hypogaea L. Bertholletia excelsa Humb. & Bonpl Salvia hispanica Eschweilera odorata Miers Caryocar spp. Caryodendron orinocense Karst Cucurbita foetidissima H. B. K Fevillea cordifolia L. Helianthus annuus L. Jatropha curcas L. Lecythis elliptica H.B.K. Licania sclerophylla Mart. Madia sativa Mol. Sapindus saponaria L Monopterix uacu Spruce Simmondsia chinensis Schneider (Link) Virola sebifera Aubl. Mellinis minutiflora Beauv. Acrocomia spp. Astrocaryum spp. Attalea spp Bactris gasipaes H.B.K. Elaeis oleifera H.B.K. Palmitos (Heart of Palms) Jessenia bataua (Mart.) Burr. Mauritia flexuosa L. Oenocarpus spp. Orbignya martiana Barb.-Rodr. Copernicia cerifera (Arr.) Mart. Copernicia australis Becc. Copernica prunifera (Miller) Moore Ceroxylon andicola Humb. & Bonpl. Syagrus coronata (Mart.) Becc. Agave spp. Agave angustifolia Haw. Agave cabuya Trel. Agave cantala Roxb. Agave fourcroydes Lemaire Agave gigantea Vent. Agave lecheguilla Torrey Agave quicheensis Trel. Agave sisaliana Perrime Agave tecta Trelease Fourcraea spp. Castilla elastica Cerv. Ceiba pentandra (L.) Gaertn Crescentia cujete L. Crescentia alata H.B.K. Gossypium spp (double chromosome) Hevea brasiliensis (H.Bk.) Muell-Aarg. Indigofera suffruticosa Manihot glazovii Muell-Aarg. Manilkara achras (Mill.) Fosbereg Parthenium argentatum A. Gray Yucca elephantipes Bixa orellana L. Capsicum spp Cephaelis ipecauana (Brot.) Rich Cinchona spp. Colubrina reclinata (Herit.) Brongn. Dahlia spp. Dipterix odorata (Aubl.) Walld. Erythroxylon spp Ilex paraguariensis St. Hil. Nicotiana tabacum L. Nicotiana spp. Paullinia spp. Pimenta dioica (L.) Merrill Pimenta racemosa (Mill) Protium copal Solanum nigrum Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni Tagetes erecta Theobroma cacao L. Vanilla spp. Vanilla fragrans Vanilla pompona Schiede Vanilla pittieri Vanilla planifolia Andr. Nasturtium spp, Cosmos spp., etc Araucaria augustifolia (Bertol.) Kuntze Araucaria araucana Avicennia germinans L. Languncularia racemosa Gaertn. Rhizophora mangle L. Ochroma pyramidalis (Cav.) Urb. Pinus spp. Swietenia macrophylla Jaq. Bambusoideae Axonopus affinis Chase Bothriochloa pertusa (L.) Camus Brachiaria mutica (Forsk) Stape Cenchrus ciliaris L. Euchlena mexicana Schroder Gynerium sagittatum (Aubl.) Beauv. Panicum spp. Paspalum notatum Flüge Sorghum almum Parodi Tripsacum latifolium Nash Arachis spp Aeschynomena americana L. Calopogonium coeruleum Benth. Centrosema acutifolium L. Centrosema pubescens Benth. Desmodium spp Dioclea guyanensis H.B.K. Lathyrus spp. Leucaena spp Macroptilium spp. Stylosanthes spp. Zornia spp. Anacardium spp. Spondias purpurea L. Spondias mombin L. Schinus molle L Annona muricata L. Annona spp. Rollinia deliciosa Saff. Couma utilis (Mart.) Müller Pachira spp. Matisia cordata H.B.K. Carica papaya L. Carica spp. Diospyros spp. Mammea americana L Rheedia spp. Platonia esculenta Arr. da Gamarh Persea americana Mill. Gustavia superba H.B.K. Hymenaea courbaril L. Inga spp. Prosopis spp. Malpighia punicifolia L Byrsonima crassifolia (L.) H.B.K. Brosimum spp Morus rubra L. Pourouma spp Eugenia spp. Psidium guajava, Psidium spp. Acca sellowiana (Berg) Burket Myrciaria cauliflora (Dc.) Berg Ximenia americana L Coccoloba uvifera (L.) Jacq. Aliberta edulis Rich. Genipa americana L. Psychotria spp Casimiroa edulis Llave & Lex. Melicocca bijuga L. Talisia olivaeformis Radlk. Calocarpum spp. Chrysophyllum cainito L. Chrysophyllum spp. Manilkara spp. Pouteria mammosa Pouteria domingensis Gaert.) Baehni Pouteria sapote (Jacq.) H.F. Moore & Stearn Pouteria spp. Vitex triflora Vahl. Monstera deliciosa Liebm. Montrichardia arborescens Schott Philodendron bipinnatifidium Schott Ananas comosus (L.) Merr. Nopalea cochenillifera (L.) Salm. Hylocerus undatus Opuntia ficus-indica Mill. Opuntia spp. Cucurbita mixta Pang. Cucurbita moschata Duch. Ex. Poir. Cucurbita pepo L. Cucurbita maxima Duch Cucurbita spp. Cyclanthera pedata (L.) Schrad. Lagenaria siceraria (Mul.) Standl. Luffa spp. Sechium edule (Jacq.) Swartz Polakowskia tacacco Pittier Sicana odorifera Naudin Passiflora spp. Fragaria chiloensis (L.) Miller Cyphomandra betacea (Cav.) Sendt Physalis ixocarpa Miller Physalis spp. Lycopersicon esculentum Solanum muricatum Ait. Solanum topiro Humb. & Bonpl. Yucca elephantipes

REMARKS tubers eaten lowlands tubers eaten, prehistoric cultivation over 50 Lat. in S. Amer. aromatic tasty roots. wax, thatch S. Amer., ornaments N. Amer., tubers eaten lowlands, medicinal, starchy root cooked substitute for potatoes edible tuber; lowlands crunchy vegetable, root crunchy vegetable, root edible tubers & seeds Nasturtium-like plant very ancient usage as vegetable cultivated >1,000 yrs ago. seeds used as grain extinct now, primitive cereal in S. Amer. pot herb, cereal flour, beverages, early cultivation (2,000 BC?) slightly toxic bean S. Amer. cultivar S. Amer. cultivar seeds require leaching seeds eaten seeds eaten seeds eaten seeds eaten seeds eaten seeds eaten (early usage: 2,000 BC?) origin in Andes still mostly wild trees high energy food plant of N. Amer. origin rare species, seeds eaten cultivars developed early oil extracted from seed seeds & roots eaten climbing herb N. & Cent. Amer. Origin, seeds purgative seeds eaten fast-drying oil aromatic like olive oil, S. Amer. fatty oil extracted by boiling seeds substitute for soap. eaten raw, boiled or as beverage for candles volatile sticky oil alcoholic beverage, fruits eaten raw fruit eaten, leaves for fiber fruit eaten, leaves for fiber seeds & fruit eatn, leaves for fiber oil for cooking similar to asparagus but more fibrous fruit eaten, oil extracted timber, oil & fruit oil & fruit oil, fuel carnuba wax carnauba wax substitute carnauba wax substitute high altitude in Colombia, wax used substitute for carnauba food, drink, fiber high quality fiber fiber drink, food, fiber durable, high quality mats, rope fiber coarse hard fiber, brushes fiber highly esteemed fiber largest agave, pulque fiber latex; lowlands water repellent fiber, oil seed, light timber rind containers; lowlands fruits eaten, containers fiber, oil rubber dye latex chewing gum, fruits eaten rubber substitute fiber, hedges lowlands, body paint, medicine spice remedy for amoeboid dysentery fever reduction stomach disorders flower spices, flavoring narcotic high caffeine, stimulant hybrid produced by Amerindians 10 different spp., narcotic/medicinal stimulants, fish poison Bay rum, food preservative Bay rum resin as incense pot herb sweetener flower, food coloring (added to animal feed) lowlands tree orchid; lowlands tree orchid; lowlands tree orchid; lowlands tree orchid; lowlands tree orchid; lowlands many genera appear on ceramics N. Argentina/Brazil; fruit eaten S. Chile ship masts firewood termite resistant wood light wood, canoes, insulation many species for timber, seeds & resin valuable timber arrow shafts, poles, etc pasture forage forage drought resistant forage relative of maiz, forage arrows drought resistant palatable forage hybrid American/African plant hardy forage forage forage forage forage forage pasture forage forage forage forage forage forage lowlands, nuts fruit pulp eaten lowlands, fruit like plums alcoholic beverage, spice lowlands, prized aromatic tart fruit lowlands, prized aromatic sweet fruit fruit eaten latex like milk fruit & seeds tasty fruit fruit/vegetable; lowlands fruit/vegetable, lowlands & highlands sweet fruit sweet & aromatic fruit fruit seed & fruit lowlands, high protein fruit tart gelatinous cooked fruit hard wood, implements fruit sweet seeds, wood fruit very high in Vitamin C fruit sap like milk fruit fruit fruit, high vitamin content lowlands, high vitamin fruit, wood fruit, beverages grape-like fruit candles made from seeds grape-like fruit fruit a stain from sap small fruits lime-like sweet custard fruit fruit aromatic fruit latex used lowlands, shade, tart fruit fruit sap for chicle & plastic lowlands, fruit sweet & aromatic fruit fruit fruit sweet fruit tasty fruit on vine edible fruit fruit eaten fresh or cooked fruit cochineal from insects on plant epiphyte cactus; lowlands fruit, vegetable fruit, vegetable vegetable vegetable vegetable vegetable vegetables vegetable African origin, containers sponge substitute kind of squash squash-like fruit fruits used for fragrance aromatic tart fruits large-fruited strawberry fruit & vegetable vegetable fruit & vegetable fruit & vegetable vegetable seeds, fruit flowers edible, fiber

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1/ , Brüchner (1989), Coe (1994)

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