Mexico: a center of origin of domesticated sunflowers

Abstract

Until recently, the geographic origin of domesticated sunflower (Helianthus annuus) has been reported as being in the area of southeastern United States of America. The analysis of Mexican historical documents and the recently discovered archaeological “seeds” from Tabasco and Morelos, Mexico, indicate that cultivated sunflower was important in central Mexico during the prehispanic and viceroyalty periods. Also, the oldest and largest prehistoric sunflower achenes are from Mexico. Even though modern day wild plants are genetically distant from the contemporary commercial cultivars, the evidence indicates that Mexico is an older center of origin.