Widely Distributed Plants in America

Widely distributed plants in America All species whose real center of dispersion is under debate and whose origin is currently unclear or that have been reported to originate from several biogeographic areas are included in this section. Since Europeans cultivated these plants long ago, Canaries had less of an impact on their use and spread. a) Opinions differ on where the sunflower originated. Although more recent research appears to identify it as coming from North America and Mexico, it is typically thought to be a native of Peru (Viera and Clavijo, 1982, p. 195). (León, 1992, p. 20). Other names for it include marigold, litmus, and mirasol. Though its use is believed to be beneficial, it has never been widely grown in the Canary Islands. It is only mentioned as an attractive flower in the earliest documents, which date from 1770 to 1784 (Quezada y Chaves, 1770-1784, p. 146). Afterwards, Viera and Clavijo (1982, p. 195) made remarks about its easy multiplication and widely dispersed cultivation in orchards. It does not appear to be very old, and its cultivation appears to have been fairly limited. Scholars have been extolling the sunflower's potential as a food plant since Viera's time, but until 250 years after it was brought to the Old Continent, sunflowers were only used as ornamentals in Europe and the Canary Islands. Given that its cultivation in Seville has been known about from the mid-1600s, the sunflower arrived on the European continent quite early (Monardes, 1989, p. 268). A century after Viera and Clavijo praised this plant as promising in 1879, M. Reymundo (1991, p. 107) continues to consider the economic advantages of sunflowers and their applications, including honey, petal wax, seed oil, chicken feed, and stems for paper or silk-like fibers. The final paragraph of this tale makes the following argument in support of its cultivation: From our perspective, there would be few expenses involved in acclimating this valuable plant, which, in conjunction with other plants we shall address, would significantly enhance the riches of the old Lucky ones Archipelago. Remember that there is still a good harvest on the Canary Islands. b) The bean is also referred to as bean, bean, bean, chancha, and pallar (Debouck, 1992). It may have originated in South America (Izco, 1997, p. 699), but when Columbus arrived, its cultivation region had expanded to include Argentina and the United States (León, 1992, p. 19). It was most likely brought to the Peninsula in the middle of the l6th century, and it was widely cultivated in the 17th century, particularly in Catalonia and the Aragonese region (Campo, 1993, p. 178). Given that the earliest records date from the early centuries, it is possible that the bean suffered a similar fate in the Canary Islands (Viera and Clavijo, 1982, p. 234). The bean is said to be abundantly grown across the Archipelago on this occasion, particularly in Gran Canaria, from whence it was shipped to Cádiz. Not only was it nutritionally beneficial, but it was also utilized as a bruise and bump healer. c) Viera y Clavijo (1982, p. 263) testified that millet has been grown in the Canary Islands from at least the end of the 16th century, while Alzola (1984, pp. 15- 22) stated that it has been grown since 1611. Additionally, the following words from the Fuerteventura Cabildo Agreements, which were written between 1609 and 1663, mention the necessity of millet for islanders' sustenance: Owing to the immense demand, it will be declared that this year, anyone wishing to bring in wheat, flour, outside millet, chickpeas, broad beans, and peas would be permitted to sell them at the price they want (1609, 78). Similar expressions were used by Núñez de la Peña in 1676 and López de Ulloa in 1646. The millo was widely cultivated in Agate, Arucas, Guia, and Telde on Gran Canaria by the end of the l6th century (Del Castillo y León, 1992, pp. 14-16). About the medicinal uses of this plant, which can show its deep roots in the traditional island culture, it has been documented that in Fuerteventura during the 19th century, it was used in the form of gofio to treat the curse: small tumor or stubborn sore (Castañeyra, 1992, p. 41). Verneau (1487, 175) adds that regarding the industrial use of millet, it was used in Gran Canaria during the 19th century as well. The bedbugs and fleas were swarming the beds, which were composed of millet leaves and were as hard as stones. A man's attire would not be complete without the knife, tinder, flask, lighter, and rolled tobacco leaf. The latter is constructed from leather by the nation's shoemakers and consists of two bags-one holding the lighter and the other holding the millet leaves, which serve as a substitute for cigarette rolling papers-as well as a leather strap for tying it up. [.. J As soon as Columbus returned from his second journey in 1494, he took millet with him, and by the early l6th century, the first plantations had been established in the Guadalquivir Valley, Granada, and Málaga. During the same time period, the Portuguese introduced themselves in Africa and Asia. It had already being cultivated in Japan by the end of the same century (López Bellido, 1992, p. 24). The aforementioned French botanist Feuillée provides us with useful information on the origins of the millet that was introduced to the Canary Islands. He writes in 1724 that: "Corn, so common in America and Africa, is widely used in all the islands, with varieties of different colors., red, black, blue, etc." It is possible that this crop originated in the United States and spread to the Canary Islands because of its striking resemblance to the Creole millet, which is grown in America and almost unknown in Europe.