View source for Maize

{{speciesbox
 | name                = Maize
| image = Zea mays.jpg
| image_caption = Cultivars of maize
 | genus               = Zea (plant)
 | species             = mays
 | authority = [[Carl Linnaeus|L.]]
}}
[[File:Zea mays fraise MHNT.BOT.2011.18.21.jpg|thumb|''Zea mays "fraise"'']]

'''Maize''' or Indian corn<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=corn|title=The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition|quote=Later, in the 17th century, another term for maize appears, Indian corn—the word Indian here meaning "native to the Americas." The American word corn in the specific meaning "maize" is simply a shortening of Indian corn.}}</ref> (called '''corn''' in some countries) is ''Zea mays'', a member of the [[grass]] [[family (biology)|family]] ''Poaceae''. It is a [[cereal]] [[grain]] which was first grown by people in ancient [[Central America]]. Approximately 1 billion tonnes are harvested every year. However, little of this maize is eaten directly by humans. Most is used to make corn [[ethanol]], animal feed and other maize products, such as [[corn starch]] and [[corn syrup]].

Maize is a leafy stalk whose kernels have seeds inside. It is an [[angiosperm]], which means that its seeds are enclosed inside a fruit or shell. It is has long been a [[staple food]] by many people in [[Mexico]], Central and [[South America]] and parts of [[Africa]]. In [[Europe]] and the rest of [[North America]], maize is grown mostly for use as [[animal]] feed. In [[Canada]] and the [[United States]], maize is commonly referred to as "corn".  

Centuries of [[plant breeding|cross breeding]] have produced larger plants, and specialized varieties. Corn has become an important ingredient in American foods through the use of [[corn starch]]. People have long eaten [[sweet corn]] and [[popcorn]] with little [[Food processing|processing]], and other kinds after processing into [[flour]] for making [[cornbread]], [[tortilla]]s, and other artificial foods.

Maize has been a fruitful [[model organism]] for research in [[genetics]] for many years: see [[Barbara McClintock]]. Research has shown that [[artificial selection]] developed maize from a Mexican plant called [[Teosinte]].<ref>Doebley J. 2004. The genetics of maize evolution. ''Annual Reviews of Genetics'' '''38''', 37{{ndash}}59.</ref>

== The genus ''Zea'' ==
There are five [[species]] and many [[subspecies]] in the [[genus]]. They are all plants similar to the cultivated maize, with less developed cobs. The wild ones are sometimes called [[teosinte]]s, and they are all native to [[Mesoamerica]].

== References ==
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[[Category:Maize| ]]
[[Category:Model organisms]]