in the early Mexican and Peruvian corn, and that is the almost 
total absence of evidence of introgression with teosinte or 
Tripsacum. Tripsacoid corn is not alien to Peruvian archaeo- 
logical corn, but it appears at much later periods, which would 
indicate either influx into the Peruvian area of corn which 
hybridized with Tripsacum in either the lowlands east of the 
Andes, or in the Coast of the Choco area of Colombia, or of 
Central America or Mexico, or which hybridized with teosinte 
in Mexico or Central America. At any rate, this introduction 
would have occurred much later in history. 
SUMMARY 
1. A collection of maize from a site named Los Gavilanes, 
located in the North Central Coast of Peru, in the Huarmey 
valley is analyzed. Judging from evidence available up to 
this time, the site corresponds to the Late Pre-ceramic of 
the cultural chronology of the Andean pre-hispanic Epoch. 
If it is true that certain problems concerning it still exist, 
there is concrete evidence that confirms the existence of 
this cultigen before the introduction of pottery on the 
Peruvian Coast. 
2. The collection comprises 238 specimens including all parts 
of the plant, from the roots to the anthers and pollen grains. 
3. The cobs reveal an evolutionary sequence from the lower 
to the higher levels. In their characteristics they resemble 
the Peruvian popcorn race Confite Morocho. 
4. The stalks of the prehistoric corn are more slender than 
those of modern corn. The leaf sheaths are completely 
glabrous. The leaves have all the anatomical characteris- 
tics of those of modern corn. The husks are much longer 
than those of the longest cobs. This is regarded as evidence 
that asingle husk system may have enclosed more than one 
ear. 
5. The spikelets of the tassel are similar to those of modern 
corn being in pairs, one member sessile, the other pedicel- 
led. Pollen grains are similar in size to those of modern 
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