P. coccineus L. (P. multiflorus Willd.): Ayécotl, 
cimatl, scarlet runner bean. 
This species appears to be known in the wild state 
in Mexico and Guatemala (148), and is thought by the 
Russian workers (31) to have its center of diversity in 
Guatemala. It appears to be of some importance both 
in Mexico and in Guatemala. The fleshy root may also 
have been eaten (202). 
P. lunatus Z.: Lima bean. 
This species, too, is known as a wild plant in Mexico 
and Guatemala. Mackie (117) places its center of diver- 
sity and origin in Guatemala and traces three routes of 
diffusion from this center, each with a different type. 
One group of the lima bean, the northern or ‘‘Hopi”’ 
branch, was dispersed northward through Mexico and 
into the United States. A second group, the ‘‘Inca”’ 
branch of the species, extends into Andean South Amer- 
ica and includes the varieties with the largest seeds. The 
third group, the ‘‘Carib’’ branch, occurs in the West 
Indies and lowland South America. While the routes 
followed by these three groups may not be quite as traced 
by Mackie (86), the groups and trends seem to be valid. 
For a discussion of the synonymy of this species and its 
subdivisions see Van Eseltine (204). 
P. vulgaris L.: Bul, frijol, common bean. 
This is the most important bean of most of America. 
The center of diversity of this species is in Mexico and 
Guatemala (31), and wild plants of P. vulgaris have been 
found in this region in recent years (115, 177). The cen- 
ter of origin for this important species was probably some- 
where in the Mexican-Guatemalan area, though Burkart 
(38a; pp. 429, 545) reports what he believes to be wild 
forms of this and of the preceeding species from Argen- 
tina. (31, 36*, 37, 79, 115, 117*, 133, 158, 194*, 204) 
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