DOMESTICATION OF CULTIVATED LEUCAENA (LEGUMINOSAE) IN MEXICO - THE 16TH-CENTURY DOCUMENTS

The distribution, and the morphological and genetic variation of the c ultivated taxa of the genus Leucaena (especially L. esculenta, guaje r ojo and guaje colorado, and L. leucocephala, guaje verde and guaje bla nco, are discussed in terms of their long history as arboreal food res ources. In order to understand the domestication process it is essenti al to understand the changes in management, diffusion and importance o f this natural resource throughout the prehistoric, prehispanic, colon ial, modern and contemporary periods of Mexican history. in this artic le the principal documents of the contact period (Florentine Coder, wr itings of Francisco Hernandez and sixteenth century Relaciones Geograf icas) are analyzed to examine the effect of culture change on the dome stication process. The persistence of Prehispanic uses and management of Leucaena as a source of food is documented. Today's patterns appear to be both a product of neglect of the plant by the conquerors, and t he cultural resilience of the native people.