Originally published at: http://boingboing.net/2017/07/05/brief-guide-to-what-fruit-and.html
…
2 Likes
I’ll have to watch, but what blows my mind is CORN and how it was basically just a grass at one point.
12 Likes
pedantry: “cultivation” does not equate with “evolution” in a biological anthropological sense.
edited per @wsmcneil’s comment.
3 Likes
I don’t know whether to feel insulted that they thought I needed them to include a picture of the modern version of each, or to feel smug that they thought everyone else needed them.
13 Likes
South American chilli peppers (c.annuum) are diverging from North American ones. There is already some difficulty getting them to crossbreed.
They’re not two separate species yet, but if it’s going to happen I’d be looking there.
6 Likes
Umm… every type of corn, including maize, used to be grass. Nay, are grass.
8 Likes
Well, from our point of view. But what about of the plants’ point of view. They don’t care .
4 Likes
I thought that is what I said?
2 Likes
It blew my mind when I first learned that all of these plants have a common ancestor and were selectively bred from it.
30 Likes
Modern watermelon can still look like that. It seems to be either caused by poor pollination or the plant not getting enough water. Image search “watermelon swirl” or “hollow heart watermelon” and you can find plenty of pictures of modern plants that look like the ones in the painting.
9 Likes
The watermelon information is wrong. That’s a consequence of either early harvesting, water stress or lack of pollination. It’s quite annoying how this keeps doing the rounds
5 Likes
Any pics of undomesticated humans?
11 Likes
7 Likes
I think you thought you did, but you didn’t, I think.
Anyway, book tip:
2 Likes
Yes, that is my second mind blowing thing. I just was too buys to dig up that image.
Do you think one day they will breed something someone will actually want to eat?
5 Likes
Likewise with tomatoes. From a quick search i’ve found there’s 3 undomesticated varieties of tomato.
2 Likes
I love all of these, but I still Lol’d
1 Like
My favourite variety
9 Likes
