The Phaseolus World Collection

Abstract

Phaseolus beans are distributed worldwide: they are cultivated in the tropics, the subtropics and the temperate zones, and in many regions they are considered staple foods. Despite their wide distribution they are recognized as of exclusive American origin (Evans, 1976); in effect, it is now generally accepted that all the species of the genus Phaseolus originated in Mesoamerica i.e, Mexico, Guatemala. The main evidence of this belief are based on the wide genetic diversity of cultivated and wild species that exists in the region (Maréchal, 1978), as well as on the archeological findings that prove the antiquity of their cultivation (Kaplan, 1965).