Caracterización anatómica de tallos de Chenopodium (Chenopodiaceae). Aportes al estudio de restos arqueológicos

ANATOMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF STEMS OF CHENOPODIUM (CHENOPODIACEAE). CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE STUDY OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL REMAINS. The genus Chenopodium (Chenopodiaceae) is cosmopolitan and is represented by 37 species in Argentina. They are annual or perennial herbaceous plants that can be woody at the base. Three species are grown as food, C. pallidicaule and C. quinoa in South America and C. nuttalliae Safford in Mexico. In this paper we described anatomically the stem fragments of archaeological specimens that were compared with wild and cultivated species of current Chenopodium. The samples come from a site located in Antofagasta de la Sierra, southern Puna of Argentina; present specimens come from herbarium specimens and field collections. The epidermis was obtained using the technique of Metcalfe and transverse cuts were made with hand microtome. Samples were stained with dyes and mounted in glycerine water. The anatomy of archaeological fragments was described and diagnostic characters were selected by comparative analysis between archeological, wild and cultivated species of Chenopodium. The characters are: cuticle, epidermal cell shape, stomatal, exodermical appendix and crystals. The archeological specie has more anatomical characters similar to the cultivated species of C. quinua. We concluded that archaeological fragments are a variety of Chenopodium quinoa not currently used in cultivation practices in the area.