Amazing facts about South America. Interesting facts about South America

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Interesting Facts about South America

America's largest waterfall in the world
1. The largest country in South America is Brazil. It is famous for its magnificent carnivals and performances of various sambo schools.
2. Most big river in the world flows through this continent. The Amazon has over 500 tributaries.
3. The highest mountain capital on Earth is located in Bolivia. The city of La Paz is located at an altitude of 3-4 kilometers!
4. Machu Picchu is the highest mountain city of antiquity. It was built by Indian tribes in the Andes, Peru. Nowadays, Machu Picchu is one of the most impressive sights in the whole world.
5. Did you know that the South American country of Venezuela was named after European city Venice? The Florentine traveler Amerigo Vespucci, having studied the principle of building Venezuela (the canal system, houses on stilts, on the water), found similarities with Venice. Hence the name of the whole country in South America.
6. Off the coast of this continent is the natural lighthouse of Itzalko (or Isalco), known to sailors all over the world. In fact, it is a volcano, about 2 kilometers high. Every 8 minutes, magma pours out here and a 300-meter column of smoke rises. The reliability of such a lighthouse has been tested by the continuous 200-year activity of the volcano.
7. Native Indian tribes still live in the highlands of Peru and Bolivia.
8. In the South American country of Paraguay, duels are still taking place (and allowed).
9. Summer hats were invented in Ecuador, not in Panama, as you might logically think.
Venezuela.
In Venezuela, at the confluence of the Catatumbo River into Lake Maracaibo, lightning cascades can be observed almost continuously at night. The phenomenon happens 140160 times a year, each session lasts up to 10 hours with a frequency of up to 280 lightning per hour and is not accompanied by any sounds. The phenomenon is explained by winds coming from the Andes, which cause thunderstorms, as well as swampy soils, from which methane gas is released, fueling lightning discharges.
Do you know where there has been no precipitation at all for four centuries? The Atacama Desert, located in northern Chile, in South America, is considered the driest desert on Earth: some evidence suggests that precipitation did not fall here from 1570 to 1971. Now, the average rainfall is 1 mm per year, and in some In places they fall out and does once a decade. Therefore, the air humidity here is 0%. The local mountains, whose height is about 7,000 meters, do not have an ice cap at all.
But recently, nature has given the Atacama an amazing surprise. On May 19, 2010, snow fell here, as a result of which several cities were covered with snowdrifts. And while the adults were clearing snow blockages, Chilean children were making snowmen for the first time.
Did you know that the name of the archipelago at the southern end of South America, Tierra del Fuego, has nothing to do with volcanoes. Indeed, it is logical to assume that such a name was born in connection with the great volcanic activity of this region. But in fact, there is not a single volcano on this archipelago. Then why? The navigator Magellan is to blame for everything. He sailed somehow in 1520 along the strait, which a little later will become just Magellanic, and looked at the lights. According to one version, the natives of the islands saw ships going near the coast and warned each other about the danger with signal fires, according to another version, the natives burned fires simply because it was dark. In any case, Magellan saw a lot of fires, he decided not to go to this land for every fireman, but on the map he marked it as Tierra del Fuego (Land of fires or fires). The fact is that in Portuguese (and Magellan was just a Portuguese) fire and fire are denoted by one word fuego. Therefore, the cartographers subsequently, not fully understanding what Magellan wanted to say, turned this name into Tierra del Fuego, the words are the same, but it sounds more beautiful

1. Part of the territory of South America was discovered by the Spanish navigator Columbus. He was the first to know about the presence of a large mainland. The theory of Christopher Columbus that water becomes fresher only if the river flows into the sea was confirmed in 1492.
2. The largest country in South America is Brazil. It is famous for its magnificent carnivals and performances of various sambo schools.
3. The largest river in the world flows through this continent. The Amazon has over 500 tributaries.
4. Angel - this is the name of the highest waterfall in the world. It is located in the South American country of Venezuela. The height of the waterfall is over 1000 meters. This miracle of nature is located in hard-to-reach places, so not everyone can be lucky enough to see it.

Angel - The highest waterfall in the world - Interesting facts about South America.

5. The highest mountain capital on Earth is located in Bolivia. The city of La Paz is located at an altitude of 3-4 kilometers!
6. Machu Picchu is the highest mountain city of antiquity. It was built by Indian tribes in the Andes, Peru. Nowadays, Machu Picchu is one of the most impressive sights in the whole world.
7. Interesting facts about South America reveal the secret of longevity of the inhabitants of its coastal countries. According to scientists, eating fresh seafood and unique natural conditions mainland contribute to the development of mental potential and improve the health of people.
8. Did you know that the South American country of Venezuela was named after the European city of Venice? The Florentine traveler Amerigo Vespucci, having studied the principle of building Venezuela (the canal system, houses on stilts, on the water), found similarities with Venice. Hence the name of the whole country in South America.
9. Off the coast of this continent is the natural lighthouse of Itzalko (or Izalco), known to sailors all over the world. In fact, it is a volcano, about 2 kilometers high. Every 8 minutes, magma pours out here and a 300-meter column of smoke rises. The reliability of such a lighthouse has been tested by the continuous 200-year activity of the volcano.
10. In the northern part of the state of Chile, there is a unique Atacama Desert. It is interesting in that for 400 years there was absolutely no precipitation here. For this reason, the air humidity in the driest planet on Earth is 0%, and the local mountains, despite the impressive height of 7 kilometers, do not have ice caps. Imagine the surprise of the locals when, in 2010, nature gifted the lifeless desert lands with snowdrifts in May.
11. Native Indian tribes still live in the highlands of Peru and Bolivia.
12. South America - the habitat of the largest beetles in the world (lumberjack beetles), the most poisonous frogs (Red-backed poisonous frog, Spotted poison frog, Two-colored phyllomedusa, Little poison dart frog and others), the smallest monkeys (marmosets), the largest butterflies (butterfly -agrippin), the most dangerous fish (piranha).

Woodcutter Beetle, Agrippina Butterfly, Marmoset Monkey, Red-backed Poison Frog - Interesting Facts About South America

13. The Colombian river Cano Cristales is considered one of the most beautiful and unusual in the whole world. Gives her uniqueness a large number of colorful algae. Like red, yellow and green threads, they fill the pond with amazing shades.
14. In the South American country of Paraguay, duels are still taking place (and allowed).

Paraguay Duel.

15. Summer panama hats were invented in Ecuador, not in Panama, as you might logically think.

There is a very interesting continent on our planet that you can talk about indefinitely - this is South America.

South America is the fourth largest continent. The area of the continent is 17.8 million km? , population - 387,489,196 (2011) people (4th place among continents). On its territory there are 12 independent states and one overseas department of France - Guiana, by the way, the official currency of this territory is the euro)

The largest river in the world flows through this continent. The Amazon has a length of about 7,000 km. competing in length with the Nile and more than half a thousand tributaries. The basin of this river is larger than Australia in area. In addition, from the Amazon you can get to the Orinoco, since there is a natural connection between the two water basins. It is carried out through the Casiquiare River (326 km in length).

Maracaibo is located in Venezuela - the largest and second oldest lake on Earth. This is the pride and an important source of wealth of Venezuela, because there are many oil deposits. On the southern and western shores of Maracaibo, tribes cut off from civilization have lived in houses on stilts since ancient times.

It is in South America that the highest waterfall in the world is located - Angel, whose height is 1059 meters. The height of continuous free fall is 807 meters.

The largest salt marsh in the world, the Uyuni Salt Marsh, is a dry salt lake in the south of the Altiplano desert plain, Bolivia, at an altitude of about 3650 m above sea level. Has an area of 10,588 km? and is the largest salt marsh in the world. Due to its large size, flat surface and high albedo in the presence of a thin layer of water, as well as minimal change in altitude, the Uyuni Salt is an ideal tool for testing and calibrating remote sensing instruments on orbiting satellites. The clear skies and dry air of Uyuni allow satellites to be calibrated five times better than if the ocean surface were used.

Also on the continent is the highest navigable lake in the world - Titicaca. This picturesque lake is located in the Andes Mountains between Peru and Bolivia. The height of the lake above sea level is 3812m.

Another world record holder is Mount Cotopaxi, which is the highest active volcano with a height reaching almost 6000 meters.

On the territory of the state of Chile there is a desert in which there has not been rain for 400 years, therefore the Atacama Desert. It is considered the driest place on the planet.

Colca Canyon, in Peru, twice as deep as the famous American Grand Canyon, located in the province of Cayoma, 148 km northeast of Arequipa, the Canyon is considered the deepest in the world. So observation deck Cruz del Codor offers an unforgettable view of the canyon, at the bottom of which, at a depth of 1200 m, the Kolka River flows, and Mount Misti rises from the opposite side.

10.

The summit of the Chimborazo volcano is the most distant point on the planet from the center of the Earth. Its height is 6267 m
above sea level. If you measure the height of the mountain from the center of the Earth, the Chimborazo volcano will be several kilometers higher than Everest (6384.4 km versus 6381 km from the center of the planet)

11.

Mount Roraima in South America. Located at the junction of Brazil, Venezuela and Guyana. The top of Roraima is a plateau with an area of about 30 km². The height of the mountain is almost 3 km. In the clouds, the mountain looks like a huge ship sailing out of the fog. Roraima inspired Arthur Conan Doyle to write the novel lost World».

12.

Volcano Licancabur is located almost exactly on the border between Chile and Bolivia. In the crater at the top of the volcano at an altitude of 5916 m, over the many centuries that have passed since the last eruption, presumably more than 500–1000 years ago, a lake has formed, which is considered the highest mountain lake on Earth and most of the time, due to the fact that temperatures at this altitude fall to minus 30 degrees Celsius, it is under the ice. Near the volcano, on the Bolivian side, at an altitude of 4300 m. salt Lake The Green Lagoon, which got its name for the emerald green color of its waters due to the salts of copper minerals dissolved in it, on the surface of which you can even watch flamingos dancing in the salt crumble and absolutely enchanting landscapes.

13.

In the Patagonian mountains in Chile, there is a lake called Lago General Carrera, which is very popular with tourists. His main feature are marble caves(in Spanish Las cavernas de marmol). The lake is located on the territory of Chile and Argentina, but the caves located on the limestone peninsula belong to Chile. The beauty of this Marble Cathedral (the second name of the caves) fascinates all who look.

14.

Canyo Cristales (Ca?o Cristales - Crystal River) or the River of Five Colors, as it is called locals, originates in the south of the Macarena mountain range, in Colombia, and flows east, before flowing into the Guayabero River. There are five colors found in Caño Cristales: yellow, blue, green, black and red. All of them are a product of the vital activity of numerous algae and, depending on the time of year, the saturation of colors either weakens or intensifies. Cristales flows in the selva, its length does not reach even 100 kilometers, and its width is 20 meters. There are no fish in the river.

15.

Unusual things to see in Venezuela a natural phenomenon- "Lightning Catatumbo", arising over the confluence of the Catatumbo River into Lake Maracaibo. The phenomenon is expressed in the occurrence of many lightnings continuously for a long time, mainly at night and with a strong variation depending on the time of year (the maxima occur in May and October). The probability of a lightning strike in this area is the highest in the world: 250 lightning strikes per square kilometer per year. The number of thunderstorm days per year varies from 70 to 200, at the peak of activity, which falls on the time from 19:00 to 04:00, up to 28 lightning per minute is observed. Lightning is visible from a distance of up to 400 km, which gave rise to the myth of the existence of lightning without accompanying acoustic effects. Due to the good visibility of these lightnings with long distance they were even used for navigation, which is why the phenomenon is also known as the "Lighthouse of Maracaibo". Catatumbo lightning is believed to be the largest single tropospheric ozone generator on Earth. Winds coming from the Andes cause thunderstorms. Methane, which is abundant in the atmosphere of these wetlands, rises to the clouds, fueling lightning bolts.

16.

It is in South America that the "Pacific Ring of Fire" ends, which is the zone of the largest accumulation of volcanoes and earthquakes in the world. About 450 volcanoes are located along the perimeter of this ring, and earthquakes here can occur even several times a day.

South America is a large continent bordered by the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. There is the longest mountain range here - the Andes, which stretch for seven thousand kilometers, the longest and most full-flowing river in the world - the Amazon. In the South American jungle - the selva - the largest snake - the anaconda lives, in the rivers there are the most dangerous freshwater fish - piranhas. The population speaks mainly Spanish, although there is a large country - Brazil, where official language Portuguese, there are also small overseas territories European states in which they speak English, French, Dutch. The most famous attraction is the completely preserved city of the Incas - Machu Picchu. Here are some interesting facts about South America.

Story

South America was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492. Europeans arrived here in search of India, where they expected to buy spices. Later it turned out that this was not India, but a separate continent, but this land was called the West Indies for a long time, and the local population is still called Indians.

On the territory of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador (partially - Chile, Argentina and Colombia) there was the state of the Incas of Peru (the local name of the state is Tahuantinsuyu). This state had a population of about one million people, the army numbered several tens of thousands of people, but was captured in 1532 by the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro, whose detachment consisted of 168 people. The remnants of Inca statehood lasted until 1572, when the Spaniards conquered the city of Vilcambamba and executed the last independent Inca ruler, Tupac Amara. There is evidence of the Inca city of Paititi, which was independent from the Spaniards, but it has not yet been found.

The Bolivian city of Potosi in the 16th-17th centuries was the world's largest industrial center, with a population of 160,000 people. Silver was mined here, for 200 years this metal was mined for 820 million pesos, and this coin was heavy and weighed 28 grams. Silver, tin and copper continue to be mined today, the population is the same as it was several centuries ago, 160 thousand people.

Here is Machu Picchu - the ruins of the Inca city, which has been completely preserved to this day. Despite the difficult terrain, transport routes were laid here, including railway Millions of tourists visit Machu Picchu every year. There is also a similar well-preserved Inca city - Choquiquerao.

Geography

The largest country is Brazil. They speak Portuguese here, while in most other countries they speak Spanish.

The Amazon is not only the river with the largest basin (the area occupied by the river and tributaries), but also the longest river. Until recently the most long river the Nile was considered, but scientists found the origins of the Amazon and it turned out to be longer than the African record holder. The rainforest that grows on the banks of the Amazon and its tributary is called the selva. It is a very rainy place, sometimes it rains for two thirds of the year. Due to this, the Amazon is very full-flowing; it brings the largest amount of fresh water to the ocean among the rivers of the world.

Venezuela has the highest Angel Falls. Its height is over one kilometer. Despite the fact that the waterfall is large and beautiful, few tourists come to it, as it is located in the impenetrable jungle.

The Bolivian city of La Paz, the capital of Bolivia, is the highest mountain capital in the world (the government of the country is located here, real capital- Sucre, where the Bolivian Supreme Court is located), the lowest part has a height of about three kilometers, the highest areas are at an altitude of four kilometers above sea level. In this city, visitors may well get sick with altitude sickness, while local residents are quite accustomed to such rarefied air and feel good in their hometown.

Izalco volcano in El Salvador is considered the most active volcano in the world. In the last 200 years, an eruption has occurred here every few minutes, magma pours out of the vent and a three-hundred-meter column of smoke rises into the sky. Navigators use the volcano as a lighthouse - this landmark can be seen for many kilometers.

Chile has the driest desert in the world, the Atacama. Europeans have been observing it since they arrived on the continent, and in 400 years of observation there has been no precipitation here. The humidity here is zero, so the mountains, which reach a height of seven kilometers, do not have glaciers. But in 2010, precipitation occurred here, and it was not rain, but snow.

In Colombia, there is the Caño Cristales river, which has red, green and yellow algae. Although the water is ordinary, the current seems to be multi-colored.

Andes - mountains that run from south to north along almost the entire South America, stretch for more than 7 thousand kilometers, this is the longest mountain range in the world. The highest peak - Aconcagua has a height of almost seven kilometers - 6960 meters.

In the capital of Suriname, Paramario, there is not a single high-rise building, thus the colonial architectural complex which many tourists come to see.

Flora

A rubber tree grows here, its sap was used to make rubber products, including car tires, before the invention of artificial rubber. Quinine, a cure for malaria, was made from the bark of the cinchona tree. Chocolate is made from cocoa beans. Many plants common to Europeans come from America - potatoes, corn, sunflowers, tomatoes.

On the territory of Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil there is a large flat steppe 1600 kilometers long - the Pampas. This steppe is considered the largest pasture in the world.

The Pantanal is the largest swamp in the world, it is located mainly in Brazil, but some are in Bolivia and Paraguay. Since these places are difficult to access for humans (during the summer rains, a depression of 140 thousand square kilometers is flooded by 80% with water), many species of plants and animals have been preserved here - about 3,500 plant species grow, 400 species of fish, 650 species of birds, 100 species of mammals, and 80 species of reptiles. Many dangerous animals - about 20 million caimans, you can meet a giant python.

The territory of Guyana is 90% occupied by the jungle. It is the only English-speaking country in South America.

Fauna

In the rainforests lives the world's largest butterfly, the agrippina tizania, with a wingspan of up to 30 centimeters.

The largest species of vultures, the condor, lives in the Andes. This is the largest bird in the world. The wingspan is up to three meters, in this parameter it is inferior to the largest species of albatrosses (up to 3.5 meters), but they are significantly superior in weight (up to 15 kilograms for vultures, the weight of wandering albatrosses is up to 10 kilograms).

Pudu deer are up to 40 centimeters tall and weigh up to 10 kilograms.

The largest rodents live here - capybaras, they have a length of up to one and a half meters, weight reaches 65 kilograms.

Anacondas live in tropical forests - large snakes that reach a length of up to 5 meters. There is evidence of the existence of longer anacondas, but they have not been scientifically confirmed.

In the upper reaches of the Amazon live the smallest monkeys - pygmy marmosets. These funny animals are up to 15 centimeters in size (excluding the tail, which is about 20 centimeters long).

South America is the birthplace of many record-breaking animals:

the largest beetles (lumberjack beetles);
the most poisonous frogs (spotted dart frog, red-backed poisonous frog, two-colored phyllomedusa);
the smallest monkeys (marmosets);
the largest butterflies (Agrippina butterfly);
the most dangerous freshwater fish (piranhas).

The original culture and nature annually attracts tourists to the countries of South America. largest state mainland - Brazil with the famous Rio de Janeiro, which hosts popular carnivals. What else is interesting, but little known facts about South America are useful to an inquisitive explorer?

Geography

South America is washed Atlantic Ocean in the east and by the caribbean in the north. The mainland connects with North America Isthmus of Panama. The landscapes of the mainland are diverse - deserts, forests, hills and plains.

The Amazonian lowland is covered with tropical forest - the largest in the world, it rains here for two hundred days a year. The Amazon River originates in the Andes and irrigates half of the continent. The Amazon holds the record among rivers for pouring fresh water into the ocean.

Andes - mountain system, extending for 7,240 km, highest peak– Aconcagua with a height of 6,960 meters. The Andes are home to the world's largest volcanoes, and the far south of the mountains are glaciers.

The geography of the mainland is amazing, there are unique areas here: the Brazilian and Guiana highlands, the Llanos plain and many amazing places. extreme south point mainland - Cape Horn, sailing past this point is a dangerous sea route. An archipelago lies at the southern end of the mainland. Tierra del Fuego consisting of several islands. The archipelago named which first circled Earth.

The Pampas, a plain known for cattle ranching, stretches for 1,600 km. Pantanal is the largest swamp in the world, famous for its diversity of flora and fauna. Between the ocean and the Andes stretches rocky and lifeless Patagonia, famous for its mountain views.

High in the Andes, the Atacama Desert is located - in these places it is cold, it does not rain. The desert is covered with solidified lava flows and salt deposits.

The mainland of South America is mentioned when they talk about all kinds of records.

The greatest river in the world - the Amazon, which has half a thousand tributaries, passes through the territory of Brazil.
Angel Falls is the largest in the world, its height is 1,054 km. It is located in Venezuela hard to reach place. The local Indians call the waterfall Maiden's Eyebrow.
The highest mountain capital of La Paz in Bolivia, located at an altitude of 4 km above sea level.
Peru has a high mountain old City Machu Picchu.

Countries

South America is diverse, swampy jungles side by side with waterless deserts. mountain range The Andes constantly supplies the mainland with volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. In the south of the mainland, the warm Caribbean Sea, and in the north, the cold storms of the Atlantic. You can talk about the climate of South America for hours, it is so diverse that the countries on the mainland are radically different.

Brazil is the largest and most populous country on the continent. The capital is Brasilia. famous city Rio de Janeiro is constantly full of tourists.

Argentina - most beautiful country, is famous for its large carnival, which takes place annually on January 16th. The capital is Buenos Aires.
Bolivia is distinguished by the fact that the government is located in the city of La Paz, although the real capital is Sucre.
Venezuela is located in the north of the continent, in a warm climate. The capital is Caracas. world famous national park with tropical virgin nature.

Guyana with Georgetown as its capital. The territory of Guyana is 90% occupied by the jungle.
Guiana is a French territory. The administrative center is Cayenne.
Colombia is the capital of Bogota, named after the discoverer of the continent. Native American and European culture are harmoniously intertwined here. There are many museums in the country that store historical rarities.

Paraguay, with Asuncion as its capital, is landlocked. There are many architectural monuments in the capital.
Peru is the capital of Lima beautiful city on the coast, exciting the minds of fans of the culture of the ancient Incas.
Suriname is a tropical country, there is not a single high-rise building in the capital of Paramaribo. The city has retained its originality, which is why it is interesting for tourists.

Uruguay, with Montevideo as its capital, is famous for its carnivals and preserved colonial architecture.
Chile is located on a long and narrow strip along the ocean and in the Andes. The capital of Santiago, famous for its coup d'état and balneotherapy.
Ecuador with the capital Quito is located on the equator, replete with ancient monuments, colonial museums and enchanting mountain landscapes.

Flora

The plants of South America have evolved since the Mesozoic era. This development has never been disturbed by glaciations or other destructive climate changes. The flora of the mainland was in a long isolation from other parts of the earth's land. This explains the antiquity flora this continent, its species diversity. The industry of the countries of the continent is not developed, which has a positive impact on the conservation of nature.

The population density of the mainland is small, and some areas are not inhabited at all, the flora is in a virgin state. The vegetation of South America is rightfully spoken of as a bottomless source of food, fodder, and medicinal resources. The most cultivated plant in the agriculture of the continent is the potato.

Rubber, cinchona and chocolate trees are also grown. The tropical forests of the mainland have no competitors on Earth in terms of the richness of species and the size of the occupied territories. As part of the tropics, there are up to twelve tiers, and the height of some trees reaches 100 meters.

Fauna

South America has a rich wildlife. Even experienced travelers have something to be surprised at on this continent. There are 600 species of mammals, 900 amphibians and 1,700 birds on this continent.

Giant butterflies and ants live in tropical evergreen forests, parrots predominate among birds, hummingbirds fly. Condors, the largest of the flying birds, have survived in two places on the continent. Among the animals there are many endemics, such as the Titicaca whistler - lake frog. The wingless grebe nests on the floating islands of Lake Titicaca.

Capybara or Capybara

Only on this continent live pudu deer no taller than 40 cm, weighing up to 10 kg. The mystery of another animal - the capybara - led believers to turn to the Pope for clarification. Parishioners asked if capybaras could be eaten during the fasts - it was not clear whether it was a fish or an animal. Capybara lives in water and on land, which confused believers.

Anaconda - the largest snake on Earth

The largest snake is the anaconda, it easily copes with the caiman. You can talk about the animals and plants of this continent for hours. Based real stories that happened to travelers in South America, many amazing adventure novels were written for children and adults.

History of development

South America was discovered by a navigator who went in search of India, inspired by the fact that the Earth is round. The search for sailors lasted a month, three ships sailed to the new shores. In 1498 Columbus arrived in South America believing it was India. The rediscovery of South America took place in the 16th century, when a navigator arrived on the mainland and found out that Columbus was mistaken in considering these lands to be India.

After the discovery of the mainland, colonization began, conquerors, called conquistadors, went to new lands in search of wealth. The newly discovered lands were plundered and devastated, while the indigenous peoples were enslaved and exterminated.

Simultaneously with the conquest, the study of the lands took place, the German scientist A. Humboldt organized an expedition, studying nature and the indigenous population. The scientist's research lasted twenty years and was so detailed that the release of the book was compared with the new discovery of America.

Exploration within the continent was stimulated by rumors of the mythical land of Eldorado. Spanish and Portuguese expeditions in the 16th-18th centuries made conquests in search of treasures, exploring mountain range, plateaus and numerous tributaries of the Amazon. These areas were studied by conquerors, scientists, Jesuit missionaries.

Russian scientists also studied the exotic continent. Botany professor Vavilov studied in detail cultivated plants native to South America in 1933.