a tall, cornlike fodder grass (Zea mexicana) native to Mexico and Central America, having a tassel and small, hard ears: presumed to be the wild ancestor of maize
See teosinte in American Heritage Dictionary 4
(tēˌə-sĭnˈtē, tĕˌō-)
noun
A tall Mexican and Central American annual plant (Zea mexicana) related to corn and cultivated for fodder.