Sunflowers
A collection of different species of wild sunflowers planted on square micro-plots of twenty-five plants.
Mauguio, Hérault, France, May.
"Domesticated and selected species have a tendency to progressively lose their genetic diversity. In order to understand and control this, we use collections of wild species as a source of variety. These allow us to continually improve and enrich the cultivated species."
Jean-Marie Prosperi, agronomic engineer, Mauguio Station, National Institute for Agronomic Research, Montpelier, Hérault, France
in " Planting patterns ", p. 85