Teosinte is a plant that grows in Mexico and Central America that looks like corn but they don't eat it. All species of teosinte are threatened or endangered ef extinction.

Teosinte

...because it was domesticated from a plant called teosinte...

Humans grow it all over the world today, but it all started in Mexico nearly 9,000 years ago. Long before maize, there was a plant called teosinte. If you saw teosinte in person, you probably wouldn't guess it's the grandparent of your popcorn.

Corn smut is a plant disease caused by the pathogenic fungus Ustilago maydis that causes smut on maize and teosinte