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Summary: Some plants mentioned in the Book of Mormon are not known to exist in the New World. Is this evidence that Joseph fabricated the text based upon his own cultural background? None of the Book of Mormon's plant species causes a problem — Spanish conquerors described pre-Columbian products in exactly the terms used by the Book of Mormon. Barley, silkworms, and grapes were known. One of the terms unknown to Joseph's day (the Akkadian sheum) is impressive evidence for the Book of Mormon's antiquity.
(i.e. flax)
This crop is mentioned but once (See Mosiah 9:9). We do not know to what it applied, but this does not count against the Book of Mormon's claims.
So, there were grapes locally, as well as several other plant species which produced alcoholic drinks which the Spanish were quite happy to consider 'wine.'
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Notes
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