227 



The name "oregano" seems to be a generic term applied to the leaves 

 thus used of several species of Lippia. The plant so called at Acapulco 

 is L. berlandieri Schauer; in Lower California, L.pahncri spicata ltose, 

 while on the table-land 1 found it to be L. purpurea Jacq. 



SOLANACEAE. 



Solanum tuberosum. Papa. 



Strange as it may seem the potato, as used in Mexico, is to be classed 

 as a flavoring rather than as a vegetable. I never saw the potato there 

 used as we use it. A few only, and these whole and very small, are 

 added to soups and stews, along with raisins, olives, nanehes, etc. Most 

 that I saw were from about the size of cherries up to the size of small 

 walnuts. The potatoes which they have are either the wild potatoes 

 from the mountains or those which have recently been transplanted 

 thence. The wild potato is apparently common. I collected specimens 

 in the foothills, near Colomas, at an altitude of 840 meters (2,800 feet), 

 and on the top of the Sierra Madre, altitude 2,010 meters (0,800 feet). 



Sweet potatoes, on the other hand, often reach a good size. These 

 are cooked and brought to the markets in great quantities, and sold 

 on the plaza and along the sidewalks. 



EUPHORBIACEAE. 



Argithamnia sp. AzAFRAN. 



A kind of seed used in giving an orange color to soups, etc. 



MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



The native plants used as medicines, or supposed to have medicinal 

 properties, are legion. Many of these, doubtless, have little or no real 

 value. 



The country people and Indians seem to have but little knowledge 

 of medicine, generally using teas made of bitter and strong-smelling 

 herbs. 



More or less superstition is associated with certain plants, and great 

 stress is laid upon some superstitious practices, for instance, that of 

 sticking certain seeds on the temples to cure headache. 



Along the coast, Indian peddlers bring down from the mountains 

 various seeds or dried herbs to sell, or these may be found in the little 

 stores of the towns. Sometimes on the plaza one finds the "herb doc- 

 tor" dealing out a paltry stock of medicines in cent packages. 



Much of the material which I saw for sale was in the form of dried 

 roots or leaves, and in such cases specimens were not taken unless I 

 saw the material collected and could identify the plant botauically. 



The uses of these plants as given below are as they were told me. 



