may prove significant and end confusion: ‘‘Dem [the 
Safford identification] muss widersprochen werden. Die 
Nanacates sind Giftpilze, die mit Peyote nichts zu tun 
haben. Seit alten Zeiten ist es bekannt, dass ihr Genuss 
Rauschzustiinde, Extasen und Geistesstérungen hervor- 
ruft, aber trotz ihrer Gefihrlichkeit hat man sie tiberall, 
wo sie vorkommen, wegen ihrer berauschenden Eigen- 
schaften bis auf den heutigen Tag geschiitzt.’’ Reko also 
states (72) that, today, in the provision markets of Mexi- 
co, certain mushrooms the exact names of which are not 
known are called nacdt/ and classes Amanita mexicana 
Murrill as one of the nandcat/s. In connection with this 
refutation, it should be remembered that the Spanish 
historian, Sahagun, writing in the sixteenth century, 
carefully distinguished between teonandcatl, the sacred 
mushroom, and pezot/, the earth-cactus. The intoxicating 
Basidiomycetes, species of Amanita (especially Amanita 
muscaria (L.) Pers. ), are so well known in so many places 
that it is difficult to understand how Safford’s identifica- 
tion was accepted so readily. Although little is known 
about intoxicating mushrooms in Mexico, nevertheless 
Safford’s identification was not based on substantial evi- 
dence. Intensive research work relating to this important 
problem is being done in Mexico and should result in 
definite information concerning the ‘‘sacred mushroom’”’ 
of the Aztecs. 
In an unpublished manuscript: ‘‘Was bedeutet das 
Wort Teonanacatl?’’, Reko points out philologically 
that the name applies to ‘‘divine’’ food of a soft or fleshy 
nature; in this light, it is difficult to see how the term 
could ever have referred to the corky, though succulent, 
peyote, much less to hard, brittle mescal buttons. 
III. Plants and the Peyote Ceremony. 
In the peyote ceremony, there are additional plants 
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