EXPLANATION OF THE ILLUSTRATION 
Fiaure Il. Mescal buttons, the dried crowns of 
Lophophora Williamsii. These are ““type’” speci- 
mens collected in Mexico in 1892 by the explorer, 
Carl Lumholtz, and sent to the Gray Herbarium. 
The Mexican Indians who collect peyote string the 
newly cut crowns on rope and hang them on the 
backs of mules to dry on the journey home from 
the peyote fields, hence the central perforation in 
the lower button. Above: View of the top of the 
dried crown showing the tufts of matted hair 
still persisting on the areolae. Below: View of the 
base of the crown where it was cut from the 
root. Natural size. Fruit Room Collection (unnum- 
bered), Gray Herbarium, Harvard University. 
[70] 
