QUIROGA: a MEXICAN MUNICIPIO — BRAND 



147 



Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.; Anthemis nobilis L.), 

 dogfennel, mayflower, manzanilla. Second most com- 

 mon cultivated medicinal plant. 



Chupire {Euphorbia calyculata H. B. K.), chupirini. 

 Native to the Pdtzcuaro Basin; planted along fence- 

 lines, as ornamental, and used for venereal diseases. 

 Very common. 



Datura {Datura tatula L.), toloache, torescua. Rare, but 

 of many uses. Formerly important in native ceremonies 

 and curations. 



Horehound {Marrubium vulgare L.), marrubio. Common, 

 mainly as a weed. 



Lemon grass {Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf), te de 

 limdn. Rare. 



Nurite (CedroneUa mexicana Benth.; Clinopodium laevi- 

 gaium Standi.; and possibly one or two other species), 

 noriien, te nuriten, te nurite, toronjil. Mainly wild. 



Opium poppy {Papaver somniferum L.), adormidera, 

 sharaka-tzitziki. Rare. 



Peruvian peppertree {Schinus molle L.), pirul, Arbol del 

 peril. Only a few trees for ornament, and medicinal 

 parts. 



Rue {Ruta graveolens L. ; Rula chalapensis L.), ruda, 

 acuitze-huariracua. The most widely cultivated medic- 

 inal plant in the Quiroga area; found in approximately 

 10 percent of the patios and solares. 



Te de Huerta (not identified definitelj') • Fairly common. 



Tepoza (Buddleia sessiliflora H. B. K. ; Buddleia parviflora 

 H. B. K.; and at least two other species), tepozdn, jara 

 tepoza, tepuza. Mainly wild, but fairly common in 

 cultivation. 



Tobacco (Nicotiana rustica L.; Nicotiana tabacum L.; 

 Nicotiana mexicana Schlecht.; Nicotiana glauca Graham), 

 tabaco, andumucua, sinchacua, and other terms for the 

 first three native tobaccos; buenamoza and &rbol de 

 tabaco for the last species which was introduced from 

 southern South America. The buenamoza is cultivated 

 as an ornamental and medicinal plant and has escaped. 

 The three native tobaccos at present are rather uncom- 

 mon medicinal plants. Formerly tobacco was a 

 panacea, and was much used by the Tarascans, es- 

 pecially in chewed form. The number of synonyms for 

 the above four species, and for the various parts of the 

 plant and forms of use, is enormous. Probably tobacco 

 was the most valued nonfood plant among the Tarascans. 

 An entire book could be written on the history and 

 uses of tobacco in Michoacdn. The decrease in local 

 cultivation was probably due to the missionaries, who 

 associated tobacco with the pagan ceremonies of the 

 Indians. There is only one small commercial planting 

 on part of a solar. 



Several hundred species of ornamental plants 

 are grown in the Quiroga area. They include 

 trees (such as the lovely frangipani or cundahua — 

 a Plumeria, ashes, cypresses, jacarandas, privits, 

 and many others) , shi-ubs and large climbing vines 

 (such as bougainvilleas, poinsettias, daturas, 

 yuccas, jasmines, palms, bananas, etc.), and a 

 multitude of introduced and native flowering 



herbs, ferns, etc. In this report we have the space 

 only to mention the more important of the shi'ubs 

 and herbs. Less than 15 percent of the houses and 

 patios have no ornamental herbs or shrubs ; about 

 50 percent have the ornamentals planted in the 

 patio; and the remainder, about 35 percent, have 

 plants in macetas and also planted in the patio. 

 The flowerpots, commonly of crude terra cotta and 

 varying considerably in size, are arranged around 

 the patio, in the corridor or back porch, and on 

 ledges and benches. Frequently small macetas 

 with succulents, tradescantias, ferns, and other 

 plants are himg from the rafters or vigas in the 

 corridor. The most modest establishments may 

 have only two or three planted pelargoniums; the 

 typical home will have several potted pelargoni- 

 ums, ferns, and begonias, and several ornamental 

 shrubs planted in the patio — such as roses, bou- 

 gainvilleas, yuccas, etc. ; and the homes of the well- 

 to-do convert the inner patio into a mass of potted 

 plants and planted herbs, shrubs, and trees of great 

 variety. The most common floral association is 

 of malvas, geranios, and helechos. (See list below 

 for the meaning of these names.) Often the 

 helechos are supplanted by begonias, claveles, or 

 azucenas. These plants, together with roses and 

 bougainvilleas, make up more than 80 percent 

 of all the ornamental plants cultivated in Quiroga. 

 The local terminology is quite varied, and often 

 difl^ers greatly from that employed in other parts 

 of Mexico known to us. In the foUowing list the 

 leading ornamental plants are arranged in the 

 approximate order of frequency in the Quu'oga 

 area. The first native name given is that which 

 is most commonly used. Wherever possible the 

 plants have been identified exactly, but in some 

 cases only the genus or even only the family could 

 be determined. It is of interest that such native 

 Mexican flowers as the dahha, cosmos, zirmia, 

 marigold, tiger flower, tuberose, lantana, four- 

 o'clock, and morning-glory, are not important. 

 Perhaps this is because most of them are so com- 

 mon in the wild state. Among introduced flowers 

 it was surprising to us to note the comparative 

 paucity of such as oleanders, gardenias, and 

 camehas. 



Malva and Geranio {Pelargonium spp.). What the Mexi- 

 cans call a malva or malvon is not a mallow but a Pelar- 

 gonium, and the geranio is not a member of the genus 

 Geranium (with one minor exception) but is also a 

 Pelargonium of South African origin. There seem to be 

 5 to 7 species, represented by strains with white, pink, 



