3 



It ls without a doubt that in the study of the Opuntia and mostly in the cultivated 

 species, the mdigenous names will be very important. I unfortunately did not have the 

 time to unscramble their difficult synonymy. In the meantime I was able to note many 

 mdigenous names, and reassure myself that they always designated the same species or 

 vaneties. For example: Mazul or Mazula (Opuntia stenopetala); Quija ( the j is 

 pronounced hke in German)( Opuntia Dillenii), Coionostle (Op. imbricata); TasajiHo 

 Op. frutescens); Clavellina (Op.tunicata); Duraznillo (Op. fulvispina); Toeonostle 

 (species with an acid fruit like the Cereus of the same name); Alfajacuya (Op. maximaV 

 Camuessa (Op. crassa?). Among the species cultivated more or less next to the species 

 ficus indiea: la Pelona, la Bianca, Amarilla, Mansa, Ceniza, Chavena, Tuna de 

 Castilla,etc. and then the famous Cardona de San Luis Potosi (new species?) la Tapona 

 (sp.?), etc. etc. All these names are perfectly known by all the natives. It would be very 

 important to note them so as to facilitate future synonymy. 

 I was Willing to establish a general pattern, something like a canvas in which some 

 details would be missing, but could be filled easily by future explorers and specially by 

 the native scholars. In the first place as I already have mentioned, my medical duties did 

 not leave me enough free time to make lengthy and multiple excursions. Following the 

 orticial Cooperation, that is to say the facilities that could have been offered by the ' 

 mihtary, were nearly completely ml. It is true that a scientific commission for the 

 exploranonot Mexico was established in Paris. There was a big cry that they wanted to 

 know the Mexico, hke in the past the scholars that accompanied Bonaparte made 

 bgypt known; but this commission could not utilize the elements that they had 

 available; m the expeditionary army they could have found a certain number of studious 

 men that could be sufficiently instructed to fumish precious material; but scientific 

 work is nor honored nor encouraged in the French Army. The Paris Commission did not 

 send a Single member to Mexico. They were content in sending some poorly educated 

 scholars who were not part of the Army and therefore did not use its facilities to 

 travel throughout the country with the regiments. Nearly all of them thought it was 

 more comfortable to live for the duration of the expedition, in Mexico City or in other 

 eitles of good size. Botany was represented by a brave and dignified man Mr 

 Bourjeaud, who is usually employed in the herbarium of the Jardin des Plantes in Paris 

 But he knew nothing about Botany as he was employed in picking up the leaves from 

 the floor and placmg them in paper bags. He was good at that but this was insufficient 

 m a country where the Vegetation is represented by the succulent plants, Cacti Agave 

 Alves, Euphona, Dalyndion, Yuccas, Palmiera, etc. etc. Certainly a capable collector' 

 could render great Services, but would have to be directed by a botanist capable of 

 studymg and describing on the spot. In addition this collector did not know how to ride 

 a horse and could only be in a herbarium in Mexico or in Cordoba, that is to say in 

 places that have already been visited by hundreds of botanical collectors 

 There was also a man in Charge of sending the most remarkable plants to France from a 

 horticultural Standpoint, but this one seemed to me to be only a common gardener 

 depnved of botanical knowledge that could have been important to him. His envovs bv 

 the way, contained very little material. ' 

 In the summit of the Paris Commission, botany was represented by Mr Decaisne 

 Professor of the Jardin des Plantes. Düring the first months of 1 864, as soon as the 

 commission was founded, I wrote Mr. Decaisne, to offer him my Services giving him 

 an aecount of the work I had aecomplished. I offered to send him the herbs and to 



