The Salvia divinorum Research and Information Center - Shroomery

The Identities of pipiltzintzintli
I have to mention these details, now that an ambitious young Harvard
student, having turned literary pirate, has taken credit for my discoveries
(The identification of Teonanacatl, by Richard E. Schultes, Botanical
Museum Leaflets, Harvard University, Febr. 21, 1939), after I had
communicated to him the results of my prolonged investigations and
invited him on a botanical expedition to Huautla de Jiménez during the
summer of 1938, where I gave him numerous samples of the aforesaid
mushroom, which had been finally positively identified by Dr. Linder as
Paneolus campanulatus L. var. sphinctrinus (Fr.) Bresadola. Samples
that I sent to professor C.G. Santesson in Stockholm revealed the
presence of a new narcotic glucoalkaloid.
Schultes never did return to Mexico, and turned his research toward South
America.
Weitlaner, himself, was trained and worked for a while as an engineer, but later
switched to anthropology after emigrating to Mexico (Pompa y Pompa 1966). He
led numerous expeditions throughout Mexico and was an expert on the peoples of
Oaxaca. While collecting data on the Chinantecs, he came across a person who
gave him a lot of information about Mazatec healing rites, including the use of
Yerba de María, or S. divinorum. The interview covering the mint went as
follows:
4. USE OF PLANTS IN HEALING
Asking Don S. about the mushroom Teonanacatl, which is found in
Huautla de Jiménez, he said it wasn’t used in Jalapa, but he mentioned
another plant that was called Yerba de María.
The plant somewhat resembles yerba mora but its leaves are a little
wider; only the leaves are used, and they are put in water. First they are
rubbed (crushed) in the hands, the water is not boiled, and they are used
for very specific means. When the curandero goes to the mountain to
search for this plant, he has to kneel down and pray to it before cutting it.
There are only two or three specialists who know this remedy. They
aren’t brujos, and they cut the plants only when they need them, after
praying.
For example, if someone is ill, and the doctors don’t know the disease,
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