The Perfect Specimen by Durlynn Anema

The Perfect Specimen by Durlynn Anema

This book came out in 2019, and the subtitle is The 20th Century Renowned Botanist: Ynes Mexia.

This book is a wonderful biography of Ynes Mexia - the Mexican American botanist born in 1870 and who discovered the Sierra Club at age 50. And that led her to her life's calling and her legacy as a botanist.

Imagine a woman of a certain age, her hair silvered by the passing of decades, yet her spirit as vibrant as a newly bloomed rose. Such was Ynes Mexia, a botanist whose life was a testament to the enduring power of curiosity and the thrill of discovery.

In an era when women were often confined to domestic roles, Ynes Mexia dared to break free. At the ripe age of fifty, she embarked on a journey of self-discovery, enrolling in college to pursue her passion for botany. Her transformation was nothing short of miraculous. From a shy, solitary soul, she blossomed into a confident and adventurous explorer.

And so I love what Durlynn wrote in the dedication of this book because she wrote,

This book is dedicated to those people who gained confidence in their abilities later in life.

And that is certainly the case with Ynes Mexia. She loved her experience with the Sierra Club so much that she decided to enroll in botany classes at Berkeley.

In fact, over 16 years, she just kept taking botany classes on and off; She never had the goal of graduating. She just wanted to keep learning - so that's quite a paradigm shift. As the mom of four young adults who are either in college or about to go to college, I love that perspective of being a lifelong learner - which is undoubtedly something that Ynes achieved.

Now, I don't want to give the impression that Ynes was all about coursework and classrooms because that's really only a very small portion of Ynes's story.

Armed with a trowel and a keen eye, Mexia ventured into the untamed wilderness of Mexico, South America, and Alaska. Accompanied by her trusted native guides, she braved treacherous terrain, endured harsh weather conditions, and faced the unknown with unwavering determination. Her expeditions yielded a treasure trove of botanical specimens, including hundreds of previously undiscovered species

Ynes was actually very drawn to fieldwork. She took countless trips through the Southwestern part of the United States into New Mexico and even into South America. She was very drawn to unique plants. She loved sunflowers, and she was a voracious collector. Many scholars argue that Ynes was one of the most accomplished collectors of her time. On her very first collecting trip, she collected over 500 specimens, which is essentially the same amount Darwin collected on his first expedition on The Beagle.

Over her lifetime, Ynes collected over 150,000 specimens -500 of which were brand new plant species that had never been identified before.
Ynes's story sadly came to an end in 1938 due to lung cancer. She was actually in Mexico on a plant collecting trip when she just could not go on any longer.

So she cut her trip short, returned to the United States, and then died at Berkeley that summer on June 12th.

And aside from her staggering amount of work, Ynes left a legacy when part of her estate was donated to the Redwood Preserve in California (which I think of as kind of a full-circle moment - harkening back to her work with the Sierra Club.)

And so, forty acres of the Mexia estate were donated to the preserve, and one of the very tallest trees was named in honor of Ynes - a woman who is definitely worthy of a biography.

I also wanted to share just a bit of what Durlynn wrote in the author's note at the beginning of this book because I think it does a beautiful job of outlining the extraordinary nature of Ynes's story.

Durlynn writes,

Most successful people, no matter their endeavor or occupation, find inspiration through either a parent, an important or inspirational person or an event.

This is not the case with Ynes Mexia.

A shy, quiet girl. She seemed to fade into the background with both her parents. She led a lonely life, which ironically aided her in her later endeavors.

Mexia's is a story of retreat into self in the early years, and then blossoming to reach her highest potential after 50 years old. It is also the story of a doctor, who during the infancy of psychiatry and psychology, mentored this woman to her potential and became the father figure she never had.

Read, marvel, and enjoy Ynes Mexia's story.

Clearly Ynes’s story is not merely one of scientific achievement. It is a tale of personal triumph, of a woman who defied societal expectations and embraced her true calling. Her journey from a lonely young woman to a celebrated botanist is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.

But Mexia’s legacy extends far beyond her botanical discoveries. She was a pioneer in the environmental movement, advocating for the preservation of natural habitats and the protection of endangered species. Her tireless efforts have left an enduring impact on the world we inhabit.

If you are a woman of a certain age who yearns for adventure, inspiration, and a touch of the extraordinary, Ynes Mexia’s story is a must-read. It is a celebration of curiosity, courage, and the enduring power of the human spirit. So, grab your trowel, put on your hiking boots, and embark on your own botanical adventure with this remarkable woman as your guide.

This book is 174 pages about the life of the renowned botanist Ynes Mexia.

You can get a copy of The Perfect Specimen by Durlynn Anema and support the show using the Amazon link in today's show notes for around $14.