Career
Ynes mexia spent her career as a substantive researcher working under the auspices of several academic institutions, including Stanford University and the University of California. She also undertook a journey on behalf of the Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Plant Industry and Exploration. Although most of her work was fulfilled in Mexico and South America, Mexia also traveled as far north as Mount McKinley Park in Alaska. In 1925 Mexia took a summer course on flowering plants at the Hopkins Marine Station in Pacific Grove, California. Class was a revelation for the fifty-five year old student. Stinchfield Ferris on an expedition to Mexico sponsored by Stanford University, where she fell off a cliff injuring her ribs and hand, but she still returned with over 500 plant species.
In 1926 she went on her own through western Mexico where she found over 33,000 specimens including a plant genus and almost 55 new plant species. In the summer of 1928 Ynes traveled to Mount McKinley Park in Alaska where she found over 6,100 plant specimens. The following year she set off to Brazil and Peru, returning in March 1932 with 65,000 specimens. By October 1935 Mexia was back in the andes as a member of University of California Botanical Expedition in search of a variety of items. When she went to the Straits of Magellan she collected about 15,000 specimens including plants and animals. The winter of 1937 and the spring of 1938 were her last expeditions. On this trip she comcentrated her efforts in Guerrero and Oaxaca, Mexico. Due to a stomach disease, Mexia was forced to return early with an estimate of 13,000 specimens. Unfortunately, a few monts later she dided of lung cancer in Berkeley, California.
In 1926 she went on her own through western Mexico where she found over 33,000 specimens including a plant genus and almost 55 new plant species. In the summer of 1928 Ynes traveled to Mount McKinley Park in Alaska where she found over 6,100 plant specimens. The following year she set off to Brazil and Peru, returning in March 1932 with 65,000 specimens. By October 1935 Mexia was back in the andes as a member of University of California Botanical Expedition in search of a variety of items. When she went to the Straits of Magellan she collected about 15,000 specimens including plants and animals. The winter of 1937 and the spring of 1938 were her last expeditions. On this trip she comcentrated her efforts in Guerrero and Oaxaca, Mexico. Due to a stomach disease, Mexia was forced to return early with an estimate of 13,000 specimens. Unfortunately, a few monts later she dided of lung cancer in Berkeley, California.