Ynes Mexia

Ynes Mexia was a Mexican who lived her life as an explorer and botanist for the United States. She started off as a social worker, but at age 51, she took botany classes at the University of Berkeley in California. She made numerous expeditions to Brazil, Peru, Chile, Ecuador, Colombia, Argentina, and Alaska, where she discovered over 500 species of plant.

Species she discovered that were named after her are Mimosa mexiae and Mexianthus mexicanus.

When citing a botanical name, she is abbreviated as Mexia.