We have now touched upon the etymological connotation of “peyotl,”
and its extended denotation in Mexican usage. But one further matter
remains to be pointed out, _viz._, incorrect identification and
misusages involving peyote. Safford[30] in 1915 adequately indicated the
identity of the modern peyote of the Plains with the peiotl of Sahagún
and other earlier Spanish writers. Not content, however, with proving
this somewhat obvious point, he went beyond and even contrary to his
evidence and attempted to prove the identity of peyote with a further
narcotic mentioned in Spanish sources, a yellow thin-stemmed mushroom,
called teo-nanacatl by the Aztec. This confusing and wholly erroneous
identification is discussed at length in an appendix, inasmuch as it has
unfortunately won wide acceptance.
A more widespread error is the application of the terms “mescal,” “mescal
bean” or “mescal button” to the cactus _Lophophora williamsii_ or peyote.
These misusages are common in the literature on peyote, and arise from
confusion with a pre-peyote narcotic of the southern Plains and Texas,
the red bean of _Sophora secundiflora_, a true member of the Bean
Family. The word “mescal” as applied either to the cactus or the bean
is erroneous and misleading, and should properly be applied only to the
“Indian cabbage” (_Agave_ spp.) of the Southwest, or the brandy distilled
from Agave-beer or pulque.[31] The true “mescal bean” is discussed
elsewhere.