Biography

Mexican professor and botanist, Maximino Martínez taught in many Mexican educational institutions and created numerous botanical works, particularly focusing on pine species. Born in the town of Regla, Hidalgo, his father died when Martínez was just three years old, leaving him to be brought up by his mother in Pachuca. It was here that he received his primary education and at 14 he entered the Scientific Literary Institute, receiving the title of Professor of Primary Instruction in 1907. In 1910 he began to teach and would continue to do so for the following 38 years, moving to Mexico City in 1913 and teaching geography in the Escuela Normal and mathematics in the National Preparatory School. From 1914 Martínez worked for the National Museum of Natural History in their botany section and was later amongst the founders of their Biological Studies Directorate. In this institution he developed his interest in botany, the basis for which he had built up over the years though personal study, and began to research and publish works on the local flora. During this period he created a catalogue of Mexican common and scientific plant names (1923) and a book on the beneficial plants of Mexico (1928).

In 1929 the Biological Studies Directorate became the Institute of Biology, functioning under the National University, but he was not employed by this new organisation and the same year he finished teaching at the National Preparatory Institute. By 1931 Martínez had begun to collect plants more regularly, although ultimately much of his herbarium was obtained from other collectors. Following the publication of his Medicinal Plants of Mexico (1933) he dedicated his time to teaching at secondary level before focusing his attention on the Pinaceae family. In 1944 Martínez produced a large work on the pines of Mexico and the same year was employed by the Institute of Biology as a researcher, undertaking an exploratory trip to Baja California Sur. Between 1943 and his retirement in 1948 he taught systematic botany at the National Polytechnic Institute and was responsible for founding their herbarium. During the years that followed his official retirement Martínez continued as a researcher under the Institute of Botany as well as working for the State of México's Commission for Botanical Exploration, creating a regional flora.

During his life Martínez published 14 works on the pine family and revised the group of some 300 species for the flora of Mexico. Dedicated to education he also wrote zoological and botanical texts for teaching purposes. Amongst the founders of the Botanical Society of Mexico in 1941 he served as their president (1941-1944) and secretary thereafter until his death in 1964, he also edited their publication. In recognition of his work Martínez received a doctorate honoris causa from the Latin American University of Havana, a certificate of merit at the 50th anniversary of the Botanical Society of America (1956) and a gold medal at the first Mexican Botanical Congress (1960). Having taught in the National Agricultural School (currently the University of Chapingo) their herbarium of medicinal plants bares his name, as does the pine species Pinus maximartinezii Rzedowski (1964).

Sources:
J. Rzedowski, 1965, "Maximino Martinez (1888-1964)", Taxon, 14(6): 173-178
J. Rzedowski, G. Calderón de Rzedowski and A. Butanda, 2009, Los principales colectores de plantas activos en México entre 1700 y 1930
Maximino Martínez, Ensayos Biográficos, Red Escolar (Mexico 2004):
http://www.redesc.ilce.edu.mx/redescolar/publicaciones/publi_quepaso/maximinomartinez.htm.

Biography

Mexican professor and botanist, Maximino Martínez taught in many Mexican educational institutions and created numerous botanical works, particularly focusing on pine species. Born in the town of Regla, Hidalgo, his father died when Martínez was just three years old, leaving him to be brought up by his mother in Pachuca. It was here that he received his primary education and at 14 he entered the Scientific Literary Institute, receiving the title of Professor of Primary Instruction in 1907. In 1910 he began to teach and would continue to do so for the following 38 years, moving to Mexico City in 1913 and teaching geography in the Escuela Normal and mathematics in the National Preparatory School. From 1914 Martínez worked for the National Museum of Natural History in their botany section and was later amongst the founders of their Biological Studies Directorate. In this institution he developed his interest in botany, the basis for which he had built up over the years though personal study, and began to research and publish works on the local flora. During this period he created a catalogue of Mexican common and scientific plant names (1923) and a book on the beneficial plants of Mexico (1928).

In 1929 the Biological Studies Directorate became the Institute of Biology, functioning under the National University, but he was not employed by this new organisation and the same year he finished teaching at the National Preparatory Institute. By 1931 Martínez had begun to collect plants more regularly, although ultimately much of his herbarium was obtained from other collectors. Following the publication of his Medicinal Plants of Mexico (1933) he dedicated his time to teaching at secondary level before focusing his attention on the Pinaceae family. In 1944 Martínez produced a large work on the pines of Mexico and the same year was employed by the Institute of Biology as a researcher, undertaking an exploratory trip to Baja California Sur. Between 1943 and his retirement in 1948 he taught systematic botany at the National Polytechnic Institute and was responsible for founding their herbarium. During the years that followed his official retirement Martínez continued as a researcher under the Institute of Botany as well as working for the State of México's Commission for Botanical Exploration, creating a regional flora.

During his life Martínez published 14 works on the pine family and revised the group of some 300 species for the flora of Mexico. Dedicated to education he also wrote zoological and botanical texts for teaching purposes. Amongst the founders of the Botanical Society of Mexico in 1941 he served as their president (1941-1944) and secretary thereafter until his death in 1964, he also edited their publication. In recognition of his work Martínez received a doctorate honoris causa from the Latin American University of Havana, a certificate of merit at the 50th anniversary of the Botanical Society of America (1956) and a gold medal at the first Mexican Botanical Congress (1960). Having taught in the National Agricultural School (currently the University of Chapingo) their herbarium of medicinal plants bares his name, as does the pine species Pinus maximartinezii Rzedowski (1964).

Sources:
J. Rzedowski, 1965, "Maximino Martinez (1888-1964)", Taxon, 14(6): 173-178
J. Rzedowski, G. Calderón de Rzedowski and A. Butanda, 2009, Los principales colectores de plantas activos en México entre 1700 y 1930
Maximino Martínez, Ensayos Biográficos, Red Escolar (Mexico 2004):
http://www.redesc.ilce.edu.mx/redescolar/publicaciones/publi_quepaso/maximinomartinez.htm.