I too know how hot lips was brought to america and I thought I read somewhere exactly where it was discovered but cant recall that info. The best info I can find now is that it was near the chiapas area of southeast mexico. Here is a link to a map which shows that area.

Steve

"The manner by which this plant reached cultivation is a story in itself. Richard Turner, editor of Pacific Horticulture Magazine, threw a house warming party, for which his Mexican maid Altagracia provided flowers, including a certain salvia from Oaxaca, Mexico, which none of Altagracia's boss's horticultural buddies had ever seen before."

If anyone has this information, it would be Altagracia. This may be futile, because it probably was a pass-along plant amongst her family and neighbors of Oaxaca. The original may not have even come from Oaxaca. To have developed its hardiness and durability, it probably was reselected a number of times as well. Microphylla might not even be native to the area.

Part of the reason microphylla may be so variable and widespread may be that it was an easily carried around and maintained plant.

On my trip with Carl & John of Yucca-Do during 1991 in northeastern Mexico, we saw two impressive plantings of Salvia darcyi in two cottage gardens. I don't know where the type location for that one is, and it may not have one.