330 PLANTS USED BY INDIANS OF MENDOCINO COUNTY, CAL. 
IRIDACEAE. Iris Family. 
Iris douglasiana Ierbert. 
Si-lim’ (Pomo—several tribes).—The common flag of the region, 
which grows in clumps a foot or so high, on hillsides throughout the 
country. The edges of the leaves are as fine and strong as silk and 
used te be gathered for the purpose of making the strongest kinds of 
nets and ropes. As the margin of the leaf is alone used, the work of 
making anything from it was exceedingly laborious. The silky 
strands were separated from the leaf and thoroughly cleaned from other 
tissues by means of a sharp-edged oblong piece of abalone shell, which 
was fastened to the thumband used to scrape the fiber. Frank Youree 
informed me that it took nearly six weeks to make a rope twelve feet 
long. The rope, which was exceedingly strong and very pliable, was 
especially valuable in making snares to catch deer, and on this account 
it was known as ‘‘deer rope.” Very few of the snares are now in the 
possession of the Indians, but one man at Round Valley recently made 
several to sell to a dealer in Indian curios at Ukiah. 
A very novel use of the leaves was made a long time ago by the 
Yokia squaws and was related to me somewhat as follows: When, in 
their search after manzanita berries on hot, dry hillsides, they were 
compelled to take their babies with them, they would wrap them up 
well with the soft, flexible green leaves, and thus, by retarding perspi- 
ration, save them from extreme thirst. The Yuki name for the plant 
is chée-wish',; the Wailaki, 2he-/d’-tsa"’-chit, 
ORCHIDACEAE. Orchis Family. 
Limodorum giganteum (Dougl.) Kuntze. 
H1o-dim' (Yokia).—The leafy brown and green flowered swamp 
orchis, which grows along mountain streams throughout the region, 
sometimes known as Ap/pactis gigantea Dougl. Specimens were col- 
lected near Ukiah and shown only to the Indians in that locality. 
They drink a decoction of the roots to combat mania and the most 
severe cases of illness, when they are ‘sick all over” and can neither 
walk nor move. 
SALICACEAE. Willow Family. 
Populus fremontii Wats. 
Pit'-mil (Yuki).—The common or Fremont cottonwood, which is 
native to the region and is commonly cultivated as a shade tree. A 
decoction from the bark is used as a wash for bruises and cuts, espe- 
cially for the sores on horses caused by chafing. The wood is used to 
a slight extent for fuel. 
