370 PLANTS USED BY INDIANS OF MENDOCINO COUNTY, CAL. 
‘star flower,” because it opens only at night; but it well deserves the 
more elegant and distinguishing name of ‘* blazing star,” which has 
been applied to it more generally. The plants grow singly or in patches 
on the dry rocky beds of streams throughout the county, blossoming 
late in summer. The Indian name signifies *‘ sticky plant” and was 
applied because the leaves, which are densely covered with short 
barbed hairs, stick to the clothes of passers-by. A decoction of the 
leaves is used internally to relieve stomach acne and as a wash in some 
loathsome skin diseases. The Little Lake name is ¢/. 
DATISCACEAE. Datisca Family. 
Datisca glomerata (Presl) Benth. & Hook. 
Hi cha-hia' ka-la’ (Pomo).—A smooth, stout, very leafy perennial, 
5 to 7 feet high, which bears very considerable resemblance in’ the 
form and arrangement of the leaves to the nettle. It may at once be 
distinguished from the latter by the absence of stinging hairs. —Speci- 
mens of this plant were coliected near Ukiah, none having been observed 
at Round Valley. It grows rather sparingly along mountain streams, 
being more common southward. The name given above signifies 
**bitter-sick tree.” The plant is herbaceous, except that it is slightly 
woody at the base, but its leaves and roots are most intensely bitter 
and give the saliva a greenish-yellow tinge. Both parts are used, even 
at the present time, to procure trout, being manipulated in exactly the 
same manner as soap root. It is said that water newts and frogs are 
not affected by the juice when applied in this way, but that trout are 
killed very quickly. My Yokia informant told me that their name for 
the plant is wen, and that it is a good ‘fish medicine.” 
ONAGRACEAE. Evening Primrose Family. 
Boisduvalia densiflora (Lindl.) Wats. 
Mii-se'-pal (Pomo). —A_ widely branching, very leafy annual with 
numerous small rose-colored flowers in the axils of each leaf. The 
fruit is a cylindrical capsule about three-fourths of an inch long, which 
bears numerous tiny gray seeds. The plant is abundant in low, damp 
soils throughout the county. The seed has a rich nutty flavor, and is 
largély gathered for pinole and for bread. 
Godetia albescens Lindl. 
Lel'-mil (Yuki).-A stout, ereet, leafy annual, 1 to 2 feet high, 
which bears numerous purple flowers about an inch in diameter, in 
dense spikes on short, leafy branches at the top of the stem. It grows 
rather commonly in moist bottom land in Round Valley. The seed is 
borne in great abundance, and is used at the present time for pinole. 
A decoction of the leaves is said to be an excellent wash for sore eyes. 
The Pomo name is bé-mo"'. 
