POTATO FAMILY. 385 
Scutellaria californica A. Gray. 
La'-mil (Yuki).—A low, simple-stemmed plant, with opposite, odor- 
less leaves and large yellowish-white flowers, which grows in large 
patches on the dry banks of streams. 
The leaves were known to a white man who was well versed in 
Indian lore, assbeing intensely bitter, and it was thought by him that 
the Indians use them as a substitute for quinine for chills and fever. 
This application was, however, disclaimed by all of the Indians con- 
sulted. The plant appears to be worthy of an investigation. 
Trichostema lanceolatum (Gray. 
Lel'-mil (Yuki).—-The very peculiar little blue-flowered annual, 
which covers dry grassy hillsides with its ashy-gray verdure through- 
out the summer months, and exhales a strong pungent odor, somewhat 
like that of a mixture of vinegar and turpentine. On account of the 
peculiar shape of the flowers the plant is commonly called blue curls, 
but it isalso known as *‘ vinegar weed” and ** tarweed,” the latter name 
being applied to it on account of its sticky exudation, which is so 
troublesome when it gets on the clothing of persons passing through 
fields where it is abundant. 
This plant is best known as a fish poison, its use for this purpose 
being especially well known to the Concow and Numlaki Indians, 
who formerly inhabited the Sacramento Valley. These tribes mash 
up the fresh plants with rocks and throw this product, without any 
additional ingredient, into pools or sluggish streams. ‘The fish are 
quickly intoxicated and float to the surface, when they are easily 
‘aught by hand or scooped out of the water with shallow sieve baskets 
made of small wands of willow. More often, however, other ingre- 
dients, such as soap root or turkey mullein leaves, are added. These 
two plants are considered to be much more poisonous than the blue 
curls, but the latter is preferred to the fresh leaves and fruit of the 
buckeye, which are occasionally used for the same purpose. 
The Concows also especially value an infusion of the leaves as a 
head wash for the cure of feverish headaches. In summer the extract 
is prepared by simply souking the leaves in cold water; warm water 
is used in winter. Mixed with a decoction of the leaves of the turkey 
mullein, the extract of the leaves is valued to some extent as a wash 
in cases of typhoid fever. The Wailaki name for the plant is dots- 
chang’ -she-bog-t. 
SOLANACEAE. Potato Family. 
Datura stramonium L. 
Several specimens of the common Jimson weed were observed in the 
streets of Covelo, and it was seen more plentifully around Ukiah, but 
no Indian name could be obtained for the plant and no use was assigned 
6703—No. 83—01——7 
