30 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [Feb., 



showy heads like those of the sunflower. Cymopterus longipes, 

 an-dzup' ', is an umbellate widely distributed and abundant like the 

 preceding form. It is an early spring plant with tufted leaves of 

 pinnately decompound form and with umbels of yellow flowers. 

 The leaves of this plant in season furnished a standard and favorite 

 dish. The leaves of the closely related Cymopterus montanus were 

 not eaten, though the rootstocks and proximal portions of the petioles 

 were. Among many other plants of which the leaves were eaten may 

 be mentioned Troximon aurantiacum, mu'-tci-gi, native water-cress 

 (Nasturtium), pa'-mu, and Ranunculus aquatilis, the entire plants of 

 the latter form being used. The entire plant of the cancer-root 

 (Aphyllon fasciculatum) , po'-ho-ru, a pale leafless parasite growing 

 upon the roots of the sage-brush and several species of Eriogonum, 

 was also eaten. The stems of the plumed thistle (Cnicus edulis), 

 po'-gwo, as did also in quantity the lower tender stems and root-stocks 

 of the bulrush (Scirpus validus and maritimus), saip. A plant of 

 primary importance to the Gosiute, because it furnished one of their 

 most valued medicines, but which was also the source of a certain 

 amount of food, is Ferula multifida. Only the youngest shoots, just 

 as they were breaking through the ground, were used as food, the 

 ill-tasting older growths being rejected as unusable. 



Of the plants that furnished food to the Gosiutes in the form of 

 roots, root-stocks, tubers and bulbs, none is popularly so well known 

 as the beautiful Calochortus nuttalli, si'-go, to the Indians, whence our 

 common name sego, which is the State flower of Utah. The bulbs of 

 this lily were formerly gathered as food. Not only were they eaten 

 in season, but they were preserved in quantity for winter use by being 

 dried and placed in pits like those described below. From these pits 

 they were taken as needed. They were most commonly cooked with 

 meat in " stews." When the Mormons first arrived in Utah and the 

 struggle for food was so severe with them, they learned from the In- 

 dians the value of this article, and the digging of the bulbs in the 

 spring did much in many families to stave off starvation. 



Another lily furnishing an edible bulb is Fritillaria pudica, wi'-na-go, 

 a yellow-flowered form blooming in the mountains in early spring. 

 It was much less important, however, than the sego. The Camassia, 

 pa'si-go, furnished a more important food of this class and in some 

 sections where more available was extensively used. The bulbs of 

 the wild onions (Allium bisceptrum, etc.), kiin'-ga, and those of the 

 common spring beauty (Claytonia caroliniana) , dzi'-na, were also eaten 

 in season, but are said not to have been preserved for winter use. 



