54 



THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 



New Jersey tea. It possesses the same saponaceous property. 

 Perhaps the most interesting of our soap-weeds is Chlorogalum 

 pomeridianum, a bulbous lily-like plant of the Pacific Coast, 

 which presents its soapy offering in a particularly neat manner. 

 The bulb is the part used, and this on being dug up is found 

 wrapped in a loose jacket of coarse fibre, which may be readily 



Ceanothus or wild lilac. 



stripped off, taking all stains of earth with it and leaving a 

 clean, moist ball of "s<>ap" for instant use. 



The saponaceous character of most, if not all, of these 

 plants was thoroughly understood by the Indians, and certain 

 tribes in the Southwest employ them to this day in their ablu- 

 tions, particularly in the purification preparatory to religious 

 rites — the use of commercial soap in this connection being 

 considered inadmissible. 



