HERBS 



33 



H-1. HORSETAIL, 

 page 3 under W-2. 



Equisetum sp. See 



H-2. WILD ONIONS, Allium sp. The 

 long, slender leaves and the onion-smelling 

 foliage are typical. It was mainly the larger 

 species with large bulbs that Indians used. 



Aztecs chewed the bulbs to relieve flatu- 

 lency and as food. California Indians ate the 

 bulbs raw and cooked them also over hot ash- 

 es. The whole plant was used as an insect 

 repellant by rubbing on the body. , It is re- 

 puted to be useful as a diuretic (increasing 

 the flow of urine) in kidney disorders. 



Flowers are rose, reddish-purple and 

 white in color; leaves 2-4" or more high. 



H-3. INDIAN 

 SOAP ROOT, 

 or AMOLE, 

 Chlorogalum. 

 2'-3' tall herb, 

 with narrow, 

 fluted leaves, 

 a brown, fi- 

 brous ly coated 

 bulb, and large 

 white flowers 

 with green 



veins. 



Indians dug 

 up the large 

 bulb and strip- 

 ped off the outer 

 fibrous mesh, 

 which was left 

 to dry. These 

 dried fibers 

 became a fine 



brush, being tightly tied together with more fibers at one end for 

 the handle. The inner mucilaginous layer was scraped and worked 

 into the handle, then put in the sun for a day or two to harden. 



Water 

 Str. Wd. 

 Mead. 

 Marsh 



Most States 

 W. Can. 



Most Hab. 



Most States 

 W. Can. 



Grass 

 Oak 



Calif. 



