FREES 



11 



T-7. CALIFORNIA FAN 

 PALM, Washingtonia fili- 

 fera; Palm Fam. These 

 palms grow in moist alkaline 

 soil below 3500' and are 20'- 

 75' tall, with leaves 3'-6' long, 

 torn almost to the middle, 

 making a ragged appearance. 

 From the long fibrous strings 

 the fruiting branches hang 8" 

 to 21' in large clusters of ber- 

 ries that sway in the wind. 



Berries turn black when 

 ripe and are eagerly eaten by 

 birds and animals. Orioles 

 use the threads from the 

 leaves for nests. 

 Thelndians would roast and eat the berries; also grind them into 

 flour for cakes. Strings from the leaves were used in basket 

 weaving. They would sometimes cut the terminal bud to roast and 

 eat as a great delicacy, but this would cause the tree to die. 

 Leaves were used to thatch their houses and the trunks were some- 

 times used as building timber. 



T-8. JOSHUA TREE, Yucca brevifolia; 

 Lily Fam.. A long-armed, scraggly tree, 

 16'-30' high, usually growing in high deserts ^^| 

 of around 3000'-4500' altitude. The dark 

 brown bark is marked off into small 

 square plates; narrow sharp leaves 

 6-9" long; greenish-white flowers in 

 thick panicle, 8" -14" long. 



The Indians made a red dye 

 from the red rootlets, which were 

 also used for weaving patterns in 

 baskets. Theflower buds were eat- 

 en hot or cold after roasting. They 

 were sweet because of high sug- 

 ar content and were often given as ^ LEAF 

 candy to the children. The pioneers used the wood for fence posts. 



Des. 

 Str. Wd. 



Calif. 



Des. 

 Pin-Jun. 



