Indian breadroot, a perennial herb of the pea, or legume family 

 (Leguminosae), is widely distributed from Alberta to New Mexico, 

 Texas, Missouri, and Wisconsin. It is especially well known in the 

 Great Plains region, being most abundant on the dry prairie lands 

 and foothills of Montana, the Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas, and Mis- 

 souri. It grows on a variety of soils at fairly low elevations in the 

 open grasslands as scattered individuals; but never occurs in dense 

 stands. 



This species, originally collected along the Missouri River by Meri- 

 wether Lewis, of the Lewis and Clark expedition (1804-G), was 

 described and named in 1814 by the Saxon-American botanist, Fred- 

 erick T. Pursh. Both the specific name escwlenta and the common 

 name breadroot refer to the edible root of this plant; esculenta 

 is a Latin adjective, meaning edible. This plant is known under a 

 variety of names as : the pomme blanche or pomme de prairie of the 

 early French voyageurs, Indian turnip, prairie turnip, prairie potato 

 or white apple of the American settlers, the aha or esharusha of the 

 Crow Indians, and the tipsinnah of the Sioux Indians. 12 Since 

 Indian breadroot was undoubtedly one of the most important Indian 

 food plants of western North America, the English name is a very 

 appropriate one. 



Havard (in Maisch) 1 states that Indian breadroot was mentioned 

 by all the explorers and French-Canadian voyageurs and coureurs 

 de bois who first traded with the Indians of the western prairies, 

 and "is in its best condition when the flowers begin to fade, in the 

 latter part of July." Lewis and Clark 3 reported that the Indians 

 ate both raw and cooked roots of this plant. The dried roots were 

 pulverized into a fine powder for use in soups ; the boiled roots were 

 mixed with berries and other materials for puddings. Pursh 4 

 writes that 



The Indians collected the roots in large quantities, and if for present use they 

 roast them in the ashes, when they give a food similar to yams ; if intended 

 for winter use, they are carefully dried and preserved in a dry place in their 

 huts. When wanted for use, they are mashed between two stones, mixed 

 with some water, and baked in cakes over the coals. It is a wholesome and 

 nourishing food, * * *. This root has been frequently found by travel- 

 ers in the canoes of the Indians, but the plant which produces it has not been 

 known until lately. 



Gilmore 5 states that the Indians of the Plains, after peeling the 

 roots, braided them into long strings by their tapering ends, as 

 strings of garlic are braided by the tops. These were then dried in 

 the sunshine or over a fire. 3 When sliced and dried, the roots may 

 be stored for several years without deterioration. 1 



Indian breadroot was reputedly introduced into Europe about 

 1800 by Lamare-Picquot, a French voyageur, who recommended it 

 as a substitute for the potato. It was cultivated for some time in 

 France, where it was known as picquoticme; however, the results 



1 Maisch, J. M. USEFUL PLANTS OF THE GENUS PSORALEA. Amer. Jour. Pharm. 

 61 : 345-352. 1889. 



2 Blankinship, J. W. NATIVE ECONOMIC PLANTS OF MONTANA. Mont. Agr. Expt. Sta. 

 Bull. 56, 36 pp. 1905. 



8 Thwaites, R. G. (edited by). ORIGINAL JOURNALS OF THE LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDI- 

 TION 1804-06 ... 8 v., illus. New York. 1904-5. 



4 Pursh, P. FLORAE AMERICAE SEPTENTRIONALIS ... 2 V., illUS. London. 1814. 



5 Gilmore, M. R. ITSES OF PLANTS BY THE INDIANS OF THE- MISSOURI RIVER REGION 

 U. S. Bur. Amer. Ethnol. Bept. (1911-12) 33:45-154, illus. 1919. (Reprinted, 1919.) 



