<5ii«"RK] TAXONOMIC LIST OF PLANTS gg 



pcska. White Horse, an old medicine-man of the Omaha, told me of 

 a i-emedial use of Andropngon which he had obtained by purchase 

 from an Oto medicine-man. A decoction of the lower bhvdes of this 

 grass chopped fine was drunk in cases of general debility and lan- 

 guor without definitely known cause. The same decocticm was used 

 also for bathing in case of fevers, for this purpose a cut being made 

 on the top of the head to which the decoction was applied. The peo- 

 ple had great dread of fevers because of the evil effect they were sup- 

 posed to liave on the mind : this no doubt was because of delirium 

 which often accompanies fe\er. 



Cyperaceae 



SciRPUS VALiors Vahl. Bulrush. 



Psa (Dakota). 



Sa-hi (Omaha-Ponca). 



Sistat (Pawnee). 



The tender white part at the base of the stem of the bulrush was 

 eaten fresh and raw by the Dakota. The stems were used to weave 

 into matting by all the tribes. A medicine-man of the Pawnee 

 evinced lively interest when he saw a specimen in my collection, but 

 did not communicate any information about it, a fact from which I 

 infer it has some ceremonial use. 



Akaceae 



Arisaema TRiPHVixtJM (L.) Torr. Jack-in-the-pulpit. (PI. 4.) 

 Mlkasi-muka" (Omaha-Ponca), "coyote medicine.'' 

 Nikso kwor'ik. kahfsu nitawau (Pawnee) ; medicine (or herb) 

 kahtsii: that bears, nifawau; what resembles, kororik; an ear of 

 corn, nikso. The name is strikingly descripti\e of the ripened 

 fruit. 

 This i^lant is used medicinally by the Pawnee. When a Pawnee 

 medicine-man saw my specimen he evinced lively interest and 

 showed me a bag containing tlie pulverized corm, but was unwilling 

 to tell me its use. Another Pawnee medicine-man, however, told 

 me of its use in treating headache by dusting on the top of the head 

 and on the temples. 



The corm was pulverized and applied as a counterirritant for 

 rheumatism and similar pains, as irritant plasters are used by white 

 people. 



The seeds of this plant were put into gourd shells by the Pawnee 

 to make rattles. 



AcoRus CALAMUS L. Sweet Flag, Calamus. 

 Si"kpe-ta-icote (Dakota), "muskrat food " (s/"/./'-, nuiskrat : u-ote, 

 food). 



