80 



rsES OF PU^XTS BY IXDUXS [eth, iXN. ss 



The t>»asvs and other western imtives employ the rvn.is [sic] of this plant. 



for fo.Hl preterms theiu by boiUng. . . . Fully rii^e, after a wnsiderable 



JjollltiK thev'be.vn»e as farinaceous, agreeable, and wholesome a diet as the 



,».tato. . .". This «ime si»vi.-s ... is everywhere made use of by the natives, 



who collect botJi the nuts and rvn.ts. » 



Ka n UN cri-\cn.\E 



THAUCTROt DASYCARPFM Fisch. .^ Lall. ^Ieaao^Y Rue. (PI. 11. a.) 



Wasimiui ( Dakota 1: irasi "pine": mmu "to smell." The name 

 seems to signify- pinelike odor. 



.VisW.-Ai (Oniaha-I'om-a). " tlute-plant " (nmiJt\ flutel. 



Shuiil-^ or skarik< ^Pawne^^. 



By the Teton Dakota the fruits on approaching maturity in Au- 

 pust are broken otT and stored a^vay for their pleasant odor: for 

 this purpose they aiv nibl>ed and scattered OYer the clothing. The 

 Indians say the effect is enhanced by dampness. This, like all other 

 mlors u.Wby Indians, is of slight, evanescent fragranct?. They used 

 no heavy scents: all ai-e delicate and give a suggestion of whole- 

 someness and of the freedom of the uncontaminated outdoors. 



The hollow stems were used by small boys to make toy flutes 

 {lu-yudt). The Ponca sometimes used the tops as loYe charms. 

 Bachelors rublied the tops with sjiliva in the palms of the hands to 

 give them power to capture the affections of the desired maidens by 

 shaking hands with them. My informants sjiid the plants of this 

 species growing m Minnesota ai-e better thaii those found in Ne- 

 brasica. 



The Pawnees used this plant as a stimulant for horses, causing 

 them to snuff it into the nostrils when obliged to make forced 

 marches of three or four days' duration in order to escape from 

 enemies. For this purpose it was administered by rubbing it mixed 

 with a ^-ertain white clay on the muzzle of the horse. 

 PiTj^ATiLLA PATENS ^L.) Mill. Pasipie Flower. Twin-flower. (,P1. 

 1, fl.) 



IlokshJ-chel'pa icaficlui (Dakotiil. "Twin-flower." 



As a counter-irritant for tise in rheimiatism and similar diseases 

 the leaves of PuL^atilh were crushed and applied to cause a blister. 

 This information was given by an old man of the Omaha tribe. 



The people of the Dakota Nation call this plant by a name in their 

 language which means " twin-flower," because usually each plant 

 bears just two flowering scapes. Indians generally are keenly ob- 

 servant of all things in nature and reverent toward them. They 

 have reverence and affei'tion for the living creatures, the birds and 

 beasts, the trees and shrubs and flowering plants. They have stories 

 and songs about mi^t of the plant and animal forms of life with 



' Nattall, Flora of Arkansas Territory, p. 160. 



