oiLMOEE] TAXONOMIC LIST OF PLANTS 109 



powers. Part of the sacred pole of the Omaha and Ponea is made 

 of ash, the other part being of cottonwood." ' 



The stems of the two principal symbolic objects used in the 

 Wawa" ceremony of the Omalia and the corresponding ceremony of 

 the Hako of the Pawnee were made of ash wood. 



fiEXTLVXAfKAK 



Dasystephana PUBERtJLA (Michx.) Small. Gentian. 



Maka" chahivji-cho (AVinnebago), "blue-blossom medicine" 



{vud-a", medicine: clmhiirl. blossom: cho, blue). 

 Pezhuta-zi (Dakota), "yellow medicine" {pezhuta, medicine: s/, 



yellow). So called because of the color of the roots. 

 A decoction of the root is taken as a tonic: it is so used alone and 

 also in combination with other medicinal plants. 



.Vs(l?:imai)aci:ai; 

 AscLEPTAS TUBEKosA L. Butterfly Weed. Pleurisy Root. 



Maka" mika (Omaha-Pouca), "raw medicine"; (saka. raw: 

 rruika" saka thata i, medicine they eat raw), .\nother name 

 given is kiu m-aka", wound medicine. The name raw medicine 

 was given because this root was used without boiling. 



The root was eaten i-aw for bronchial and pulmonary trouble. It 

 was also chewed and put into wounds, or pulverized when dry and 

 blown into wounds. It was applied as a remedy for old. obstinate 

 sores. In the Omaha tribe this medicine and its rites belonged to 

 the Shell Society. A certain member of the society was the autiior- 

 ized guardian or keeper of this medicine. It was his prerogative to 

 dig the root and distribute bundles of it to the members of the society. 

 The ceremonials cfninected with the digging, preparation, consecra- 

 tion, and distribution occupied four day.s. In this connection it 

 may not be out of place to note that four is the dominant number in 

 all ritual and in all orientation in space and time among the Plains 

 tribes, just as the number .seven is dominant with some other peoples. 

 Whether four or seven be the dominant numbei- depends on whether 

 the four cardinal points of the horizon are given preeminence or 

 whether equal place is given also to the three remaining ])oints. the 

 Zenith, the Xadir, and the Here. 

 AsciiEPiAS .STRTACA L. Milkwecd. (Pis. 23, 24.) 



Wafitha (Omaha-Ponca). 



Mahintsh (Winnebago). 



Karipiku ( Pawnee ) . 



This plant is used for food at three stages of its growth— the 

 young sprouts in early spring, like asparagus sprouts; the clusters 



■Slouan Cults, p. 390. 



