""'"'""^^ TAXONOMIC LIST OF PLAXTS JJ^ 



thought to be male and female. As a reme.ly for any ailment a por- 

 tion of the root from the part corresponding, in pt,sition to the 

 affected part of tlie patienfs body is „sed-for headache or other 

 ronb e m the head s„mo „f the top of the root is used; for abdominal 

 trouble a bit ot the middle of the root; and so on. 



A number of species of Cncurbitacea? were of undoubted aboriginal 

 American culture, as atteste.l by the writings of the earliest explor- 

 ers, missionaries, and settlers, as well as by the stories, traditions 

 myths, and religious ceremonies of the various tribes. From all the 

 evidence I have it appears that the tribes of Nebraska prior to Euro- 

 pean contact certainly cultivated s(iuashes and prnnpidns of several 

 varieties, gourds, and possibly watermelons. (PI. 2S.) 



When we seek the region in which mav possiblv be found the 

 original prototypes of the cultivated species grown l)y the tribes 

 of Nebraska, naturally we must look to the region of the'Hio (irande 

 or beyond. 



CucuRBiTA LAGEXARiA L. Dipper Gourd. 



Wanmuha or irahniu (Dakota). 



PeKe (Omaha-Ponca). 



Among the tribes generally the gourd was grown in oider to i)ro- 

 vide shells of which to make rattles. For this purpose" the gourd 

 was indispensable, as rattles made therefrom were essential foi- all 

 ritualistic music. In order to fashion a rattle, the contents of the 

 gourd were removed and a handle was attached. Seeds of Ansaema. 

 triphyllum or small gravel were placed in the shell. 



Pepo pepo (L.) Pumpkin. 



Wamnu (Dakota): Teton dialect, inn/amW. 



Wata" (Omaha-Pouca). 



Since the advent of Europeans and the consequent disturbance of 

 the aboriginal activities the tribes have lost many of the varieties 

 of their old-time cultivated plants. Some varieties lost iiy one tribe 

 are still retained by some other tribe, while the latter probably no 

 longer enjoys plants still in possession of the formei'. Of their old- 

 time squashes the Omaha can describe the following eight varieties, 

 although they have lost the seed of most of them. They do not dis- 

 tinguish between pumpkin and squash, but call them both waia" 

 with descriptive modifiers affi.xed. 1. Wata" Kti, "real squash" (Kit, 

 real). This term would seem to indicate that this variety has been 

 longest known by the tribe. It is described as being spherical in 

 form, yellowish in color, " like a cottonwood leaf in the fall." 

 2. Wata" miHa, small, spherical, spotted black and green. 3. Wata" 

 nide hazu. large oval, pointed at the ends, greenish in color. 

 4. Wata" kukuge, speckled. 5. Wata" miKa mede, long wata" mUia. 



