68 ETHNOBOTANY OF THE ZrXI INDIANS Ieth. a.nx. 30 



The root, which is generally gatheretl by the men and carried to 

 the female members of the family, to whom it properly belongs, is 

 broken into bits and preserved in sacks. After the mouth has been 

 thoi-oughly cleansed, a small piece of the root is placed therein by 

 each of the women who are to make the sweetening for corn-meal 

 he'paloMa} The root remams in the mouth two days, except when 

 removed to enable the woman to take refreshment and to sleep. 

 Each time the mouth is cleansed with cold water before the root is 

 returned thereto. The root is fuially removed when the process of 

 sweetening the corn meal is begun. Either yellow or black corn is 

 used, according to taste. The corn is freshly and finely ground. 

 With her fingers the woman puts as much meal into her mouth as it 

 will hold. The meal is not chewed, but held in the mouth until the 

 accumulation of saliva forces her to eject the mass, which is deposited 

 in a small bowl. This process is continued until the desired quantity 

 oi cM'Tcwawe (pi.), 'sweetening,' has been prepared for thQhc'fdloMa. 



To a great extent sprouted wheat has taken the place of corn meal 

 for sweetening Jie'paloMa, but for this purpose the wheat is never 

 taken into the mouth. 



The Euphorbia leaves are chewed also on account of their pleasant 

 taste. 



Hymenopappus fili-folius Nutt. CarduacejE. Thistle family. 

 The root is used as chewing-gum. 



Laduca pulchella DC. Wild Lettuce. Cichoriace.e. Chicory 



family. 

 La'posho, 'gray ear' {laKla'shoJcfone, ear; po'sho [archaic], gray 

 or ash color) .^ The full but unexpressed meaning is ' rabbit- 

 ear leaf,' the gray of the leaf resembling the gray of a 

 rabbit's ear. 

 The gummy substance from the root is prepared and used as 

 chewing-gum, The young plants are uprooted when several inches 

 high and hung to dry. The roots may be used at any time. A few 

 cuts allow the gum to exude; it is then carefully dried before chewing. 



Lycium. pallidum Miers. Tomatillo. Solanace^. Nightshade 



family. 

 Kla'puli, 'water fall down' {Jcia<Ma'u'e, water; pii'li, fall 

 down). So named because the rains cause many berries of 

 the plant to fall. 

 The berries are boiled, and, if not entirely ripe, they are sometimes 

 sweetened. This dish, which is regarded as a great delicacy, is called 

 Ma'puli mo'li, 'water-fall-down berry' (mo'li, round or egg-shaped). 

 The berries are also eaten raw when perfectly ripe. 



1 See 23d Ann. Rep. Bur. A mer. Elhn., p. 365. 



2 The modern name for gray or ash color is lo'kiana. 



