USE OF PLANTS IN POTTERY DECORATION 



Peritoma serrulatum (Pursh) DC. Rocky Mountain Bee Plant. 



Capparidace^e. Caper family. 

 A'pilalu, 'hand many seeds' (a<a'si, hand; pi'lalu, many 

 seeds). The leaf of the plant is referred to as ''hand." 

 The entire plant, minus the root, is boiled for a considerable time, 

 and the water in which it is cooked is allowed to evapoi-ate. The 

 firm paste secured from precipitation is used in conjunction with a 

 black mineral paint for decorating pottery. 



Yucca gkiuca Nutt. Soap weed. Liliace^. Lily family 

 Ho'tsanna, 'long leaf small' Qio <ho'Jciapa, long leaf large; 

 tsan'na, small). 

 Tliis plant takes its name from the similarity of its leaf to that of 

 Yucca haccata Torr. It is much more slender and not nearly so long. 

 The brushes employed for decorating pottery are made from the 

 leaves of tliis plant, wliich, for this purpose, are cut the proper lengths 

 and fringed at one end. Yucca brushes are also used for decorating 

 a variety of other objects, including ceremonial masks, and altars. 

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