62 USES OF PLANTS BY INDIANS [BTH. ANN. 33 
as to its use. They were looking for it in decayed spots caused by 
tapping the trees for the purpose of sugar making, for these people 
still make sugar from the sap of the boxelder. 
PoLyPoRACEAE " BRACKET FUNGI 
Potystictus verstcotor (Ll.) Fr. 
Cha® na"kpa (Dakota), “tree ears” (cha", wood or tree; na"kpa, 
ear). 
The Dakota use this fungus for food when young and tender, ex- 
cept specimens growing on ash trees (/raxinus), which they say 
are bitter. They are prepared by boiling. 
UsrimaGINACEAE SMUTS 
Ustizaco Maypis (DC.) Cda. Corn Smut. 
Wahaba hithi (Omaha-Ponea) ; literally, “ corn sores” or “ blis- 
ters ” (wahaba, corn). 
This fungus was used for food by both Omaha and Pawnee. For 
this purpose the spore fruits were gathered as soon as they appeared, 
while firm and white, and boiled. They were said to be very good. 
Ly CoPERDACEAE PUFFBALLS 
Lycoprrpon GeMMAtTUM Batsch., CaLvaTiA cyATHAFoRMIS (Bosc.) 
Morg., Bovisra prumpBea Pers. Puffball. 
Hokshi chekpa (Dakota), “baby’s navel” (hokshi, baby; chekpa, 
navel). 
The Pawnee name is Aaho rahik (kaho, the name + rahik, 
old), descriptive of it in the stage when it is used as a styptie. 
The prairie mushrooms, commonly designated puffballs, were 
gathered and kept for use as a styptic for any wounds, especially 
for application to the umbilicus of newborn infants. From its uni- 
versal application to this use among the Dakota is derived their name 
for the puffball. In the young stage it is used for food. It is used 
also as a.styptic by the Ponca and the Omaha. While white and 
firm, before the spores formed, it was sometimes roasted for food 
by the Omaha, but this use was unknown to my informant among 
the Dakota. 
HELVELLACEAE 
MorcHe.iA ESCULENTA (L.) Pers. Morel. 
Mikai kthi (Omaha-Ponca), “star sore” (mékat, star; Athi, sore). 
They are much esteemed for food and are eaten boiled. 
