GILMORE} TAXONOMIC LIST OF PLANTS 69 
peska. White Horse, an old medicine-man of the Omaha, told me of 
a remedial use of Andropogon which he had obtained by purchase 
from an Oto medicine-man. A decoction of the lower blades of this 
grass chopped fine was drunk in cases of general debility and Jan- 
cuor without definitely known cause. The same decoction was used 
also for bathing in case of fevers, for this purpose a cut being made 
on the top of the head to which the decoction was applied. The peo- 
ple had great dread of fevers because of the evil effect they were sup- 
posed to have on the mind; this no doubt was because of delirium 
which often accompanies fever. 
CYPERACEAE 
Scirpus vatipus Vahl. Bulrush. 
Psa (Dakota). 
Sa-hi (Omaha-Ponca). 
Sistat (Pawnee). 
The tender white part at the base of the stem of the bulrush was 
eaten fresh and raw by the Dakota. The stems were used to weave 
into matting by all the tribes. A medicine-man of the Pawnee 
evinced lively interest when he saw a specimen in my collection, but 
did not communicate any information about it, a fact from which I 
infer it has some ceremonial use. 
ARACEAE 
ARISAEMA TRIPHYLLUM (L.) Torr. Jack-in-the-pulpit. (PI. 4.) 
Mikasi-maka" (Omaha-Ponea), “ coyote medicine.” 
Nikso kororik kahtsu nitawau (Pawnee); medicine (or herb) 
hahtsu; that bears, nitawau; what resembles, kororik; an ear of 
corn, nikso. The name is strikingly descriptive of the ripened 
fruit. 
This plant is used medicinally by the Pawnee. When a Pawnee 
medicine-man saw my specimen he evinced lively interest and 
showed me a bag containing the pulverized corm, but was unwilling 
to tell me its use. Another Pawnee medicine-man, however, told 
me of its use in treating headache by dusting on the top of the head 
and on the temples. 
The corm was pulverized and applied as a counterirritant for 
rheumatism and similar pains, as irritant plasters are used by white 
people. 
The seeds of this plant were put into gourd shells by the Pawnee 
to make rattles. 
Acorus catamus L. Sweet Flag, Calamus. 
Si"kpe-ta-wote (Dakota), “ muskrat food ” (si"kpe, muskrat; wote, 
food). 
