78 USES OF PLANTS BY INDIANS [ETH. ANN. 33 
CHENOPODIACEAE 
CueENnopopium atBpuM L. Lamb’s-quarter. 
Watsipe toto (Dakota), “ greens” (wakpe, leaves; toto, green). 
Kitsarius (Pawnee), “ green juice ” (kits, from kitsu, water, juice; 
kidarius, green). 
This plant is naturalized from Europe, but appears to be so long 
established that the fact of its intreduction seems now unknown to the 
Indians. Among the Teton Dakota and the Omaha this plant, while 
young and tender, was cooked as pottage. A Pawnee informant 
said that it is so used now by the Pawnee, not in former times. It 
was used in old times by the Pawnee for painting bows and arrows 
green. 
NYCTAGINACEAE 
ALLIONIA NycTacINEA Michx. Wild Four-o’clock. 
Poipie (Dakota). 
Maka"-wasek (Omaha-Ponea), “strong medicine” (maka", medi- 
cine; wasek, strong). 
Kahtstakat (Pawnee), “yellow medicine” (kahts, from hkahtsu, 
medicine; takat, yellow). | 
By the Teton Dakota the root was boiled to make a decoction to 
drink in case of fever. Together with roots of /chinacea angusti- 
folia it was boiled to make a vermifuge. The prescription for this 
purpose required the drinking of it four nights at bedtime, after 
which, at the next evacuation, the worms would be voided. My in- 
formant, Fast Horse, of the Oglala tribe, said, “If one has a big 
worm [tape worm?], it comes away, too.” Roots of Allionia and 
Echinacea were also boiled together to make a remedy for swellings 
of arms or legs. When applied, this must always be rubbed down- 
ward on the affected parts to reduce the swelling. Among the Ponka 
the root was used as a remedy for wounds, for this purpose being 
chewed and blown into them. Among the Pawnee the dried root, 
ground fine, was applied dry as a remedy for sore mouth in babies. 
A decoction of the root was drunk by women after childbirth to 
reduce abdominal swelling. 
PHYTOLACCACEAE 
Puytonacca americana L. *Pokeberry, Inkberry, Redweed. 
The plant seems to be unknown to the Omaha, Ponca, and Dakota, 
and known only in recent times to the Oto and Pawnee. It is a 
late introduction from the Eastern States and is reported only from 
the extreme southeastern part of the State. It is rather commen in 
Oklahoma, whither the Oto, the Pawnee, and most of the Ponca 
have been removed. So far as I was able to learn, they have there 
