GILMorE] TAXONOMIC LIST OF PLANTS alalizg 
thought to be male and female. As a remedy for any ailment a por- 
tion of the root from the part corresponding in position to the 
affected part of the patient’s body is used—for headache or other 
trouble in the head some of the top of the root is used; for abdominal 
trouble a bit of the middle of the root; and so on. 
A number of species of Cucurbitaceze were of undoubted aboriginal 
American culture, as attested by the writings of the earliest explor- 
ers, missionaries, and settlers, as well as by the stories, traditions, 
myths, and religious ceremonies of the various tribes. From all the 
evidence I have it appears that the tribes of Nebraska prior to Euro- 
pean contact certainly cultivated squashes and pumpkins of several 
varieties, gourds, and possibly watermelons. (Pl. 28.) 
When we seek the region in which may possibly be found the 
original prototypes of the cultivated species grown by the tribes 
of Nebraska, naturally we must look to the region of the Rio Grande 
or beyond. 
Cucursrra LaGeNARIA L, Dipper Gourd. 
Wamnuha or wakmu (Dakota). 
Peke (Omaha-Ponca). 
Among the tribes generally the gourd was grown in order to pro- 
vide shells of which to make rattles. For this purpose the gourd 
was indispensable, as rattles made therefrom were essential for all 
ritualistic music. In order to fashion a rattle, the contents of the 
gourd were removed and a handle was attached. Seeds of Arisaema 
triphyllum or small gravel were placed in the shell. 
Pero pero (L.) Pumpkin. 
Wamnu (Dakota) ; Teton dialect, wagamu". 
Wata" (Omaha-Ponca). 
Since the advent of Europeans and the consequent disturbance of 
the aboriginal activities the tribes have lost many of the varieties 
of their old-time cultivated plants. Some varieties lost by one tribe 
are still retained by some other tribe, while the latter probably no 
longer enjoys plants still in possession of the former. Of their old- 
time squashes the Omaha can describe the following eight varieties, 
although they have lost the seed of most of them. They do not dis- 
tinguish between pumpkin and squash, but call them both wata" 
with descriptive modifiers affixed. 1. Wata” Kti, “real squash” (Ati, 
real). This term would seem to indicate that this variety has been 
longest known by the tribe. It is described as being spherical in 
form, yellowish in color, “like a cottonwood leaf in the fall.” 
2. Wata” mifa, small, spherical, spotted black and green. 3. Wata” 
nide bazu, large oval, pointed at the ends, greenish in color. 
4, Wata" kukuge, speckled. 5. Wata" mika snede, long wata" mika. 
