598 Plants Used by Indians of the United States. [September, 
will hold water, and are often used to cook in, hot stones being 
dropped in from time to time until the food is done. 
Cerasus ilicifolia—Indians eat this fruit and save the seeds which 
they consume raw, or ground and cooked into mush, They are 
dried whole or split. This is a very common plant in California, 
and is very productive. Its fruit is of a yellow color, with a pink 
tinge, and has the shape of gage plums, but possesses little pulp. 
The seeds are large, affording much food. 
C. demissa—The wild cherry of Southern California, a dwarf 
bush, but very productive. Its fruit is palatable, either fresh or 
dry, and in both conditions it is largely consumed by the Indians. . 
Sambucus glauca (White elderberry) ; S. racemosa (Red elder- 
berry).—The fruit of both these species is eaten by Indians. In 
Southern California the red species is preferred, being more fleshy 
and juicy than the white. 
Mesembryanthemum acinaciforme (called strawberry). Its fruit 
resembles the strawberry in taste. This is one of the common 
plants along the sea-coast of Southern California, growing on 
sand beaches. It is very productive, and is eaten not only by 
Indians, but by Mexicans and other Whites. 
Lycium pallidum, with scarlet fruit; L. berlandieri, Arizona, 
with fruit of a red color.: 
L. andersoni —Fruit bright red, or amber color; Central Arizona 
and South-eastern California. The berries of these Lyctums are 
eaten by Indians of Arizona and California; in fact, Whites relish 
them also. They are quite agreeable to the palate, being of a 
sweet, mucilaginous substance, and adapted to warm climates. 
The clear bright-colored berry has a very tempting look, and 
when dried, resembles in taste dried currants. 
Brahea armata—This fine palm, found at the bottom of the 
Big cañon of the Tantillas, Lower California, grows from fifty 
to sixty feet high, its long, graceful, pendant branches of fruit 
making it a beautiful object. The Cocopah Indians consume 
large quantities of this fruit while fresh, and dry it for winter use; . 
they also eat the base of the young leaves. 
Pritchardia filamentosa—This tree, from forty to fifty feet in . 
height, is not so beautiful as Brahea armata, but its fruit is better 
Se containing more pulp, being much. larger and of'a more 
great e the leaves eens be aoe to seca use- s 
le taste. Cocopah Indians consume the fruit fresh and 
