COLLECTING ECONOMIC PLANT DATA 13 



in its natural state — facts which will be of value later when the mounted 

 specimen is examined by botanists or others who need definite data for 

 their studies. Obviously, there is no need to describe any features, such 

 as the shape and size of the leaf, or whether or not the plant is hairy, 

 which can be seen by looking at the dried specimen itself. Most of the 

 important information can be recorded in comparatively few words. 

 For large plants (trees, shrubs, vines) mention the size and the charac- 

 teristic shape (habit). The natural growing conditions (habitat) are im- 

 portant; i.e., aquatic, swamp, dense forest, open places, roadside, moun- 

 tain slope, river bank, weed in field, cultivated, etc. The color of the flower, 

 of the ripe fruit, and of the fruit pulp and the odor of flower, fruit, 

 leaves, bark, wood, or roots, if noticeable, should be noted, because such 

 characters are liable to disappear upon drying, especially the color of 

 the flower and fruit. In botany, the term "fruit" applies to any struc- 

 ture which bears the seed of the plant, whether it be a mango, bean, or 

 a tomato. 



Sometimes words can be saved by making photographs or outline 

 sketches to show the shape of the plant, of the flower, or the fruit (figs. 

 5, 22, 25-28). The type of soil (rocky, sandy, clay, silt), briefly de- 

 scribed — acid or alkaline, wet or dry, well-drained — is often important, 

 especially if the plant is to be grown later in a new place. Small field 

 kits are available for determining the pH values of soil. 



Native uses or local importance of plants should be recorded; even 

 brief notes, such as "grazed by stock," "roots eaten raw by natives," 

 "fruits eaten by birds," "important lumber tree locally," "controlling- 

 erosion in sandy places," etc., add value to the specimens. Strangely 

 enough, most plant collectors never bother to gather such information, 

 perhaps for lack of interest or time, or because they have not learned 

 the local language or dialect. Any collector in a distant region should 

 feel duty-bound to secure all possible data on the economic uses of plants, 

 particularly when he is in contact with Indian tribes or other native 

 peoples. When this continent was discovered, the white man adopted 

 only the more obvious plants, such as the potato, corn, tobacco, and 

 quinine, but attached little importance to the thousands of other plants 

 utilized by the Indians. As Indian tribes die out, or become civilized, 

 this native lore may be lost forever. Among many tribes today, only the 

 oldest members can, give information about plants. The person who 

 makes a serious attempt to gather such data will render great service to 

 science. Interesting specimens and data of drug and food plants can be 

 found in market places. Careful search often yields flowers or fruits in 

 the material offered for sale (figs. 13, 21). 



The collector should, however, exercise discrimination when securing 

 information from natives, especially primitive peoples. Do not believe 

 everything you are told. Verify the statements by asking different in- 

 dividuals. A guide, or an Indian, may assign imaginary values to a plant 

 merely to impress the "foreigner," particularly if the informer expects 

 to receive pay for his plant knowledge. Information may be intention- 

 ally misleading, too, when a medicine man is protecting his "trade 

 secrets," or perhaps for some other reason. It is here that the collector's 

 ability to speak the dialect or language of the country will be most 

 advantageous; likewise his talent in establishing friendly relations with 

 natives. 



