Am.  Tour.  Pharm.  ) 
Nov.,  1878.  j 
Plants  Used  by  the  Indians. 
543 
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  elderberry). — 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  cost  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  5  Central  Arizona  and  South- 
eastern California.  The  berries  of  these  Lyciums  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  canon  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  con- 
sume large  quantities  of  this  fruit  while  fresh,  and  dry  it  for  winter  use  ;  they  also 
«at  the  base  of  the  young  leaves. 
Pritckardia  Jilamentosa. — This  tree,  from  forty  to  fifty  feet  in  height,  is  not  so 
beautiful  as  Brahea  armata>  but  its  fruit  is  better  food,  containing  more  pulp,  being 
much  larger  and  of  a  more  agreeable  taste.  Cocopah  Indians  consume  the  fruit 
fresh  and  dry  in  great  quantities  ;  the  leaves  could  be  applied  to  many  useful  pur- 
poses. In  the  spring  the  base  of  the  young  leaves  is  eaten  raw  by  the  Indians.  The 
seeds  of  both  these  species  of  plants  are  ground  fine  and  eaten,  and  are  not  inferior  to 
cocoa-nut. 
:  Shepherdia  argentea  (Buffalo  berry),  grows  by  water  courses  in  mountainous  dis- 
tricts of  Central  Utah.  The  habits  of  the  tree  are  similar  to  those  of  the  elderberry. 
It  grows  from  ten  to  fifteen  feet  high,  bears  abundantly,  fruit  red,  small,  roundish, 
sour,  but  has  a  pleasant  taste. 
Amelanchier  alnifolia  (Service  berry). — The  fruit  of  this  bush  is  much  esteemed 
by  both  Indians  and  whites. 
Rhus  integrifolia,  produces  abundance  of  red  berries  that  are  very  acid.  Indians 
of  Southern  California  place  them  in  water  to  form  a  cool  acid  drink. 
Ribes  Menziesii. — Fruit  very  thorny,  but  Indians  scald  them  to  make  them  eatable. 
Simmondsia  californica. — The  nuts  of  this  plant  yield  a  very  fine  oil.  Indians  of 
Southern  California  use  them  as  an  article  of  food. 
Arctostaphylos  tomentosa,  Manzanita  of  the  Spanish. — The  fruit  is  produced  in 
clusters,  and  resembles  a  small  apple.  It  is  of  an  agreeable  acid  sweet,  and  is  con- 
sumed largely  by  Indians  and  Mexicans,  both  in  the  ripe  and  dry  state.  Indians  dry 
the  berries  in  great  quantities,  and  prepare  a  favorite  drink  from  them.  A  quantity 
of  the  diied  fruit  is  slightly  pounded  until  the  pulp  is  separated  from  the  seeds  and 
outer  rinds,  the  flour  or  finely-pounded  pulp  is  separated  and  mixed  with  water, 
