Opet-at-sapia. Gutierrezia diversifolia. Grows on the prairies in the
foothills to the mountains. The roots were used by medicine men in
doctoring. Red-hot stones were placed in water with the roots. Fumes
arose with the steam.
E-simatch-sis. Dye. Evernia vulpina. A lichen that grows on pine trees.
It was used as a yellow dye for porcupine quills. The quills were
placed with the dye in boiling water. It was also used for headache.
E-simatch-sis. Dye. The Yellow Orthocarpus. Orthocarpus luteus. Used
for dyeing gopher skins red. The plant was first pounded up and then
pressed firmly upon the skin. It grows on the prairies.
Ana-wawa-toks-tima. Buffalo-Food. Yellow Cancer-Root. Thalesia
fasciculata. Used by Buffalo medicine men in doctoring wounds. They
chewed and blew it upon the wound.
Sa-po-tun-a-kio-toi-yis. Joint Grass. Scouring Rush. Equisetum hiemale.
The grass was boiled in water and used as a drink, for horse medicine.
Pach-co-i-au-saukas. Smell-Mouth. Western Sweet Cicely. Washingtonia
divaricata. It was given to mares in winter. The Blackfoot say that it
put them in good condition for foaling. They placed it in the mares’
mouths and made them chew it. A pleasant drink was made with a small
piece of the Western Sweet Cicely root, a little more of the Sixocasim
(Indian Horehound) to three cups of water. It was taken hot for colds
or tickling in the throat.
Tobacco
Ka-ka-sin. Larb, or Kinnekinick Bearberry. Arctostaphylus uva-ursi. The
leaves, which are thick and evergreen, were dried and used for tobacco.
The berries were eaten raw and also used mashed in fat and fried. It
grows in Northern North America, also Northern Europe and Asia.
O-makse-ka-ka-sin. Big Larb. Pipsissewa, Prince’s Pine. Chimaphila
umbellata. It flourishes among decaying leaves in a sandy soil in the
mountain forests of Northern North America. The dried leaves were used
for tobacco by all the Mountain Indians. The Blackfoot had a special
preference for the Big Larb in smoking.
2. PLANTS FOR CEREMONIALS
Pono-kau-sinni. Turnip. Elk-Food. Narrow-leaved Puccoon. Lithospermum
linearifolium. The tops were dried and used for burning as incense in
ceremonials.
So-yo-toi-yis. Spring Grass or I-ta-pat-anis, Cut-your-finger. Slough
Grass Sedge. Carex nebrascensis praevia. The Blackfoot said it was the
favorite grass of the buffalo and for this reason the medicine men tied
it around the horns of the sacred Buffalo head used in the Sun Dance
ceremonials. It grows in marshy places on the prairies.
A-pono-kauki. Paper-Leaves or O-to-kap-atsis. Yellow Flower.
Arrow-leaved Balsam-Root. Balsamorrhiza sagittata. The large leaves
were used in roasting Camas roots.
3. BERRIES AND WILD VEGETABLES USED FOR EATING
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