Paleo Foraging

Senegalia greggii (A. Gray) Britton & Rose

= Acacia greggii A. Gray

Catclaw acacia, Texas-mimosa, Gregg’s catclaw acacia, devil’s claw, uña de gato

Cahuilla: si-ching-al (Barrows 1967:60) / sichingily (Bean and Saubel 1972:29)

Seri: tis – “harpoon” (Felger and Moser 1985:321)

Location in Texas: C, W, & S TX; common in Travis Co.

Form: shrub, small tree up to 20 ft. tall.

Flowers: Apr-Oct (white, yellow).

Food

Fruits – the bean-like pods were eaten fresh or dried and ground into a meal that was made into mush or cakes by the Cahuilla (Barrows 1967:60, Bean and Saubel 1972:29). They provided a substantial, but not preferred food (Bean and Saubel 1972:29). When the pods were too bitter, they were parboiled (partly cooked by boiling) to remove the taste (Bean and Saubel 1972:29).

Gathering Season – the seed pod is fully grown at midsummer and hangs unopened on the branches until the winter or spring (Mead 1972). April-May, lasting to August (Bean and Saubel 1972:20,29).

Notes – the seeds contain 33.8% protein, 25.4% fats, and trace alkaloids (Bean and Saubel 1972:29).

Material

Flowers – mixed in the hand with powdered red ochre and beeswax to make a facepaint by the Seri (Felger and Moser 1985:321). The buds and blossoms were dried and used as a perfume sachet by the Papago (Castetter and Underhill 1935:52).

Shoots – used for the foundation (coil element) in Papago coiled basketry, as well as for wrapped weaving basketry (Castetter and Underhill 1935:53,57).

Gathering Season – the shoots for basketry were gathered in the rainy season [August in study area], the thorns knocked off with a stone, and were peeled, split, and coiled into baskets (Castetter and Underhill 1935:57).

Wood – used for construction material and firewood by the Cahuilla (Bean and Saubel 1972:29). It was used for digging sticks and the agave chisel / pry bar of the Seri (Felger and Moser 1985:225,321). The Seri preferred the wood for making fish and turtle harpoon points (Felger and Moser 1985:321). The Seri name for the plant is the same as their name for “harpoon” (Felger and Moser 1985:321). It was used to make bows by the Seri (Felger and Moser 1985:321). It was also used for a bow instrument, a carrying yoke, and for spikes by the Seri (Felger and Moser 1985:322).