Paleo Foraging

Pomaria jamesii (Torr. & A.Gray) Walp. = Caesalpinia jamesii, Hoffmannseggia jamesii James’ holdback, James’ rush-pea, camote de ratón Comanche: piːtsamnu (Carlson and Jones 1939:522) / pihtsamuu – “milky rooted plant” (Kavanagh 2008:139,337) Location in Texas: W, N, & C TX, not in Travis Co. Form: herb, low shrub; perennial. Flowers: May-Sept (orange, yellow). Food Roots…

Parkinsonia aculeata L. Paloverde, Jerusalem thorn, Barbados flowerfence, horsebean, retama, bagote, lluvia de oro Seri: snapxöl (Felger and Moser 1985:332) Location in Texas: W, S, SE, & C TX; common in Travis Co. Form: small tree, up to 40 ft. tall. Flowers: Apr-Aug (yellow, orange). Food Beans – eaten by the Papago (Castetter and Underhill…

Dermatophyllum secundiflorum (Ortega) Gandhi & Reveal = Sophora secundiflora, Broussonetia secundifora, Calia erythrosperma, C. secundiflora Texas mountain laurel, frijolillo, colorín Apache: yułtudi – “red bead” (Castetter and Opler 1936:61) Comanche: aincapu (Berlandier 1969:89, Ohlendorf et al. 1980:612) Kiowa: k’awn-k’odl (Schultes 1937:138) Location in Texas: C, SW, W, & S TX; common in Travis Co. Form:…

Apios americana Medik. = A. tuberosa, Glycine apios Groundnut, Indian potato, potato bean Cayuga: hoʹnonda‘ (Waugh 1916:120) Cherokee: anis’tí – “threads” / tuyùiyustí (Banks 1953:72) Dakota: mdo (Gilmore 1977:42) Lakota: do (Munson 1981:231) Menominee: ma’tcetaupä’niûk – “Indian potatoes” (Smith 1923:69) Mohawk: unänuʹʽgwa‘ (Waugh 1916:120) Omaha-Ponca: nu (Gilmore 1977:42) Onondaga: gwϵhu̜wϵnϵʹha’ oʽnenaʹda’ – “Indian potato” (Waugh…

Euphorbia marginata Pursh = Agaloma marginata, Dichrophyllum marginatum, Lepadena marginata Snow-on-the-mountain, ghostweed Lakota: itopta sapa tapežuta – “black-footed ferret medicine” (Munson 1981:234) Pawnee: kalipika tsitsiks (tsitsiks – “poison”) (Gilmore 1977:47) Location in Texas: C, SE, N, & W TX; common in Travis Co. Form: herb; annual. Food Leaves – were chewed by the Kiowa (Vestal…

Rubus spp. Blackberry (includes dewberry, raspberry, thimbleberry, & salmonberry) Cahuilla: pikwlyam (Bean and Saubel 1972:134) Comanche: panatsayaaʔ (Kavanagh 2008:140) Location in Texas: all TX except NW & further N; very common in Travis Co. Form: herb, low shrub, shrub, vine; perennial. Species: Rubus allegheniensis Rubus arcticus Rubus argutus / Sawtooth blackberry Rubus canadensis Rubus flagellaris…

Magicicada septendecim (Linnaeus, 1758) = Cicada septendecim Periodical cicada, 17-year cicada Onondaga: ogwä̜yuʹʼda’ (Waugh 1916:139). Food Nymphs – were dug up and roasted in a pot, without water, by the Iroquois (Waugh 1916:138-139). They were stirred while cooking, and when thoroughly done, a little grease was added (Waugh 1916:138-139). They were considered good for the…

Diceropocta apache (Davis, 1921) = Tibicen apache Citrus cicada Food [unspecified lifestage] – these cicadas were gathered in large quantities, roasted, and eaten by the Cahuilla (Bean and Saubel 1972:45), Northern Paiute, Owens Valley Paiute, Panamint, Shoshone, Washo (Sutton 1988), and southwestern Indians in general (Ebeling 1986).

Food Adults & nymphs – were eaten by American Indians and by cultures throughout the world. The Cahuilla, Northern Paiute, Owens Valley Paiute, Panamint, Shoshone, and Washo ate Cicadas (Sutton 1988). Species eaten include Diceroprocta apache / Citrus cicada, and probably all species in the area, if sufficiently abundant (Sutton 1988). Since cicadas do not…

Pteronarcys californica Newport The California salmon fly The adults were gathered by the Modoc, Wintu, and Pit River Indians in great quantities in early summer (or a few days in April for the Wintu) on the Pit River and its tributaries (Essig 1931, Du Bois 1935, Sutton 1985) and possibly other river systems where they occur…