Phoradendron californicum  (desert mistletoe, mesquite mistletoe) ( ) Viscaceae The leafless green stems bear numerous small white or reddish translucent berries. Food: when growing on certain legumes (catclaw, ironwood, or mesquite) the fruit of desert mistletoe was eaten. However, it was said to be bitter when growing on other hosts, e.g., palo verde and condalia. The fruit was considered ripe and harvestable when it turned "glassy". A common method of harvesting the fruit was to knock it off the tree onto a blanket. The berries were often fed to young children. Medicine: mistletoe tea was taken as a remedy for illness "inside the body". Tea made from the stems and leaves of mistletoe growing on creosote bush ( P. diguetianum ) was taken to cure diarrhea and to help a woman during childbirth. Oral Tradition: sometime in the mid-nineteenth century a group of Seri men went on a killing spree, involving both Seri and non-Seri victims. They then fled and li...

         Lippia origanoides  ( ) ( ) Lippia palmeri Verbenaceae This shrub has thin, brittle stems and small leaves with deeply incised veins. The drought deciduous foliage appears after each soaking rain. Flowering may occur several times per year. It is common in the desert throughout most of the region, including Tiburon and San Esteban islands. Food: the dried, crushed leaves were used to flavor meat and fish. The flavor was similar to that of commercial oregano, although somewhat stronger. Ideally the leaves were collected after a heavy rain. for then the plant has tender foliage. When the shrub was in flower the leaves were sometimes not collected because they were said to be too strong. If harvested when in flower, then the small cone-like flower spikes were removed because of their bitter taste. It continued to be a much-used spice in the 1980s. Large bundles of the leafy branches were often sorted on the roof tops. When out in the desert, the peopl...

        Bonellia macrocarpa ssp pungens  ( ) ( ) Jacquinia pungens Theophrastaceae This small tree has a thick trunk, and dense evergreen foliage of stiff, spine-tipped leaves. The orange-red corolla readily separates from the ovary and falls as a unit. The fruit is abour 2 to 2.5 cm long, ovoid, and hard shelled, but fleshy or gelatinous inside. Common in arroyos and on plains from the vicinity of Kino Bay southward and on Tiburon Island. Flowering and fruiting occur at various times, with peak production in late spring. Adornment: the freshly picked corollas were strung as necklaces. These dried flowers reopen when placed in water, taking on a fresh and newly picked appearance, and may be revived many times. Food: the fruit was cracked on a metate and the soft inside part eaten. However, if one ate too much it was said to cause dizziness and possible intestinal disorder. Hunting: great horned owls roosting in this plant were often killed with bow and arrow dur...

       Melochia tomentosa  ( ) ( ) Sterculiaceae Medium-size shrub, slender stems, and smallish pubescent leaves with deeply incised veins. Showy rose-lavender flowers appear at various times of the year, including dry seasons. The Seri said it often blooms when other plants are not in flower. Dye: the root was occasionally used for a reddish brown dye. It was crushed on a metate and boiled. Basketry splints were steeped in the brew until stained the desired shade. Games: women used the sticks to roll hoops in the hoop rolling race. Supernatural: young girls were cautioned not to touch the flowers or they become promiscuous. "People of the Desert and Sea, Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians".

      Physalis crassifolia ( ) ( ) Solanaceae Annual or perennial herb, commonly found on rocky slopes and gravelly arroyo margins. The calyx grows over the small tomato-like fruit to form a paper lantern-like structure. Flowering and fruiting occur at various times of the year. Food: the fruit was eaten fresh. "People of the Desert and Sea, Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians".

     Physalis crassifolia  ( ) ( ) Solanaceae Annual or perennial herb, commonly found on rocky slopes and gravelly arroyo margins. The calyx grows over the small tomato-like fruit to form a paper tomato-like fruit to form a lantern-like structure. Flowering and fruiting occur at various times of the year. Fruit: the fruit was eaten fresh. "People of the Desert and Sea, Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians".