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".

    Nicotiana obtusifolia  ( ) ( ) Nicotiana trigonophylla Solanaceae Perennial or facultatively annual herb, with whitish tubular corolla. Widespread and common, it usually grows among rocks on north-facing slopes and along arroyos. Found on the mainland and Tiburon and San Esteban islands; also common on Alcatraz Island in Kino Bay. Smoking: although the leaves of any plant of this species might have been smoked, certain populations with superior smoking qualities were well known. The men made special trips to harvest this tobacco and brought it back to camp in quantity. Most of the leaves were allowed to dry naturally, but a mall quantity was often parched, so that it would be immediately available for smoking. For this purpose, the leaves were chopped up in a sea turtle carapace, then placed in a small, shallow clay bowl and parched with live coals. It was smoked in clay pipes, or pipes made from large tube worm shell or a thin section of Phragmites . The leaves were ...

    Lycium californicum  ( ) ( ) Solanaceae Shrub very stiff, somewhat thick twigs, each ending in a sharp thorn. Common near the shore. The fruit is bitter and not eaten.   "People of the Desert and Sea, Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians".

   Datura discolor ( ) (Toloache) Solanaceae Use of Datura by various Indians for its hallucinatory properties is well know. Although it is not known to have been used by the Seri for this purpose. This species resembles other kind poisonous nightshade, but differs in having smaller flowers and in being generally less robust. It is an ephemeral. The fruit is covered with spiny projections and it has typical, black, nightshade seeds. It is widespread on the mainland and on Tiburon and San Esteban Islands, and is common weed near farms and ranches. Medicine: tea made from the dry, mashed seeds was taken for swollen throat because it deadened the pain. A poultice of the leaves was placed on boils. The latter remedy was given to a Seri by a Mexican. The Supernatural: it was one of the first plants formed, and therefore many people would not touch it. "People of the Desert and Sea, Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians".

     Pseudorontium cyathiferum  ( ) ( ) Scrophulariaceae A very common and widespread ephemeral with tiny lavender snapdragon flowers. It appears at any time of year following adequate rainfall and ranges throughout the Seri Region, including the islands. Adornment: to bring good luck, pieces of the plant were put into small cloth bags which were tied on a cord necklace; sometimes the cloth bags were attached to a more elaborate necklace. The plant was said to belong to girls and young women. After grinding the fresh, green plant, they mixed white clay with it and added water to make beads which they strung into necklaces. These were worn because of the fragrance. "People of the Desert and Sea, Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians".

    Cardiospermum corindum ( ) ( ) Sapindaceae This desert vine has hollow fruit resembling small paper lanterns. Each fruit bears three smooth, round seeds. It is common throughout the mainland and on Tiburon Island. Adornment: while still green and soft the seeds were strung for necklaces. Footwear: the long flexible stems were occasionally used to tie pads of creosotebush on one's feet as makeshift sandals. Headpiece: the leafy vines were woven into a headband or wreath. It was worn during hot weather by men and women for shade and to keep the hair in place. Women and girls continued to use it in modern times. Water Transport: this was one of several kinds of leafy plants stuffed into the top of a water-filled olla to prevent spillage. "People of the Desert and Sea, Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians".

   Oligomeris linifolia   ( ) ( ) Resedaceae Ephemeral, often abundant and in dense stands in late spring. It occurs on the mainland and Tiburon Island. These small, slender plants have tiny capsules containing numerous shiny black seeds about 0.4 mm in diameter. Food: the seeds, worked out of the dry plant onto deer hides, were toasted, ground, and mixed with water to make a gruel. Substantial quantities of the seed could be obtained during favorable years. Medicine: tea made from the roots was used as a remedy for measles. Oral Tradition: in Seri mythology, giant girls gathered the plant for the seeds. One of them, who was in love, strung the little seeds on a necklace and gave it to her lover. "People of the Desert and Sea, Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians".

    Eriogonum inflatum  ( ) ( ) Polygonaceae Perennial herb with several or many slender, erect growing, branched flower stalks. The main axis is sometimes hollow and inflated. Commonly found among rocks on the mainland and on  Tiburon Island and San Esteban Island. Medicine: tea made from the plant was taken as a remedy for cold.  "People of the Desert and Sea, Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians".

      Plantago ovata  (Desert Plantain ) ( ) Plantaginaceae Plantago ovata var. insularis   This winter-spring ephemeral often carpets the desert following times of sufficient rainfall. It generally occurs on level terrain on the desert floor on the mainland and Tiburon Island. The size of the plant and number of flowers and seeds varies with the amount of soil moisture. Under favorable conditions each plant develops a half-dozen or more slender spikes 10 to 15 cm tall, each of which bears numerous yellowish to reddish brown seeds 2 to 2.5 mm long. Food: the seeds, often stored in pottery vessels, were an important food. In the 1980s a common methos of harvesting involved the following procedure. Whole plants with matures seeds were pulled up and gathered in a pile. While sitting on the ground, the women rolled the fruiting spikes in their hands to free the seeds and let the seeds and chaff fall onto their outspread skirts. They then picked up handfuls of the se...

     Stegnosperma halimifolium  ( ) ( ) Phytolaccaceae It is a common shrub along the shores of the Gulf including the major islands, and often ranges inland through arroyos and washes. The nearly evergreen foliage consists of simple, semi-succulent leaves. At various times of the year it bears fragrant, star-shaped flowers and juicy red fruit. Medicine: to relieve a headache, the leaves were cooked with leaves of Bursera microphylla and the mixture uses as shampoo. It was said that women going for firewood should carry leaves of this plant in their clothing or tied in their head scarves. If bitten by a rattlesnake, they were to chew the leaves to make a paste, then rub it on the bite. It was said that one would not die if treated in this manner. Oral Tradition: this plant features in the story of two brothers who became angry with their people and went to Baja California. The brothers were found by two giant women who turned them into giants by rubbing their feet, h...

    Passiflora arida  ( ) ( ) Passifloraceae It was said to be one of coyote's plants because of the inferior quality of the fruit was compared with the other passion vine in the region. This small passion vine occurs in scattered locations across the desert on the mainland and Tiburon Island. It flowers and fruits at various times of the year following periods of sufficient soil moisture. The leaves are whitish lanate (wooly). Food: the fruit was eaten fresh. Since about the middle of the twentieth century it was usually eaten only by children. It was of minor dietary importance. Some said it had a disagreeable taste, while others claimed it was good eating. The fruit was said to stink and to smell like guava. Medicine: the roots were cooked in water and the tea drunk for intestinal disorder. "People of the Desert and Sea, Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians".

    Eschscholzia parishii  ( ) ( ) Papaveraceae In years with favorable winter-spring rainfall, this spring wildflower is found on the mainland in the northern part of the Seri region. The flowers are golden yellow. It is replaced by E. minutiflora in the Sierra Seri and on Tiburon Island. "People of the Desert and Sea, Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians".

   Argemone pleiacantha  ( ) ( ) Papaveraceae It is a perennial herb, bearing large flowers with white petals and numerous large, yellow stamens. Found on abandoned farmland northeast of El Desemboque. It is rare in the undisturbed natural desert in the Seri Region. Medicine: to relieve kidney pain a tea was made from the leaves wrapped in cloth and steeped in water. This tea was also used to make a woman "lose bad blood" after parturition. Tea made from this plant was taken to cause expulsion of the remaining portion of a torn placenta. A medicinal tea made from this plant's leaves cooked in water with the inner bark from the root of Opuntia fulgida was taken for urinary problems, as a diuretic, and to "clear the urine". It was said to "rest" the kidneys and relieve the pain. "People of the Desert and Sea, Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians".

      Aphyllon cooperi  ( ) ( ) Orobanche cooperi Orobanchaceae The thick succulent stems appear in spring, and are parasitic on various species of Ambrosia . It occurs near El Desemboque and northward. Food: the people of the Libertad Region ate the "roots" (thickened base of the stem and inflorescence) after they were thoroughly cooked in ashes. "People of the Desert and Sea, Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians".

     Oenothera avita  ( ) ( ) Oenothera californica Onagraceae This winter-spring ephemeral has large white flowers which open at dusk and remain open through the morning on cool days. Generally found on sandy soils, it is common on dunes on the mainland and Tiburon Island. To the Seri it is the same as Abronia villosa except for the difference in flower color. Both species occur together on beach dunes and sandy soils. Girls brought home bouquets of the flowers which were tied together and hung from the walls of their huts. "People of the Desert and Sea, Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians".

    Eulobus californicus  ( ) ( ) Camissonia californica Onagraceae Winter-spring ephemeral, often very common across the desert floor on the mainland and Tiburon Island. Medicine: the flowers and leaves were cooked in water and used to wash the head as a remedy for falling hair and hair with split ends. "People of the Desert and Sea, Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians".

     Boerhavia erecta  (erect spiderling) ( ) Nyctaginaceae Summer-fall ephemeral, resembling B. coulteri but having flowers in tiny umbellate clusters. Some Seri said they were the same plant but that this had grown taller. Animal Food: the edible caterpillar of the sphinx moth ( Hyles lineata ) was said to be found more often on this plant than on other kinds of plants. Medicine: the stems were cooked in water, and the resulting tea taken to combat measles. "People of the Desert and Sea, Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians".

    Boerhavia coulteri  (spiderling) ( ) Nyctaginaceae A common summer-fall desert ephemeral; mainland and Tiburon and San Esteban islands. The small, pinkish flowers are on slender racemose inflorescences. The Seri said it is like tall hay, but with small leaves. Food: the green herbage was cooked, mashed and eaten. This was one of the few greens used by the Seri. Water Transport: it was one of several kinds of plants used to cover an olla to prevent water from splashing or spilling. "People of the Desert and Sea, Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians".

    Abronia maritima  (coastal sand verbena) (  ) Nyctaginaceae This prostrate-growing perennial has thick succulent leaves and bright magenta flowers. It forms dense mats on upper beaches and beach dunes throughout the region, including Tiburon Island. Medicine: tea made by cooking the outer portion of the root was taken to aid in the expulsion of a torn placenta. "People of the Desert and Sea, Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians".

   Horsfordia alata  ( ) ( ) Malvaceae It is a spindly shrub 2 to 3 m tall with sparse foliage. Mainland, and Tiburon Island and San Esteban Island. Food Preparation: it was used to string grasshoppers, presumably to carry them to camp. Medicine: a thick liquid made by soaking the outer bark of the root and the lower part of the stem was used as medicine for sores in the mouth or eyes. "People of the Desert and Sea, Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians".

   Hibiscus denudatus  ( ) ( ) Malvaceae This small desert perennial is widespread and common in western Sonora. "People of the Desert and Sea, Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians".

   Abutilon palmeri ( ) ( ) Malvaceae Perennial bush with relatively large, velvety leaves and orange petals; found in arroyos on the mainland and the islands. Food Preparation: the Seri used to capture and string grasshoppers for food. Medicine: the bark was removed from the root, and the root then cut into pieces and put in cold water; the liquid was drunk to alleviate a sore throat. "People of the Desert and Sea, Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians".

  Abutilon incanum  ( ) ( ) Malvaceae Small shrub with slender stems and drought-deciduous foliage; widespread and common on the mainland and on Tiburon Island. Adornment: small pieces of the stem were put through pierced ear holes to keep them from closing. Food Preparation: several mallows apparently were once used to string grasshoppers. "People of the Desert and Sea, Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians".

      Triteleiopsis palmeri  ( ) ( ) Fabaceae The small blue flowers are borne in an umbellate arrangement on a slender stalk arising from a cluster of tiny underground bulbs. The foliage, consisting of several leaves, and flowers appear in spring. In the early 1980s some of the women and girls at El Desemboque dug it up and transplanted them to their gardens. They grew them in cans, buckets, and in the ground. Food: it was given to a young child whose mother was pregnant. Since the mother was often unable to provide sufficient milk, the child was likely to be undernourished. The tiny bulbs were said to be survival food for the companion child. The bulbs were cooked in water until they became soft mush. This mush was one of the soft foods fed to young children when they started eating solids. In addition, children enjoyed looking for the plants on dunes in springtime and eating the bulbs fresh. For this reason it was often difficult to find mature plants near El Dese...

     Phaseolus filiformis  ( ) ( ) Fabaceae This delicate ephemeral bean can appear at various times of the year following sufficient rainfall. It has twining stems, pink, pea-like flowers, and small pods. Animal Food: it was eaten by quail. "People of the Desert and Sea, Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians".

    Acmispon maritimus  ( ) ( ) Lotus salsuginosus Fabaceae Winter-spring ephemerals with tiny, pea-like, yellow flowers, and prostrate or spreading stems. Common during favorable years on the mainland an Tiburon Island. Games: one of these plants, together with Descurainia would bring good luck when rubbed on a person who planned to play certain gambling games. "People of the Desert and Sea, Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians".

   Dallea mollis  ( ) ( ) Fabaceae This low-growing, winter-spring ephemeral is widespread in the region, including Tiburon Island. Medicine: the plant was heated in coals and used as poultice on swellings. The poultice was held in place with a rag or cloth band. "People of the Desert and Sea, Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians".

  Parkinsonia praecox  ( ) (Palo Brea) Cercidium praecox Fabaceae This low, spreading tree has nearly horizontal branches, pale pea-green bark, and bright yellow flowers in spring. It is wide ranging in Latin America, and extends northward along the coast to Tastiota and Siete Cerros. Medicine: the bark, ground with sea turtle oil and salt, was used as a lotion for bruises and sprains. Tea made from the bark was taken to aid in the expulsion of a torn placenta. "People of the Desert and Sea, Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians".

    Mariosousa willardiana  ( ) (palo blanco) Acacia willardiana Fabaceae This thin, wispy tree is spineless and has paperlike, peeling, white bark. The trunk and limbs are usually straight, slender, and flexible, and the wood is hard. It is very common on rocky slopes, cliffs, bajadas, and arroyos near mountains. Palo blanco occurs in coastal mountains from the Sierra Seri to Guaymas and on Tiburon Island. It is endemic to western Sonora. Food Gathering: the wood was used to make the chisel pry bar ant the digging stick. Hunting: the detachable foreshaft of a sea turtle harpoon was often made from palo blanco wood. Shelter:  the trunks commonly were used in the framework of brush houses and as posts in wattle and daub houses. Other Uses: uses of the wood included: the club for killing fish and sea turtles, a pole on which a deer skin was scraped, a carrying yoke. This was often made in the spot after killing a deer, in order to transport the meat back to camp. "Peop...

   Senegalia greggii  (Catclaw acacia) (uña de gato) Acacia greggii Fabaceae Catclaw is a shrub or small tree with irregular branches and trunk, and small, sharp. recurved spines. The wood is strong and hard, and the heartwood reddish. It ranges nearly throughout the Seri region, including Tiburon Island, and is common along arroyos and other drainageways. It does not occur on San Esteban Island. Food Gathering: the wood was used as the chisel-prybar for the various century plants and for the digging stick for saiya, etc. Hunting and Fishing: before metal was available the preferred material for fish and turtle harpoon points was catclaw wood. Music: this plant was one of several kinds of wood used to make the violin bow. The musical rasp was occasionally made from catclaw instead of ironwood. Weapons:   the wood was used to make the bow. Other Uses: the wood was used for the carrying yoke and for spikes to hold cargo on the balsa.. "People of the Desert and Sea...

  Krameria bicolor  (White Ratany) (Cosahui) Krameria grayi  Krameriaceae Low-spreading shrub, spine-like branch tips, and small drought-deciduous leaves. The deep magenta flowers, ca i cm in diameter, are crowded in small clusters and may appeal at various times of the year. The bur-like fruit, ca i cm in diameter, resembles a miniature sea urchin. The thick roots radiate from a point about 15 cm below the soil surface. It is a common desert plant, found on the mainland and Tiburon Island. South of Kino Bay it is replaced by a similar, although distinct species, K. sonorae , which develops into a shrub 1.5 to 2 m in height. Dye: the most common basket dye color and, according to Seri oral history, the only color traditionally used was a reddish brown dye. It was generally made from cosahui root. Johnson (1959:12) described it as a "rich burnt sienna color. With considerable effort the lateral roots (not the main root) were dug up with a stick, seashell, knife, or metal s...

             Koeberlinia spinosa  (Crucifixion Thorn) ( ) Koenerliniaceae Shrub or small tree, mainland coast south nearly to Tastiota and on Tiburon Island. The wood is exceedingly hard and produces copious oily black smoke when burned. The plant was said to be poisonous or toxic and to cause the flesh to swell when one was pricked by the thorny branches. Medicine: tea made from the flowers was taken as a remedy for dizziness and a certain intestinal disorder, or diarrhea. The twigs were combined with hierba del manso as a remedy for rheumatism. The wood was burned in a hut to drive away disease during epidemics, probably measels. During the nineteenth century, after excursions to Hermosillo to sell and trade, the Seri came home and burned this plant's wood to disinfect their houses against diseases they had encountered in the city. "People of the Desert and Sea, Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians".  

            Aristida californica  ( ) ( ) Poaceae Perennial grass, forming small, dense clumps in sandy soils, generally near the shore. Relatively thick, tough, almost wiry roots. It is common from Kino Bay northward and on the east and north coasts of Tiburon Island. Boats: men used pads of this grass to cushion their knees when paddling a balsa. Hair Care: the hairbrush was usually made from roots of this grass. Several plants were pulled out and several close to the rootcrown. The roots were tied into a bundle and evened off by burning. Firemaking: pieces of this grass mixed with rabbit dung were used as tinder. The Supernatural: of one used the brush at night his spirit would wander off toward the place of the dead. If one dared to use it a second time at night, his hand would swell A discarded hairbrush used by one who had died was considered dangerous. Tanning: the grass was mixed with animal brains and made into patties which were dried for sto...

           Jatropha cuneata  ( ) ( ) Euphorbiaceae This shrub is abundant and widespread in the Gulf of California region, including most of the major islands. It ranges from the Guaymas area northward into southwestern Arizona, and extends through most of the peninsula of Baja California. It is characteristic of arid places, and is often abundant on hot, dry, south or west-facing slopes. It is common throughout all of the territory of the various Seri groups. It is a semi-succulent and multiple-stemmed shrub, commonly reaching 1 to 2 m in height. Each shrub has a number of large, radiating, and carrot-shaped roots, up to about 10 cm in diameter. The roots and lower stems exude copious blood-like sap when cut. The stems are flexible, the wood very soft, and the foliage drought-deciduous. The sensitivity of this species to freezing weather limits its northern range. Relatively rapid stem growth may occur with the summer-fall rains. After being cut, such...

          Euhporbia misera  ( ) ( ) Euphorbiaceae Small to medium-sized shrub with knotty stems, often on north-facing slopes. Superficially resembling Jatropha cuneata but readily distinguished by its copious milky sap. Reported to be used un the making of blue clay, or Seri Blue, but this practice was not verified by the Seri. Medicine: tea made from the roots was used as a remedy for stomachache, dysentery, and venereal diseases. "People of the Desert and Sea, Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians".  

         Acalypha californica  ( ) (hierba del cáncer) Euphorbiaceae After collecting the very last columnar cactus fruit of the year, the people of the Libertad region were said to have spread branches of this shrub on the ground and dumped the fruit out of their collecting baskets onto the branches. This small, drought-deciduous shrub ranges through most of the region, including Tiburon and San Esteban Islands. Shelter: the branches were used as roofing for the brush house. "People of the Desert and Sea, Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians".  

        Dudleya arizonica  ( ) ( ) Crassulaceae In Sonora, this thick-leaved succulent occurs in coastal mountains as far south as Cerro Tepopa, but it is not common in the region. It usually grows wedged in crevices of cliffs or canyon walls. "People of the Desert and Sea, Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians".  

       Trixis californica  ( ) ( ) Asteraceae A very common small shrub with brittle stems, green foliage, and attractive yellow flower heads. It is widespread in the region, including Tiburon Island. Medicine: tea made from the roots was taken by a woman before delivery to hasten the birth. Smoking: the leaves were smoked like tobacco. "People of the Desert and Sea, Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians".  

      Brickelia coulteri  ( ) ( ) Asteraceae Common along washes and arroyos in the mountains and inland, such as at Rancho Estrella. Adornment: the fresh leafy stems were put in little cloth bags on necklaces because of their pleasant aroma. For this reason the plant was also rubbed on the clothing and put in one's shirt or blouse pocket. "People of the Desert and Sea, Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians".  

     Ambrosia ambrosioides  ( ) ( ) Asteraceae Common bushy perennial with slender stems and elongated, triangular, rough-surfaced leaves. It usually occurs in canyons and arroyos, and ranges throughout the region, including Tiburon Island. Medicine: tea made from the roots was given to a woman near parturition. Pigment: the pounded root bark was sometimes substituted for Ambrosia dumosa in the manufacture of Serie Blue. It gave the pigment a distinct aroma. "People of the Desert and Sea, Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians".  

    Ruellia californica  ( ) ( ) Acanthaceae This small shrub has slender, brittle stems, and showy lavender flowers. It is common in the southern part of the Seri region and certain parts of Tiburon Island, especially on rocky bajadas and hills near the mountains. R. peninsularis from the Baja California peninsula is similar and closely related to R. californica but differs in having dull oily glandular-pubescent foliage and not glabrate foliage which is glutinous and somewhat shiny. These characters might have an effect on the medicinal and smoking qualities of the plant. Food: nectar was sucked from the base of the corolla. Medicine: tea made from the leaves was taken for dizziness, and put on the face of one who was tired out. The same liquid was used as shampoo to relieve a headache, and also as eyedrops. As another means to cure a headache, the leaves or leafy branches were put on moderately hot or warm coals; then the toasted leaves were put in an olla with warm wa...

     Atriplex canescens  ( Fourwing Saltbush ) ( ) Chenopodiaceae These dense shrubs are common on coastal dunes and low-saline and alkaline soils. They have four-winged fruits. It can be distinguished from A. linearis by its larger stature and larger fruits and leaves. The Seri did not distinguish between them, and also sometimes did not distinguish them from   A. polycarpa . Medicine: tea made from the leaves was taken as an emetic. Shelter: the leafy branches were used as roofing material for the brush house. "People of the Desert and Sea, Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians".

    Allenrolfea occidentalis  ( Iodinebush ) ( ) Chenopodiaceae This evergreen bush or small shrub has succulent stems with bead-like green or reddish green joints and an alternate branching pattern. It is abundant at the desert edge of marshy and saline wet places throughout the Gulf of California. the seeds are reddish brown, about 0.8 mm long, and are produced in great quantity in mid-winter. A container the size of an ordinary work basket can be filled in about ten minutes by shaking the seed bearing branches into it. Food: the seeds were toasted, ground, and cooked as gruel, or mixed with turtle oil. The seeds were said to pop when toasted. Shelter: the branches wee used to provide shade and roofing for the brush house. The Supernatural: it was considered to be one of the first plants formed. It was one of several plants used in the smoking ceremonies. Tanning: because it was a soft plant, it was used to cover the ground beneath a deer hide to keep it clean during th...