Superstition Mtns

This walk and talk was a bit different from the ones I've written about in the past. For this trip to the Superstitions, I was fortunate to have this walk led by David, a Choctaw ethnobotanist who is a caretaker or steward for the area. David has spent time with native peoples of various tribes and brings a wide perspective to traditional uses of the plants.

My camera wasn't cooperating that day, so there aren't any pictures. But you will find links throughout the article that you can follow for images or more information.

Opuntia fulgida - Chain Fruit Cholla

[image] It's interesting to note that, according to David, both the Chain Fruit Cholla and the Prickly Pear are basically the same plant, but one of them "decided" (yes, I'm anthropomorphizing) to try a jointed-stem evolutionary path and the other flat pads.

It gets the name Chain Fruit from the fruits that link up with each other and droop down towards the ground. These are actually persistent fruit, meaning that that hang out on the mother plant year after year, until they are finally brushed off by a passing animal or become heavy enough to be overtaken by gravity.

Native peoples would collect the fruit and parch it in with hot coals tossed around in a basket. The coals would singe off the thorns and tiny hairs (worse than the thorns) in preparation for food. Cacti provided the native people with their main source of Vitamin C. In more recent times, the inner skeleton of the Cholla's has been used for a ready-made splint, lightweight and strong enough for holding re-set broken bones in place.

Opuntia phaeacantha - Prickly Pear

[image] Prickly Pear is "the Aloe of the desert". No, Aloe doesn't grow native in the Southwest; it was introduced from Madagascar and Africa. But Prickly Pear does contain the thick, mucopolysaccharide goo that's so good for cuts and burns. Archaeological evidence indicates it was eaten for a food source since pre-Hohokam times. The pads of the plant are an excellent source of calcium, sort of like broccoli of the desert? I've eaten Prickly Pear and find the taste to be reminiscent of a bland but slimy cucumber. David recommends slicing the pad up thin (please take out the spines and hairs first!) and frying them with some onion, corn meal, chili powder and eggs. (Sounds good, and I need breakfast!)

Prickly Pear also has been used by the current tribes as a method of normalizing blood sugar. This is very important to the tribal contemporaries, as adult onset diabetes (Type 2) or non-insulin dependent diabetes is a significant problem for indigenous peoples. The nice thing about Prickly Pear is how it normalizes blood sugar levels. It doesn't just bring them down. So if your cooking for a family member with high blood sugar yet the rest of the family has low or normal blood sugar levels, everyone can enjoy this plant and see positive (or at least no) results. It has a similar effect on blood pressure-- same normalizing function. Truly a wonder!

Sphaeralcea emoryi - Globe or Desert Mallow

[image] Often referred to as "pink eye" or "sore eye", children tend to rub their eyes after touching the tiny hairs that cover the plant, resulting in the name. Related to the more medicinal "Marsh Mallow" of the east, Globe Mallow was used as a hair conditioner by the native people. The flowers are said to be a good remedy against hoarseness.

Prosopis glandulosa - Mesquite

[image] Mesquite was the main source of flower in the area, as wheat and other grains find it difficult to grow in our soil and climate. The dried seed pods (husks and all) were ground to a very fine powder and used to make breads. Mesquite will exude a thick, black sap from the it's bark, usually on the main trunk. Boiling this sap produced a black pigment used by the Maricopa tribe to color their pottery. It has also been used to pack on the hair and cover with mud. Why? Natures own Grecian Formula!

Krameria grayi - Ratany

[image] Ratany looks dead much of the year, hiding it's small leaves and seed pods well in the bramble of the spines. The only clue you can notice from a distance is when the plant blossoms. Not happening today, so we had to look close.

The tea of Ratany is beneficial for sore throats, and a salve is good for hemorrhoids. Native peoples made a dye from the roots which turns baskets and weavings a deep, earthy red.

Acacia greggii - Cat Claw Acacia

[image] Cat Claw Acacia, or Wait-a-Minute Bush, closely resembles a small mesquite tree and is in fact a member of the same family, Fabacea. But Cat Claw Acacia is more medicinally specific. The entire aerial parts (leaves, flowers, fruits and stems) are used in making a sedative tea, especially useful when you need to sedate the stomach as well as the person.

Euphorbia albomarginata - Rattlesnake Weed

[image] Not a nice plant to get in your garden, as you'll probably never get rid of it! But the natives used the plant mixed up into a poultice to treat rattlesnake bites, hence the common name. You can also take the whole plant as a tea for similar effects, but is has been reported to be quite purgative, so use caution!

Other Plants Seen

• Yellow Lichen
• Chuparosa (Beloperone californica)
• Black Brush (species unknown)

Posted by Evo Terra at November 16, 2002 09:15 AM | TrackBack (0)