Home / Keyword Mogollon Rim 11
- Fall Reflections
Description: West Fork of Oak Creek Canyon, northern Arizona. Collection: Northern Arizona University Anthropology Laboratories. - Oak Creek Canyon, Arizona
Description: Oak Creek Canyon, northern Arizona. Collection: Northern Arizona University Anthropology Laboratories. - Desert Cattail (Typhus dominguensis)
Common name: Cattail Scientific name: Typhus dominguensis Description: Tall reed-like perennial with long narrow leaves and soft, dense flower spikes. Uses: The Pima use the split, dry stalks for coiled basketry. The cattail flower, wupdaj, can be used to make pillows - mo'ochkud is 'pillow.' Both the roots and flowers/pollen are also edible. Pollen also played(s) a role in ceremony for many Native American people. - Fremont Cottonwood (Populus fremontii)
Common name: Cottonwood Scientific name: Populus fremontii Description: A fast-growing deciduous tree with furrowed gray bark on mature tree parts and light green smooth bark on new stems. Leaves are broad based and roughly triangular, with toothed edges. Uses: Predominantly used as fuel and for construction. Parts may be processed for use as chewing gum (Apache, Acoma/Laguna, Navajo). Also used for a wide variety of medicinal/ceremonial/symbolic purposes (including hair/textile dyes), in addition to carvings (such as kachina dolls), basketry, and tool parts (esp. handles for lithic blades). - Mesquite (Prosopis spp.)
Common name: Mesquite Scientific name: Prosopis spp. Description: Mesquite is a relatively common tree in the southern Southwest, with a variety of species present as far north as the Verde Valley in Arizona. The tree grows relatively quickly, has catkin-like clusters of leaves, and sweet-smelling bead pods. The pods are either sweet or bitter depending on the variety. Uses: Mesquite has been an important food source for indigenous peoples. The Tohono O’odham (Papago) are on the verge of commercial success with this crop. Mesquite flour also has major conservation potential, in that it can be made into “bread” without baking. The Pima have traditionally crushed and soaked mesquite pods in water to produce a drink called vau. Mesquite wood is hard, attractive, and in high demand for quality furniture. Mesquite has recently surpassed hickory as the most popular smoke flavoring for food. Because of the overharvesting, its wood should not be used for this purpose; burning dried pods imparts the same flavor. Both indigenous peoples and early European/American settlers used the tree's inner bark as material for basketry, coarse fabrics, and medicine to treat a variety of disorders. Gum exuded from the stem is used for manufacture of candy (gumdrops), mucilage for mending pottery, and black dye. - Sotol (Dasylirion wheeleri)
Common name: Sotol Scientific name: Dasylirion wheeleri Uses: Until a few decades ago, the Tohono O’odham (Papago) wove beautiful sleeping mats by plaiting together sotol leaves after removing marginal teeth. - Shrub Live-Oak (Quercus turbinella)
Common name: Live Oak Scientific name: Quercus turbinella Uses: Acorns (nuts) widely eaten as food by Acoma, Apache, Cocopah, Gosiute, Havasupai, Hualapai, Laguna, Mohave, Navajo, Papago, Pima, Southern Paiute, Tewa, Uintah Ute, Yavapai, and Yuma. Variously used for making tools/tool parts (digging sticks, handles, etc.), ceremonial/ritual purposes, and as a tannin (Apache). Sap may also be used as chewing gum or as an adhesive (Navajo). - Mahonia (Berberis haematocarpa)
Common names: Mahonia, barberry, desert holly Scientific name: Berberis haematocarpa Description: A relatively large evergreen shrub with glossy, sharp-pointed leaves. In spring, the mahonia produces bright yellow flowers, followed by small purple berries in mid-summer. In the fall, the leaves turn red and purple, and remain those shades through the winter. Dye: Brilliant yellow from the roots and bark. Other uses: edible berries. - Velvet Mesquite (Prosopis velutina)
Common names: Mesquite Scientific name: Prosopis velutina Description: A common desert tree with catkin-like clusters of greenish-yellow flowers from April to June. The flowers are followed by long sweet-smelling bean pods. Dye: Black from the sap. Weaving: The shredded inner bark woven into baskets. Other uses: Food such as 'pinole' meal-cakes and tea. - Englemann Prickly Pear (Opuntia engelmannii)
Common names: Prickly Pear, Cactus Apple Scientific name: Opuntia engelmannii Description: Englemann prickly pear is the largest of Arizona's prickly pear species, with large pads and dark-red to purple pear-shaped fruits. Dye: Rose-colored from fruits. Other uses: Food and medicine. - Cliffrose (Cowania mexicana)
Common names: Cliffrose, Quinine-bush Scientific name: Cowania mexicana Description: Small shrub with cream-colored, small rose-like flowers in the early summer and fall. Dye: When mixed with pounded juniper branches, cliffrose produces a tan dye. Other uses: shredded bark padding, arrows, and as medicine.