The Spring Mountains ECHO

SOUTHERN PAIUTE USE OF ENDEMIC PLANT SPECIES

By Kathy Moskowitz, SMNRA Archaeologist

The Southern Paiute (or Nuwuvi) have occupied the area of the SMNRA for over a thousand years. The Spring Mountains provided for all of their needs, including over 90 different varieties of common plant species used for food, medicine, materials, and ceremonies. Recent research involving endemic (plants found no where else in the world) and rare species, has determined that the Southern Paiute also used these plants for a variety of reasons. Of all the endemic and rare plants found in the Spring Mountains, 19 are known to have been used by the Southern Paiutes.

Plants used for food include the bulb of the alkali mariposa lily (Calochortus Striatus) and the leaves of the Nevada willowherb (Epilobium nevadense). The needles of the barrel cactus (Ferocactus acanthodes lecontei) were used for tools.

Most of the plants, however, were used for healing. Some examples include the roots of rough angelica (Angelica scabrida), which were used as a tea for stomach aches, colds, and chest and kidney ailments. The boiled leaves of Clokey milkvetch (Astragalus aequalis) and Clokey eggvetch (Astragelus oophorus clokeyannus) were used for toothaches and pains. Boiled Clokey greasebush (Glossopetalon clokeyi) and dwarf greasebush (Glossopetalon pungens glabra) were used as a tea for tuberculosis.

Boiled yellow beardtongue (Penstemon bicolor bicolor), rosy beardtongue (Penstemon bicolor roseus), and Death Valley beardtongue (Penstemon fruticiformis amaragosae) were used as a tea to heal venereal disease, sores, skin problems, itch, eczema, ear infections, swelling, stomach aches, burns, and tooth pain. Boiled leaves of Clokey mountain sage (Salvia dorrii clokey) were used as a tea for colds, congestion, pneumonia, indigestion, fevers, influenza, and coughs.

The variety of uses of these plants continues to emphasize the need to protect the individual plants and the fragile ecosystems they grow in. Who knows which one holds the cure for cancer or AIDS? It should be noted, however, that only the Southern Paiute hold the exact knowledge of how to use these plants in the proper way. Their use without direction could lead to harm, not to mention, get you into trouble, since collection of the plants needs a permit!