Ethnobotany: An interesting perspective on range management, at a bombing range.

By: J. Johansen, SRM Student Member

Ethnobotany: the study of how a culture uses plants. But, who cares about plants anyway? Let alone knows their names, their relationships to each other and other living things? Aren’t all those cultures dead? I find it interesting that the American sub-culture of the range manager may be one of the few who still speak the language of plants.


Range Manager, or Plant Magician?

 On this year’s Pacific Northwest Summer Tour we got a real treat, a trip through the Yakima Training Center, the US Army’s live-fire training grounds. Our gracious host shared with us his job of keeping the soil on the ground, in spite of tanks, artillery, and fires. He guided us through test plots of grasses and shrubs planted in the late 90’s, describing how each had faired over time, and how well they stood up to the abuse of army vehicles driving over them. The test plots were really interesting, in that it could be seen what plants had failed completely, what plants wandered out of their row, what plants grew larger at the edge of their plot to try and outcompete it’s neighbor, and just the chance to work on identification. The YTC’s Botanist consultant set me strait that the “two” grasses I had were in fact the same, one just had a fungal infection (don’t worry, cheatgrass!). Also, in another area towards the end of our YTC tour, we looked at a test plot from 1961.

SRMer's speak the language of plants

Land destroyed by wildfire!

In this area we looked at the after effects of a wildfire and sage seedlings that had been planted last fall. The grasses and massive amounts of lupines in this photo and all throughout the burn area had come back on there own, without seeding. The sage seedlings were planted because a large portion of the burn was within a Sage Grouse protection area (yes, on a bombing range) and they wanted the sagebrush to return.

Intact sagebrush system with previously burned hill behind

We also visited sites outside the YTC grazed by the Martinez family’s bands of sheep. One of the Principals of the largest sheep operation in the state of Washington, Mark Martinez was generous to take time out of his day, show us several sites and discus the ins and outs of running seven bands of about 7,500 sheep total.

*** J. Johansen will be attending OSU’s Range program at Eastern Oregon University for his junior year this fall, is working as a NRCS student intern, and has no credibility whatsoever. You can take a peek at what he does in his spare time at http://www.rideherd.com.

Interest Piece: Native American uses and management of California's grasslands

By Maggie Haseman, SRM Outreach Intern

I recently read an absorbing chapter by M. Kat Anderson titled, “Native American uses and management of California’s grasslands” in the book California Grassland: Ecology and Management (2007). I am intrigued by the many ways humans have historically used plants and thought this chapter about California grasslands was a good example and a note-worthy read.

Native tribes had many uses for the plants found in California’s grasslands. The California area is unique due to its Mediterranean climate; because of this many plants in the region are endemic. Anderson’s chapter outlines how California grassland plants were used for clothing, basketry, construction materials, cordage, medicine and food.

I found it interesting to read about the various clothing and adornments the natives created from plants. For festivals, dances and ceremonies, tribes such as the Tongva and Yokut often wove wildflowers, such as cluster-lilies (Brodiaea), triplet lilies (Triteleia), dicks (Dichelostemma), iris (Iris douglasiana), and common monkeyflower (Mimulus guttatus), into their hair, and to wear in wreaths, crowns and boas. The Sierra Miwok used sleepy catchfly (Silene antirrhina) for dying face paints and wore the flowers of the non-native quaking grass (Briza humilis) in pierced-ears. The Chukchansi Yokut used an unidentified grass they called chulochul to make the front side of women’s skirts and the Wintu made regalia out of grass mat, willow (Salix) sticks, flowers and feathers.



Photo from:
Eastern California Museum

 I was particularly interested in the section regarding the arts of basketry and cordage, or rope making, both of which are old crafts dating to 10,000 years ago in western North America. Anderson outlines how plants such as alkali sacaton (Sporobolus airoides),which was widespread throughout the region, bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum), which was prized for the black rhizomes, and deergrass (Muhlenbergia rigens), which swells in water helping to make baskets water tight were all once used to make baskets. The chapter lists some popular choices for cordage included: throughout California, dogbane (Apocynum cannabinum); in central California the milkweeds (Asclepias); in the northeastern part of the states irises (Iris); and in the southern deserts yucca (Yucca) and agave (Agave).

Also interesting was the use of plants, especially grasses, in the construction of structures and furniture. The Yana, Wappo, Owens Valley and Mono Lake Paiute, Cahuilla, Salinan, Pomo, Modoc, Klamath and Chumash thatched various structures with grasses such as giant wildrye (Leymus condensatus) and California fescue (Festuca californica) Anderson tells us the Pomo created beds by digging a hole, filling the hole with dry grass and covering the grass with tule, mats and/or skin blankets. She also notes that the Michahai and Chukaimina Yokut snake doctors made cages to carry rattlesnakes in, of an unidentified twined stiff grass.

The subject I found most fascinating were the extensive practices cited by the author for medicinal needs. The use of plants for medicine was widespread throughout California tribes. The Kumeyaay made tea for cramps from the leaves of sanicle (Sanicula arguta), the new shoots of giant wildrye were made into a tea by the Chumash to treat venereal disease, the Pomo induced sleep using dried and powdered red larkspur (Delphinium nudicaule), and the Coast Miwok made the roots of the blue-eyed-grass (Sisyrinchium bellum) into a tea to heal stomachaches. Anderson highlights the common yarrow (Achillea millefolium) as the most versatile medicinal plants used by the Ohlone, Yokeya Pomo, Washoe, Hupa, Karuk, Yurok, and Tolowa for teas, decoctions, powders, infusions, and cool or warm presses. The common yarrow was used for washing sores, alleviating toothaches, stomachaches, and headaches, treating burns, chills, fever, and sore eyes, and preventing swelling, and colds.

Perhaps the most prominent use of plants in California was for food; Anderson cited that 60-70% of nourishment for Californian tribes was derived from plants; not including the use of plants for seasoning such as the use of salt crystals from salt grass (Distichlis spicata). Grains, from grasses such as California brome (Bromus carinatus), Indian ricegrass (Achnatherum hymenoides), and the wildryes (Elymus) and seeds from wilflowers including mules-ears (Wyethia), clarkias (Clarkia), buttercups (Ranunculus), and popcorn flower (Plagiobothrys nothofulvus) were a good source of protein. The Yokut used acorns (Quercus) as an additional source of protein. For carbohydrates, California tribes searched underground for bulbs, corms and tubers. The Pomo ate the roots of cutleaf silverpuffs (Microseris lacinata) raw with nut bread. Corms from, cluster lilies, triplet lilies and dicks, and tubers from, yampah (Perideridia), turkey pea (Sanicula tuberose), soaproot (Chlorogalum pomeridianum), and mariposa lilies (Calochortus) were eaten raw, boiled, steamed, baked or roasted. For vitamins, minerals and fibers, Anderson outlines how California tribes harvested leafy greens to eat raw, soaked, or boiled, such as clovers (Trifolium), lupines (Lupinus), and fiddlenecks (Amsinckia). The Mountain Maidu collected woolen beech (Hydrophyllum capitatum) leaves, the Ohlone harvested sun cup (Camissonia ovata) foliage; the Atsugewi gathered wild parsley (Ligusticum grayi); the Kawaiisu picked common lomatium (Lomatium utriculatum). Also popular were angelicas (Angelica), which were used as seasoning in soups, and docks (Rumex), which are higher in vitamin C than citrus juice and higher in vitamin A than carrots.

According to Anderson tribes found extensive uses for the wildflowers, grasses, sedges and ferns native to California; the plants succored, fed, sheltered, and clothed the Native Americans for thousands of years. This article was very informative about the uses of plants native to California, I personally can’t wait to get out there and test some of these ancient customs. For more information or to read this chapter in its entirety, here is the citation:

Anderson, M.K. (2007). Native American uses and management of California’s grasslands. In M.R. Stromberg, J.D. Corbin & C. D’Antonio (Eds.), California grasslands: ecology and management. (pp. 57-69) Berkley, CA: University of California Press

Member Renewals and SRM on Twitter

SRM is on Twitter, a website where users can "tweet" quick, 140 character max, sentences on a variety of subject matter. SRM will be using this social networking site as another tool to get as many rangeland-related reports and information to our members as possible. Follow us to find out all the important upcoming events at a glance.

Member renewals are in full swing! Be sure to renew so you don't miss out on the latest news in rangelands. Direct questions to the SRM business office phone: (785) 843-1234 and ask for "SRM." Or email: SRM@allenpress.com. If it is after hours, please reference "SRM" in the voicemail box and leave your contact information.

SRM Welcomes Maggie Haseman, SRM Summer Outreach Intern

Maggie Haseman, tired after a long hike to our campsite on a father-daughter backpacking trip to Crater Lake in July 2010

Hi SRM, my name is Maggie Haseman and I am the new Outreach Intern here at the SRM office in Wheatridge, Colorado.  I will be a senior at Colorado State University in the fall.  I am working toward a Bachelor of Science Degree in rangeland ecology with a concentration in restoration ecology and a minor in global environmental sustainability.  After I graduate, I want to get a Master’s Degree in ethnobotany, the study of the relationship between plants and humans.  Eventually I would also like to go to law school and study environmental law.

I have lived in colorful Colorado all my life and am currently living in Fort Collins, CO.  I enjoy many activities such as hiking in the beautiful Rocky Mountains and playing the ukulele.  I also play tennis, when I get the chance, and spend time playing cards or board games, and chatting with my friends and family.

I am a first-year SRM member and heartily enjoyed attending the SRM Annual Meeting in Billings last February, where I competed in the plant ID competition.  I am very happy to have the chance to get more involved in the society through this summer Internship Program.  You will hear from me often on the SRM Outreach Blog, Facebook page and LinkedIn group until August when I must go back to school.

As the Outreach Intern I have been working on various projects for SRM including helping with the details for the 2012 Annual Meeting in Spokane, Washington, and organizing a meeting contact list so that the Society can be more efficient and organized about contacting parites for news and events related to the Annual Meeting.  I plan on using my experience at SRM and my interests in both rangelands and ethnobotany to write a series of blog posts on the history of the American Great Plains.  I would like to look into the ways that humans have shaped the ranges and also how the ranges have shaped us.