Thursday, May 6, 2010

Indian paintbrush and manzanita




I'm posting some photographs of a few mesa-top plants. I'm not sure what the yellow flower is, but the flaming orange one is an Indian paintbrush. Dye is made from this plant. There's also an interesting legend about a young brave who receives a paintbrush from the Great Spirit then leaves it in the fields. The evergreen bush in the middle is the manzanita ("little apple"). People and animals eat the berries, but I found it even more interesting that tea made from the leaves has been used for bladder infections and for the treatment of poison oak. Here's a long list of how different Indian tribes used the manzanita.

The chemistry article is morphing again into a new shape. I guess I have to roll with the punches.

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