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Plants of the Omaha Indian Reservation
An Ethonobotanical Report
Cirsium vulgare American Indian Names Description The leaves on the thistle are alternate blades with simple rosette leaf blades that are ellipical and 10-30 cm long; 2-7 cm wide. The lobes are tipped with a yellow spine which is 5 mm long. The stems are erect, sparingly branched above nearly a round enclosed seed. It is a perennial forb and a native plant which flowers in June and July. Location and Habitat Thistle can be located throughout Nebraska on rangeland prairies, pastures, and disturbed sites. We found this plant growing in several spots of the Omaha Indian Reservation, such as near the the small baseball field and north of the school. Uses Thistle increases with grazing on rangeland and has little or no forage value. Horses may eat the flowering heads and songbirds eat the seed. Some Native Americans used it for food. the Navajo made a cold infusion and used it as an eye wash for both themselves and their livestock. The plant was also used to help people when they did not feel well and suffered with fever and chills. The Hopi used it as a laxative. The Iroquois used the plant for hemorrages. The Kiowa made a wash from the blossoms for sores. The Buni took infusions of the roots as a contraceptive and one of the whole plant for syphillis. By Josh Caramony
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