3. Berries and wild vegetables used for eating
Ok-kun-okin. Berry. Sarvis-Berry, June-Berry, Service-Berry, Shadbush, May Cherry. Amelanchier oblongifolia. A tall shrub or small tree growing on the prairies along side-hills and in river bottoms. The berries ripen in midsummer generally about the middle of July. The Blackfoot used them in great quantities with stews, soups, and meat. They also dried them for winter use. Violent pains often followed the eating of raw Sarvis-Berries. [[324]]
Pukkeep. Chokecherry. Western Wild Cherry. Prunus demissa. The Blackfoot say it does not ripen till later than the Sarvis-Berry, generally September or even October. They were used for soups, eaten raw and pounded up and mixed with meat. The bark was boiled and used internally in combination with roots of the Western Sweet Cicely, Northern Valerian, and Sixocasim (Indian Horehound).
Miss-is-a-misoi. Stink-Wood. Buffalo-Berry, Silver-Berry. Elaeagnus argentea. The Blackfoot gave it the name of Stink-Wood because of the bad smell of the smoke. In gathering firewood a person was ridiculed if he brought in Stink-Wood. The berries were used for soup. The bark was very tough and made strong rope for tying skins and parfleches when rawhide was not at hand.
Im-a-toch-kot. Dog-Feet. Disporum trachycarpum. It bears yellow berries, which are eaten raw.
Po-kint-somo. Wild Rhubarb. Cow Parsnip. Heracleum lanatum. In the spring the stalks were eaten after roasting over hot coals. The Blackfoot say the stalks are of two kinds, which they designate by Napim (He) and Skim (She). They peeled and split the stalk of the Skim before roasting but only peeled the Napim. A stalk of the Po-kint-somo was placed on the altar of the Sun Dance ceremonial.
Pach-op-it-skinni. Lumpy-Head. Wild Potato, Spring-Beauty. Claytonia lanceolata. The Wild Potato grew on the prairies and in the foothills of the mountains. The Blackfoot dug them in spring for eating, preparing them for eating by boiling.
Ek-sik-a-pato-api. Looks Back. Smartweed. Polygonum bistortoides. The root was used in soups and stews.
Pesat-se-nekim. Funny Vine. Wild Onion. Allium recurvatum. Eaten raw and also used for flavoring.
Kach-a-tan. Tender-Root. Carolina Milk Vetch. Astragalus carolinianus. The root was gathered in the spring or fall and eaten raw or cooked by boiling in water. It grows on the gravel bottoms or side-hills of the prairies.
Exixix. White-Root. Bitter-Root, State Flower of Montana, Red-Head Louisa. Lewisia rediviva. The Blackfoot believed it was healthy food. They prepared it by boiling in water. It grows plentifully in the mountains.
Sax-ika-kitsim. Quick Smell. American Wild Mint. Mentha canadensis. The leaves were placed in parfleches to flavor dried meat. It was also used to make tea.
Mass. Wild Turnip. Elk Food. Lithospermum linearifolium. [[325]]The roots were prepared for eating by boiling or roasting. It grows on the prairies.
O-muck-ai-ix-ixi. Big White-Root. Evening Primrose, Alkali Lily. Musenium divaricatum. The Blackfoot say the root has no flavor until dried. It was gathered in the fall and eaten raw. It grows on the prairies.
Miss-issa. Camas. Camassia esculenta. The roots were generally dug in the fall after the blossoms had fallen. They were baked by placing in a deep hole with heated rocks, leaves, and grass. A fire was also kept burning on top of the ground. It was said to require two days and two nights to cook them thoroughly in this way.