EPHEDRA
(Ind. Tut-tut)
Its habitat is the desert lands of California, northwestern Arizona, and Nevada.
This evergreen, shrubby plant was held in high esteem by all the Indians, and a good supply of it was always kept on hand for general use. The infusion made from it was used regularly to flush the kidneys. The tea is of a very delicious taste. A person cannot help liking it, and it also helps to purify the blood. (American Tea of the Indian)
PELLAEA ATROPURPUREA
(Ind. Cala-wala)
American Purple Cliff Brake Fern. Its habitat: the high mountain ranges. This useful little fern grows abundantly on most of the limestone formations and is seldom found anywhere else. Like Ephedra it makes a delicious tea, which is used more or less for the same purpose, to flush the kidneys and to tone and thin the blood in severely hot summer weather as a preventative against sunstroke.
Blood pressure, sunstroke.
ERIOGONUM ELONGATUM
(Ind. Te-ve-na-wa)
This plant is an inhabitant of the Mojave Desert. There are two different varieties, one of them being quite common on arid lands and side hills along our coastal highways. The other is the best, however, and, as a blood tonic, compares very favorably in medicinal worth with all others recommended.
The latter was used by the Indian for special cases of high blood pressure and hardening of the arteries.
It was generally used by Indian runners, and taken before and after a long-distance run over rough country.