ETHNOBOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM AND MEDICAL ...

ETHNOBOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM AND MEDICAL ETHNOBOTANY OF 

ABSTRACT 

THE EASTERN BAND OF THE CHEROKEE INDIANS 

by 

David N. Cozzo 

(Under the direction of Brent Berlin) 

The Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians live in one of the planet’s most 

floristically diverse temperate zone environments. Their relationship with the local flora 

was initially investigated by James Mooney and revisited by subsequent researchers 

such as Frans Olbrechts, John Witthoft, and William Banks, among others. This work 

interprets the collective data recorded by Cherokee ethnographers, much of it in the 

form of unpublished archival material, as it reflects the Cherokee ethnobotanical 

classification system and their medical ethnobotany. 

Mooney’s proposed classification system for the Cherokee is remarkably similar 

to contemporary models of folk biological classification systems. His recognition of this 

inherent system, 60 years before contemporary models were proposed, provides 

evidence for their universality in human cognition. 

Examination of the collective data concerning Cherokee medical ethnobotany 

provides a basis for considering change in Cherokee ethnobotanical knowledge, for re-

evaluation of the statements of the various researchers, and a means to explore trends 

that were not previously apparent. 

Index Words: Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians, Ethnobiological Classification 

Systems, Ethnohistory, Ethnomedicine, Historical Ethnobotany, Medical Ethnobotany, 

Native American Medicine, Tradition Botanical Knowledge.



by 


B. S. Eastern Kentucky University, 1995 

M. A. Appalachian State University, 1999 

A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the University of Georgia in Partial 

Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree 

Doctor of Philosophy 

Athens, Georgia 

2004

© 2004 


All Rights Reserved


Electronic Version Approved: 

Maureen Grasso 

Dean of the Graduate School 

The University of Georgia 

May 2004 


by 


Major Professor: Brent Berlin 

Committee: Elois Ann Berlin 

Charles Hudson 

Ted Gragson

DEDICATION 

To my daughters, Jocelyn Grace and Alyssa Joy, whose love and support 

sustained me throughout the process. 

iv

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 

I would like to express my gratitude to my committee members, Brent and Elois 

Ann Berlin, Charles Hudson, and Ted Gragson for their direction, insights, and 

nurturance throughout this endeavor. Their support and enthusiasm has enhanced any 

sense of accomplishment I associate with my academic pursuits. I would like to express 

my appreciation to the Faculty and Staff of the Anthropology Department at the 

University of Georgia for opening my eyes to the possibilities and helping me deal with 

the realities of higher education. I also wish to thank William Sturtevant, my research 

advisor at the Smithsonian Institution, and the staff at the National Anthropological 

Archives. 

Funding for this project was provided by a Graduate Research Fellowship from 

the Smithsonian Institution and the Anne S. Chatham Fellowship in Medicinal Botany. 

v

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

vi 

Page 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS………………………………………………………………………v 

LIST OF TABLES…..…………………………………………………………………………..vii 

Chapter 

1 Introduction………………………………………………………………………1 

2 Cherokee Ethnobotanical Classification System…………………………...22 

3 Tlukûĭ – Tree.............................................................................................43 

4 Uwáwa‛téna – Shrub; Udûnsínĭ – Vine……………………………………...94 

5 Ganulû΄hĭ – Herbaceous (Non-woody) Plants........................................135 

Part 1: Cherokee Intermediate Categories………………………..136 

Part 2: Cherokee Herbaceous Plants……………………………...192 

6 Kanéska – Grass……………………………………………………………..313 

7 Egû΄lĭ or Igû΄lĭ – Fern…………………………………….…………………..330 

8 Úgalŭ-hi – Moss; Ustaléta – Lichen………………………………………..339 

9 Crop Plants…………………………….……………………………………..343 

10 Cherokee Ethnomycology………….……………………………………….359 

11 Re-evaluation of the Cherokee Ethnomedical System from an 

Ethnobotanical Perspective…………………………………………………369 

References……………………………………………………………………………………398 

Appendix: Cherokee Ethnomedical Conditions…………………….…………………….410

LIST OF TABLES 

Table 3.1: Botanical and Cherokee Names for Maples and Hickories………………….45 

Table 3.2. Botanical and Cherokee Names for Oaks……………………………………..45 

Table 3.3. Tree Index: Botanical Species and Folk Genera……………………………..48 

vii 

Page 

Table 4.1. Shrub and Vine Index: Botanical Species and Folk Genera…………………97 

Table 5.1. Botanical Families in the Intermediate Categories (with No. of Genera)….137 

Table 5.2. Intermediate Category Index: Botanical Species and Folk Species……….138 

Table 5.3. Herbaceous Plant Index: Botanical Species and Folk Genera……………..193 

Table 6.1. Grass Index: Botanical Species and Folk Species…………………………..315 

Table 7.1. Fern Index: Botanical Species and Folk Species…………………………….332 

Table 8.1. Moss and Lichen Index: Botanical Name and Folk Species………………..340 

Table 9.1. Crop Plant Index: Botanical Name and Folk Species……………………….343 

Table 10.1. Fungus Index: Botanical Species and Folk Species……………………….361 

Table11.1: Frequency of Remedy Selection for Cherokee Diseases…………………..373 

Table 11.2: Number of Remedies Used for Cherokee Diseases……………………….391 

Table 11.3: Number of Herbs Used per Bodily Fluid …………………………………….392

Chapter 1 

Introduction 

The Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians live in one of the most botanically 

diverse temperate zone ecosystems on the planet. A complete study of Cherokee 

ethnobotany would be a monumental, multifaceted task, so in this present work I have 

chosen to concentrate on just two aspects: the ethnobotanical classification system and 

medical ethnobotany of the Cherokee. The former, until recently (Cozzo 2000), has not 

been explored and the latter, while partially described in several works (Mooney 1891, 

1900, Mooney and Olbrechts 1932, Banks 1953), has not been treated in a 

comprehensive manner. 

As the field of ethnobotany has matured and been embraced by professional 

anthropologists, theoretical and methodological approaches have also matured. Mere 

lists of economically useful plants have been shown to be inadequate in explaining the 

human relationship to their botanical environment. The functional, social, and 

ideological context must all be considered when taking a holistic approach to 

plant/human interactions. Conklin’s study of the Hanunóo ethnobotanical classification 

system is considered a seminal work in the structure of cognition as it relates to the field 

of ethnobotany (Ford 1978), but it was Berlin and his collaborators that demonstrated 

the universality of folk systems (Berlin 1972, Berlin et al. 1973, Berlin 1992). 

1

As the field of ethnobotany has matured and been embraced by professional 

anthropologists, theoretical and methodological approaches have also matured. Mere 

lists of economically useful plants have been shown to be inadequate in explaining the 

human relationship to their botanical environment. The functional, social, and 

ideological context must all be considered when taking a holistic approach to 

plant/human interactions. Conklin’s study of the Hanunóo ethnobotanical classification 

system demonstrated that the structure of cognition was also an integral part of the field 

(Ford 1978). 

The Cherokee myth of the origin of disease and medicine demonstrates why the 

Cherokee ethnobotanical system provides an ideal opportunity to integrate their 

ethnobiological classification system and their medical ethnobotany. In Mooney’s 

version of the myth, all the plants, “Each Tree, Shrub, and Herb, down to the Grasses 

and Mosses, agreed to furnish a cure for some one of the diseases named and each 

said: ‘I shall appear to help Man when he calls upon me in his need (1891: 252).’” Every 

plant was considered to have a medicinal application, “even the weeds”, but the means 

to use each was not always understood by humans. Clearly, as the Cherokees 

assumed that all plants had a medicinal value, whether known or unknown, the system 

is truly holistic. The segregation of the plants into the various life forms also delineates 

the basis of the classification system. But this myth was recorded over 100 years ago 

and the belief system that fostered it has gone through numerous changes. A 

compilation such as that described below is limited to the information that has been 

recorded by previous researchers, which is inherently bounded by the strictures of 

2

fieldwork and the awe-inspiring task of comprehensively recording the complexities of 

human culture. 

Contemporary ethnobotany is a multidisciplinary field encompassing or 

integrated with such diverse disciplines as ethnoecology, ethnomedicine, cognitive 

ethnobotany, paleoethnobotany, traditional agricultural practices, and studies of material 

culture (Cotton 1996: 17). However, as traditional cultures are disappearing, there is a 

growing interest in historical ethnobotany. In the past, historical ethnobotanists have 

mainly been concerned with the relationship between people and plants as recorded in 

ancient texts and the pictographs of preliterate societies (Schultes and von Reis 1995: 

89). However, as the discipline has evolved and methodologies have improved, it is 

advantageous from both practical and cultural perspectives to revisit the historical 

records of the ethnographers from the early days of the profession. This is especially 

relevant in North America, where most of the early ethnographic material was gathered 

by salvage ethnographers bent on compiling as much information as possible before the 

demise of the native populations, languages, and cultures. The bulk of this material was 

collected by the Bureau of American Ethnology. 

The Bureau of Ethnology (later to become the Bureau of American Ethnology) 

was created as a division of the Smithsonian Institution in 1879. Under the direction of 

John Wesley Powell, the goal of the Bureau was to collect data on Native Americans in 

the categories of the arts, language, technology, beliefs, and institutions (Moses 1984: 

7). Powell had been greatly influenced by Lewis Henry Morgan’s evolutionary 

perspective on the stages of human development and wanted to collect enough 

empirical data to establish a basis for the science of anthropology, much as Darwin had 

3

done for biology. However, Powell perceived the importance of the new ethnology as 

being not so much the gathering of materials on individual societies, but as a means to 

reconstruct the lines of mental development and cultural evolution inherent in the 

various stages of Morgan’s model of social development (Hinsley 1981: 136-8). 

Powell’s authoritarian style of management and strict adherence to his version of 

cultural evolution often put him at odds with his ethnologists, and he was prone to 

correct staff member holding what he perceived as wayward notions (Hinsley 1981: 

212). One of these was James Mooney, at the time a young, Irish-Catholic 

newspaperman from the Midwest with a passion for studying Native Americans. 

Mooney had gained Powell’s attention by his compilation of a list of two thousand 

Indian tribes of North and South America along with their linguistic affinities, histories, 

and tribal relations. Powell was so impressed that he offered Mooney a paid position the 

following year if he would volunteer his services until the next fiscal appropriations. 

Mooney became a full time ethnographer in August of 1886 (Moses 1984: 20). In the 

spring of 1887, he began his first field assignment among the Eastern Band of the 

Cherokee. Mooney considered the Cherokee to be one of the most important tribes in 

North America, and the Eastern Band, due to their relative isolation, to be “the purest- 

blooded and most conservative of the nation (Moses 1982: 22).” 

The Eastern Band of the Cherokee was formed by approximately 1,000 of the 

more conservative members of the Cherokee Nation who evaded the forced removal of 

1838. At its peak, the Cherokee Nation’s sphere of influence included the entire 

Southern Appalachian region including eastern Tennessee, most of Kentucky, the 

mountainous region of North Carolina, northeastern Alabama, north Georgia, and 

4

northwestern South Carolina. Finger (1984: xii) pushes the formation of the Eastern 

Band back to 1819, as it was at this time that the more conservative element broke 

away from the others in their disgust over a treaty for land concessions. Many of them 

lived outside the new boundaries in the small settlements of Quallatown and Cheoah, 

proclaiming themselves citizens of the state of North Carolina (Finger 1984: 17). This 

nucleus would later attract those who resisted removal and became known as the 

Eastern Band. It took many years for this group to establish their claim to tribal lands 

and settle the issue of their citizenship, especially after the Cherokee sided with the 

Confederacy during the Civil War. But their new tribal government was finally 

inaugurated in 1870 and the final deeds to the reservation executed by 1880 (Mooney 

1900: 174). So Mooney’s arrival in 1887 was at a pivotal point in Cherokee history, and 

even among this most conservative faction it was a time when they were increasingly 

abandoning their traditional ways (Finger 1984: 153). 

When considering the scope of Mooney’s research among the Cherokee, one 

must remember that the bulk of his publications on the Cherokee came around or 

before 1900. His major works, Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees and Myths of the 

Cherokees, were published in 1891 and 1900 respectively and he published nothing on 

the Cherokee after 1900. Yet he collected and partially organized much additional 

information in the decades that followed these publications. Mooney’s first field seasons 

occurred in 1887, 1888, and 1889, and his primary publications were based on these 

data. But Mooney also returned to the Cherokee and collected additional data in 1913, 

1914, and 1917. 

5

Mooney was under pressure from his superiors to turn his research into 

publications, but, as was true with many of the salvage ethnographers, he was much 

more concerned with gathering of data than synthesizing and publishing his findings 

(Moses 1984: 45). When questioned about the amount of material he gathered against 

the few publications he had penned, Mooney responded that the day of the Indian was 

a thing of the past and ethnologists must record their history before it was gone (Moses 

1984: 144). Mooney would rather assume the risk that his field notes would be of no 

use and unfathomable to successive researchers than miss an opportunity to acquire 

what he perceived as the last bits of knowledge from a dying race (Hinsley 1981: 224). 

As Mooney’s health was failing in the later decades of his career and his interests had 

spread to several other Native American groups, he would have no choice but to leave 

the task of synthesizing and interpreting his materials to others. 

Powell’s death in 1902 in some ways freed Mooney from the yoke of Morgan’s 

evolutionary perspective and allowed him to immerse himself in the history and 

ethnography of specific groups (Hinsley 1981: 219). Caught between Powell’s concept 

of the gentleman anthropologist and the newly emerging Boasian school of professional 

anthropology, Mooney had little theoretical framework for his studies and was more 

intent on telling the story of Native people to the public at large (Hinsley 1981: 224). 

What is obvious from Mooney’s later data is that he changed some of his earlier 

biases toward Cherokee ethnobotanical knowledge. Having once stated that, “the 

medicine man’s knowledge is about on a level with that of the ordinary farmer’s wife” 

(Mooney 1890), his later research expanded into their ethnobotanical system and a 

broader perspective on medicinal uses, preparation, and ecological knowledge of the 

6

Cherokee plants. Unfortunately, he was never able to complete his planned multi- 

volume series on the Cherokee (Moses 1984: 123). 

After Mooney’s death in 1921, Frans Olbrechts, a Belgian ethnographer, 

continued Mooney’s work among the Cherokee. Olbrechts is best known for his 1932 

posthumous collaboration with Mooney, The Swimmer Manuscript: Cherokee Sacred 

Formulas and Medicinal Prescriptions. Mooney died well before Olbrechts came to the 

United States, but by combining Mooney’s sacred formulas and observations on plant 

use with his own observations on Cherokee medical practices, he was able to produce 

one of the finest published works known concerning a Native American medical system. 

However, this would be his only major American work, as he returned to Belgium in 

1929 to become director of the Musée du Congo Belge at Tervuren. 

Olbrechts began his studies in the United States when he received a fellowship 

for post-graduate studies in linguistics at Columbia where he studied under Franz Boas 

(Forde 1958). After completing his studies in 1926, he briefly returned to Belgium to 

marry, but was soon honeymooning with his new bride in the loft of a small cabin among 

the Eastern Cherokee in Jackson and Swain Counties, North Carolina. He and his wife 

spent the winter and spring of 1926-27 living with a Cherokee family, gathering 

materials on Cherokee religion and language in preparation for what would eventually 

become The Swimmer Manuscript (Alexander 1927). 

Much of The Swimmer Manuscript was posthumously attributed to Mooney’s 

research, but as one becomes familiar with the published works and archival materials 

of both authors, Olbrechts’ predominance in the text becomes evident. Olbrechts 

appeared to have a greater interest in a broad range of topics inherent in the Cherokee 

7

ethnomedical system such as their categories of disease and the combinations of herbs 

used in the formulas. But like Mooney he gave little credence to the efficacy of their 

methods and appeared more concerned with ceremony and symbolism than the 

potential efficacy of the cures. 

John Witthoft was the next anthropologist to take an abiding interest in Cherokee 

ethnobiology. He developed his interest as one of the last graduate students to study 

under Frank Speck, a renowned ethnographer of the eastern Native Americans. Witthoft 

had a life-long interest in Cherokee ethnobiology and especially Cherokee ethnobotany, 

and he continued field research as a professor of anthropology at the University of 

Pennsylvania from 1966 to 1986. But the majority of his publications on the Cherokee 

were during his post-Masters research at Michigan, and he published little about the 

Cherokee after 1949 (Cotter 1996). This indicates that much of his research was never 

published. A portion of that material was housed at the American Philosophical Society 

Archives in Philadelphia and is described below. The remainder has not yet been 

located and does not appear to be available to public scrutiny. 

Archival Materials and Primary Sources 

The bulk of Mooney’s material that will be considered in this work comes from 

several manuscripts found among Mooney’s archival materials housed at the 

Smithsonian Institution. The largest body of this material was from Ms. 2591 (n.d. a); a 

three-volume work hand-written by Mooney and entitled Cherokee Botany. This appears 

to be the framework for a planned later volume, or series of volumes, on Cherokee 

ethnobotany. Each page was devoted to a particular plant and the more complete 

8

entries included the botanical name, the Cherokee name, Mooney’s gloss of the name, 

the etymology of the name, and the medicinal uses for the plant. It was in these 

volumes that Mooney also made the bulk of his notes concerning the Cherokee 

ethnobotanical classification system. However, this was a work in progress and much of 

these data is missing for many of the plants. Often in this manuscript only the Cherokee 

name or botanical name is recorded or the gloss for the name was not available. 

Mooney would gather some of this material in later field seasons, but he did not 

thoroughly update his data in Cherokee Botany. 

Another source from these materials that aided in cross-referencing the 

Cherokee names to botanical names is a collection of forty-three labels that were 

attached to the plant specimens that Mooney sent back to the Smithsonian to be 

identified (n.d. b, Ms. 2497). The labels, penned by Mooney, had the Cherokee names 

and bits of information about the plant on one side and a botanical designation, penned 

by the identifying botanist, on the other side. Most of these are dated from September of 

1911. 

Three small pocket notebooks, labeled by Mooney as “Medical Notes”, provided 

an indication that Mooney’s attention had shifted towards a more complete botanical 

pharmacopoeia in his later Cherokee research (n.d.c, Ms. 1894). The notebooks contain 

119 Cherokee names for plants and a range of botanical, environmental and cultural 

applications. There is often a description of the plant, a description of its habitat, 

medical conditions it would treat, and preparation techniques. Occasionally, there is 

also a note on whether the plant was dried for future use or identified in winter from its 

9

dried stalk, as well a few references about plants gathered to sell to white traders or the 

Cherokee knowledge of how it was used by local whites. 

Also in the same manuscript package is a list of 117 Cherokee plants compiled 

by Mooney in 1913 and the botanical name for each recorded by a different researcher. 

This would suggest that Mooney had collected these plants and sent them to the 

Smithsonian to be determined to species. A similar manuscript (n.d.d, Ms. 2235) 

consisted of eighteen pages of plants listed by their botanical name with the 

corresponding Cherokee name in the column beside it. 

For further verification of the botanical names I also was permitted to view the 

herbarium accession records of 272 plants that were collected by Mooney. The dates of 

entry into the collection are missing from the copies of records provided to me by the 

herbarium staff. However, I was able to match the accession numbers to two specimens 

collected in 1888, suggesting that these may have been ascescioned around this time. 

In a letter to Powell dated September 8, 1889 (Mooney 1982a), Mooney indicated that 

he had collected around 300 plants and I assume that these are the mentioned 

specimens. I did not manage to get copies of the accession records for Mooney’s later 

collections from 1911-1913 and I found no specimens in the collection from this period. 

The herbarium was not cataloged in a way that made this material accessible; at the 

time of my research it was in disarray due to construction. However, in a 1916 

statement of his research (Mooney 1982), Mooney indicated that he had collected 500 

to 600 specimens by 1913, so that record may still exist. Generally the entries in the 

located accession records were identified to the genus level, but many were determined 

to the species level by botanists at the Smithsonian Institution. 

10

Several small manuscripts and random notes on scraps of paper also provide a 

substantial amount of material. Twenty-one plants are identified by common names and 

their Cherokee names in Ms. 2282 (n.d.e). Most of Ms. 2285 (n.d.f) is missing, but the 

Cherokee and botanical names for ten or so plants, fungi, and mosses are still 

available. 

The bulk of Olbrechts’ Cherokee material is also housed in the Smithsonian 

Institution’s Anthropology Archives. Olbrechts’ materials consist of one set of papers 

(Ms. 4600) that included several typed manuscripts. The most impressive portion of this 

is his Cherokee Botanical Materia Medica. This document consists of individual pages 

devoted to the Cherokee name, local common name, botanical name, and various 

medicinal uses for several hundred plants. In his introduction to these notes, Olbrechts 

admits that it was not his original intention to collect information on Cherokee medical 

botany, but when the opportunity presented itself he recorded an impressive body of 

knowledge. He claimed his material was gathered independently of Mooney’s influence 

and, as it was 35 to 40 years later, that he used many different informants. However, 

some of Mooney’s informants were still alive and were central to Olbrechts’ data. 

The numbering system used in this material suggests that there were at least 

546 plants originally referenced but many pages are absent and Olbrecht’s numbering 

system is erratic. Olbrechts indicated that he referred to the plants by their reference 

numbers, so the numbering system may just be collection numbers and only the 

medicinal plants were discussed in this document. He did write that he did not have time 

to properly investigate non-medicinal plants. 

11

Olbrechts also appeared to be preparing another document on the Cherokee 

system of disease classification. There are 196 entries discribing ethnomedical 

conditions, including their Cherokee names, the glosses for the Cherokee names, and 

the treatments applied by the Cherokee healers for the condition. Some of these were 

described in The Swimmer Manuscript, but a majority of them were not included in any 

published materials. While not all of these were treated with plant-based remedies, 

those that were often include the application of several formulas or single herbs. 

Witthoft’s A Cherokee Economic Botany from Western North Carolina: Man and 

Nature in the Southern Appalachians (not dated), an unpublished manuscript housed at 

the American Philosophical Society Archives in Philadelphia, describes a wide range of 

plant uses. He includes chapters on wild edible greens, roots, fruits and seeds as well 

as mushrooms, poisonous plants, dye plants, and fiber bearing plants. It includes 

extensive descriptions of Cherokee basket weaving, log cabin construction, and 

woodcrafts. The final chapter describes Cherokee farming practices and the processing 

of farm products. Interspersed throughout are references to the medicinal uses of the 

plants described and a few references to the botanical classification system. 

I have also recently acquired the botanical portions of the Payne/Butrick 

Manuscript (not dated), the compilation by John Howard Payne of Cherokee 

ethnographic material predominantly collected by missionary Daniel S. Butrick just 

before and around the time of removal. The original document, housed at the Newberry 

Library in Chicago, consists of four volumes of late 18 th and early 19 th century 

ethnographic materials concerning the Cherokee. I was provided with extracts of the 

documents containing references to medicinal and ceremonial plant use, the plants 

12

usually identified with a Cherokee name recorded by Butrick. While not a 

comprehensive ethnobotanical account, there is enough information to identify the 

majority of the named species and this will provide more information for cross- 

referencing purposes. 

Two Masters theses on Cherokee plant use also augment the materials of 

previous researchers. William Banks’ Ethnobotany of the Cherokee Indians (1953) and 

Myra Jean Perry’s Food Use of "Wild" Plants by Cherokee Indians (1974) both contain a 

substantial amount of primary research and some linguistic data. These will aid in cross- 

referencing Cherokee names with botanical species and supplementing their medicinal 

and edible applications. Banks work may prove the most useful as he included nearly 

250 plants identified to at least the genus level and often provided several versions of 

their Cherokee names. Perry’s work, while not as comprehensive, still fills a valuable 

niche with its focus on the wild edible plants of the Cherokee. 

The Cherokee informant base varied over the tenure of the different researchers. 

Most of the medicine men who remembered the pre-removal period died just before or 

in the early years of Mooney’s research (Mooney 1982b). Olbrechts used some of 

Mooney’s sources, but attempted to develop his own informant base as a means to 

separate his work from Mooney’s considerable influence (Ms. 4600). However, one 

common thread that colored Cherokee research from Mooney’s first field season 

through the work of John Witthoft was the Cherokee informant Will West Long. 

Long’s background bridged the Cherokee and Euroamerican worlds. He was the 

son of a Cherokee Baptist minister and was raised in a traditional Cherokee household 

in the part of the reservation known as the Big Cove, one of the more conservative 

13

Cherokee communities in western North Carolina. While at the reservation school, Long 

learned to read and write both in English and the Cherokee syllabary. He began working 

with Mooney as a scribe and continued as an interpreter during Mooney’s subsequent 

visits to the reservation. His abiding interest in his Cherokee heritage made him an 

extremely valuable informant to subsequent researchers such as Olbrechts, Frank 

Speck, William Gilbert, Leonard Bloom, and John Witthoft (Witthoft 1948). Banks also 

attributed a portion of his information to Long, but this material must have been 

borrowed from Witthoft’s research. Long died in 1947, five years before Banks’ 

research. 

Cherokee Ethnobotanical Classification 

One of the most salient features of Mooney’s archival materials was his keen 

observation of the Cherokee ethnobotanical classification system. Mooney used terms 

and concepts in the first decades of the 20th century usually attributed to later 

researchers starting with Conklin in 1954 (Berlin 1992: 4). However, there is no doubt 

Mooney was cognizant of the pattern inherent in the Cherokee ethnobotanical 

classification systems and, had he finished his work, it would undoubtedly have been 

influential in the development of the field. 

Mooney made his intention to focus on the classification systems clear in the 

following note dated May 10,1889, that he sent to Professor G. Brown Goode at the 

National Museum of Natural History: 

14

Your note is at hand. I should feel rather pleased to know that I had found 

a species before unknown in the North Carolina mountains. I expect to return 

there in July and want to give considerable attention then to collecting botanic 

and natural history specimens, in order to get at the Cherokee basis of 

classification, and hope then to throw more light on the insect question. 

Mooney also recorded his interview methodology (Ms. 1894), which showed 

excellent technique for determining and developing an ethnobotanical classification 

system. When Mooney came across a name for a new plant, he would ask his other 

informants, “Do you know it?”. If they were familiar with the plant he had named, he 

would try to determine its availability and proximity to the reservation by asking, “How 

far away is it?”. When he was sure they were discussing the same plant, he would ask, 

“How many kinds are there?” and follow up with, “Are there any other kinds?”. Then he 

would request that his informant bring him a sample of every kind of that folk genus that 

was known. He would also ask the informant to bring him samples of the fruit and 

flowers when they were available. This methodology was sufficient to produce a basic 

framework for the Cherokee ethnobotanical system. 

Medical Ethnobotany 

Medical ethnobotany lies at the interface of the human pursuit of well-being and 

the propensity of plants to produce a variety of chemical products that provide a 

selective advantage in their struggle for survival (Briskin 2000, Williams et al. 1989). 

Rarely considered as a distinct field, medical ethnobotany is usually subsumed in its 

15

sister field, ethnopharmacology (Etkin 1988), but distinguishes itself through a focus on 

the promotion of traditional therapies and a greater concern with the context of plant use 

rather than a concern with potential pharmaceutical products (Berlin and Berlin 1994). 

In this work, piecing together the medical ethnobotany of the Cherokee will 

require a comparison of the works of the researchers discussed above and assembling 

relevant information. The medicinal or edible uses, ecological considerations, gathering 

and processing instructions, linguistic analysis, and cultural beliefs will be assembled for 

each species. All this information will rarely be available for every species; however, as 

much as possible must be assembled to approach as complete an investigation as is 

feasible. 

Structure of the Dissertation 

This work is structured around Mooney’s direct or implied system of 

ethnobiological classification. Many concepts now established as integral aspects of 

ethnobiological classification systems, such as the intermediate categories so prevalent 

in Mooney’s notes on the herbaceous plants, were not formally developed until long 

after Mooney’s work, but they are none the less implied from the structure of his notes. 

This present work differs from Fradkin’s (1990) work on the Cherokee ethnozoological 

classification system in that the concepts of classification used herein are based on 

Mooney’s observations and analysis, and not on currently accepted models of 

ethnobiological classification. It is essential that the data are handled in this manner to 

support the premise Mooney’s interpretation predated current models and that current 

models are not being imposed on the Cherokee ethnobotanical system. 

16

I will begin with a discussion of the Cherokee ethnobotanical classification 

system, including Mooney’s observations of its structure, the relationship of his 

observations to the findings of later researchers, and an analysis of the patterns that are 

obvious in the collective data. This will be followed by a discussion of Mooney as a 

researcher and an analysis of his philosophical perspective and research biases. 

Subsequent chapters are arranged by the life form categories as presented in the 

myth of the origin of medicine, “Each tree, shrub, and herb, down even to the grasses 

and mosses, agreed to furnish a remedy for some of the diseases named…” (Mooney 

1891: 323). Added to these will be the ferns and fungi, which Mooney appeared to 

handle as distinctive life forms. 

Each life form will be discussed in terms of its overall relevance to the Cherokee 

and the structure of the sub-life form rankings. The Cherokee names of the individual 

folk genera, species, and varietals will be presented with the glosses and semantic 

analysis provided by the various researchers, the botanical names will be matched to 

the Cherokee name, and any medicinal or edible qualities of the plant as used by the 

Cherokee will be discussed. The major works of other researchers mentioned above will 

be consulted to augment and cross-reference the data provided by Mooney and 

Olbrechts. Those plants for which no Cherokee name, gloss for the Cherokee name, or 

botanical species name are available will also be included in the work to provide as 

complete a record as possible and provide a base of reference for future researchers. 

The folk genera and species included in each life form category are listed in 

alphabetical order by their Cherokee names to assist researchers identifying plant 

references from historical works. Indices of botanical species, arranged in alphabetical 

17

order by their Latin names and matched with their associated Cherokee genera or 

species, are included in the introduction to each life form to facilitate cross-referencing. 

Following this is a re-evaluation of the medical ethnobotanical data and a 

discussion of how this reflects on accepted models of the Cherokee ethnomedical 

system. This will include a discussion of the discrepancies and oversights found in the 

assertions of the various researchers, an evalution of the humoral component and 

Cherokee health concerns from an ethnobotanical perspective, and a discussion of 

symbolism as selection criteria for plant-based remedies. 

Included at the end of this work is an appendix that examines the Cherokee 

disease categories and the corresponding botanical formulas that were gathered by 

Olbrechts. Several Cherokee folk illnesses are discussed in The Swimmer Manuscript, 

but few of the various botanical formulas were included and many discussed in 

Olbrechts’ notes were not included in the final work. The appendix will be necessary to 

cross-reference the Cherokee ethnomedical conditions with the individual remedies. 

I have used Mooney’s phonetic spellings when available and substituted these 

for the phonetic spellings of other researcher’s when possible. This was important for 

the continuity of the work and for explanations of the etymology of the plant names. 

However, since Olbrechts and the other researchers recorded many of these, and they 

had no counterpart in Mooney’s notes, I have not included a pronunciation guide to the 

phonetic symbols. Mooney did not include one in his published works and Olbrechts has 

been criticized for including sounds not found in the Cherokee language (Banks 1953: 

xiv). The Cherokee language was in a state of transition during Mooney’s research, as 

evidenced by his recording of both Middle and Upper Cherokee names for plants, and 

18

the language has changed significantly since his work (Alexander 1971: title page). 

Olbrechts’ system was based on an international model, and is useless without a 

working knowledge of German and French (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 11-13). As 

this present work is an historical analysis of Cherokee ethnobotany, lack of a 

pronunciation guide will not affect the nature of this work. 

Relevance to Anthropology 

This research addresses the debate over whether ethnobiological classification 

systems are imposed by the researcher (Ellen 1979: 13) or are a universal feature of 

human cognition (Berlin et al. 1973, Berlin 1992). It is notable that Mooney recorded the 

patterns and principles inherent in the Cherokee ethnobotanical system well before he 

could have been influenced by any published theoretical or comparative material on the 

subject. Comparison of his observations on the principles of Cherokee ethnobotanical 

classification to those proposed as universal to all systems will address the issue of 

universality, as it appears to be difficult to argue that Mooney was imposing a 

preconceived framework over his data. 

Expanding the knowledge of potentially useful medicinal plants from the Southern 

Appalachian region, an acknowledged center of medicinal plant diversity (Price 1960), 

should provide a basis for research in establishing a more pluralistic medical system. 

The growing interest in alternative and complementary medicine will require an 

expanded understanding of plant-based medicines, and those used in traditional 

medical systems are considered to be especially efficacious (Trotter and Logan 1986). 

19

A basis of comparison must be established before issues over the nature of change 

in traditional knowledge can be addressed. How is traditional knowledge transmitted 

and maintained in a society? Is traditional knowledge lost when a culture is absorbed by 

a dominant society or is it transformed by the persistence of cultural values (Inglehart 

and Baker 2000, Ryder et al. 2000)? These questions can not be addressed without the 

basic understanding of what constitutes the traditional knowledge of a group. This basis 

can be established through the re-evaluation of historical materials, comparing them to 

contemporary studies, and determining the nature of diachronic change in traditional 

knowledge. 

The global ecological crisis is having a dramatic impact on traditional medical 

systems. Around 80% of the population of developing countries depends on plant-based 

traditional medicines for their primary means of health care (Moran 1997). The relative 

affordability of medicinal plants when compared to pharmaceuticals (McCaleb 1997) 

and the loss of an estimated 4,000 or more species of plants and animals per year 

(Southwick 1996: 253) create a growing need for potential replacement therapies for 

lost local species. The inherent botanical diversity in the Southern Appalachian 

Mountains coupled with the ethnomedical knowledge of the indigenous people should 

contribute to the quest towards global health security. 

The consolidation and organization of this material will facilitate the repatriation of 

Cherokee traditional botanical knowledge to the tribe from its relative inaccessibility in 

the archives of the Smithsonian Institution. The return of this portion of their rich cultural 

legacy could aid the Cherokee in several ways: 

20

� It can provide documentation for potential legal cases involving intellectual 

property rights concerning their traditional botanical knowledge as well as with 

contested access to traditional resources on public lands. 

� It will provide the basic information necessary for the development of a 

culturally based industry associated with the blossoming market in botanical 

medicines and plant-based products. This is especially relevant in an area 

where unemployment is well above the national average. 

� It can be used to aid the Cherokee in their efforts to re-establish their cultural 

identity, subject to decades of assault from social forces and official 

governmental policies, and to enhance their sense of pride in their Cherokee 

heritage. 

21

Chapter 2 

Cherokee Ethnobotanical Classification System 

One of my primary goals in this research is to demonstrate that Mooney 

recognized an inherent structure in the Cherokee ethnobotanical system, and this 

system is comparable to contemporary models. I will use Berlin’s (1972, 1976, 1992) 

hierarchical ranks as a model for comparison. These ranks include the categories of 

kingdom, life form, intermediate, generic, specific, and varietal. All were developed to 

some degree in the notes of Mooney and the works of other Cherokee researchers. 

Kingdom 

The most inclusive rank in folk biological classification is the kingdom. This rank 

is often unnamed in folk systems (Berlin, 1992). Mooney gives no Cherokee term for the 

plant kingdom; however, in Myths of the Cherokees (1900) he recounts the story of the 

origin of disease. In this story, the plants decide to provide all medicines necessary to 

counteract the diseases inflicted upon humans by the animals. “Each tree, Shrub, and 

Herb, down even to the Grasses and Mosses, agreed to furnish a cure for some one of 

each of the diseases named…” 

The concept of the plant kingdom as an inclusive category is evident in the myth 

of the origin of medicine. We see the plants as a unified entity functioning with collective 

intent. What is not clear is whether Mooney ever procured a discrete lexical entity for 

22

the plant kingdom. If he did, it was not present in his notes or published material. It was 

also not included in any of the Cherokee plant names, as were such concepts as 

“herbaceous” or “woody”. When Mooney or Olbrechts use the concept of “plant” in a 

name, such as when Olbrechts glossed gáw’sûkĭ as ‘the smelling (plant), it is always an 

implied concept and placed in parentheses, never a direct gloss of a part of a name. 

Olbrechts did find that the Cherokee language, “possesses words to express such 

concepts as “herbs (in general)””, but he did not say what they were and he indicates 

that they were rarely used (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932:53). 

Life Form 

The rank of life form generally consists of a small group of highly inclusive terms that 

represent a few shared gross morphological characteristics. Taxa of lesser rank are 

commonly included in the life form rank (Berlin, 1976). The Cherokee terms for the 

majority of these were found among Mooney’s materials and most were labeled by him 

as “generic” terms. But Mooney’s use of “generic” is a more inclusive term than that of 

the folk generic, perceived as the basis for ethnobiological systems (Berlin 1992: 53). 

Some of the life forms were clearly labeled in Mooney’s notes. For example, when 

distinguishing the life form kanéska, he states that it is “the generic name for all 

grasses.” However, some labels had to be gleaned from the specific qualifiers included 

in individual plant names. These are all included and explained in the individual life form 

chapters. For the remainder of this discussion of the life form category, I would like to 

examine some trends that were obvious at this level of classification. 

23

Berlin has asserted that the likelihood of a semantically opaque or unanalyzable 

name generally increases with cultural salience (Berlin 1992: 256). Analysis of the ratio 

of opaque to transparent generic Cherokee names shows that the life form inclusive of 

the trees was more likely to have members with opaque names than other life forms. Of 

49 folk genera, 33 or 67% had opaque names. The ratio diminished with size of the life 

forms. Of the 38 folk genera of shrubs and vines, only 13 or 34% were labeled with 

opaque names. At the herbaceous level, only 19 of 174, or 11% of folk genera were 

labeled with opaque names, and of these, eleven were either crop plants or popular 

edible non-cultigens. There were no opaque names in the remaining life form 

categories. 

It is not surprising that trees would demonstrate such a high degree of cultural 

salience in an Eastern Woodlands tribe like the Cherokee. As Hunn has pointed out 

(1999: 49), the size of an organism will relate to its perceptual salience, and this will 

often translate to cultural salience. Also, if tree species are the first to appear in an 

ethnobotanical classification system (Berlin 1972, Brown 1977, Atran 1985), then the 

prevalence of opaquely named genera in this life form may be due to the persistence of 

names whose meaning has long been forgotten. What is surprising in the Cherokee 

example is the precipitous drop off in the number of opaquely named genera in smaller 

life forms. Hunn proposed that much of the biota in an area is unclassified because it is 

too small to be noticed. But in this case, most species recorded are of a noticeable size. 

The shrubs are proportionately half as likely as trees to be labeled with an opaque 

name, and of the 14 that are opaquely named, six have edible seeds or fruits. Edibility 

appears to be a significant factor in the retention of an opaque name for shrubby and 

24

herbaceous life forms. This would support Berlin’s contention that cultural salience 

increases the likelihood that a name would be opaque. Many of the plants in the smaller 

life form categories were useful as medicines, but this would have been specialized 

knowledge and not deeply ensconced in the Cherokee culture. Tree species also played 

a significant role in the Cherokee ethnomedical system, but this aspect will be analyzed 

and discussed in the final chapter. 

Intermediate 

Intermediate categories are generally identified by a primary lexeme that indicates a 

salient feature, usually morphological similarities, shared by a number of often unrelated 

biological genera, and, as Mooney’s data demonstrates, from several plant families 

(Berlin, 1976). As mentioned above, Mooney referred to these lexical distinctions as 

“generic” terms, indicating his acknowledgement of inclusive categories. In the 

Cherokee system, inclusion in an intermediate category was designated by several 

criteria. These may include shared coloration of plants or plant parts, plants that change 

in color due to mechanical manipulation, plants or plant parts that share inherent 

qualities other than color (leaves resembling ashes, dirty appearance of the roots), 

plants having a strong odor, or a shared mechanical feature (burrs). While generally 

few in number in most folk classification systems, Mooney’s notes on the Cherokee 

indicate that this is a significant category in their system. 

I discuss the intermediate categories in the chapters on herbaceous species 

because, with rare exceptions, they were exclusively composed of herbaceous plants. 

The exceptions were two shrubby plants and a grass from the category dalâni (‘yellow’), 

and a tree from the category ûnagéĭ (‘black’). It would appear from this observation that 

25

use of a color term as the basis for a name was merely descriptive and not due to a 

higher level of inclusiveness. Without a more detailed account of Mooney’s interview 

data, it is impossible to be sure of the inclusiveness of the color-based categories. 

However, Mooney clearly defined the remaining categories and they were exclusively 

herbaceous in content. 

Generic 

The category of folk genera typically includes the largest number of folk categories 

and tends to correspond most closely to the biological species level (Berlin, 1992: 23). 

This is reflected in Mooney’s use of the term “species”, or the related “specific”, which 

appears to be congruent with the currently accepted rank of folk generic. When referring 

to the intermediate category of nugû΄la or kă- nugû΄la, which he glosses as ‘scratcher’, 

Mooney indicated that each thorny shrub or vine in this category also had a “specific” 

Cherokee name. Also, in the description of the formation of folk species and varietals 

below, he refers to the “species” as the unit being differentiated by a qualifying 

adjective. While his nomenclature referring to the different ethnobiological ranks may be 

different than the currently accepted terminology, it is obvious that his meaning was 

congruent with the definition of the folk generic in contemporary models of 

ethnobiological classification systems. Mooney (1890b) used the term “generic” in an 

early work (see below), which appears to used in the same manner as the currently 

accepted definition of the folk generic, but changed it to “species” in his later work. 

The Cherokee system appears to be atypical in one aspect: the ratio of monotypic to 

polytypic genera. Monotypic genera are not subdivided into specific or varietal taxa, 

26

while polytypic genera will have two or more taxa designated by a specific qualifier. 

Typical folk classification systems will consist of approximately 80% monotypic genera 

(Berlin 1992: 23). In this work, the ratio is much lower, with 209 of 310 genera, or 67%, 

of genera recorded as monotypic. In determining this figure, I only included the most 

common names reported by the researchers, so it is not a precise figure. But the 

Cherokee synonyms recorded for many of the plants tended to classify the plants in 

other polytypic genera, so if all could be considered as independent aspects of the 

Cherokee taxonomy, the ratio would appear to be much lower than 67% if all synonyms 

were included. 

Mooney may have explained this apparent anomaly in his discussion of Cherokee 

medical practices (1890b). When discussing how the medicine men differentiate 

between related plants, Mooney wrote: 

Each doctor commonly only knows but a few of the species included 

under one generic name … Consequently, when obliged to distinguish different 

species having the same generic name, they are completely at a loss. Each man 

is apt to have a different basis of classification, and no one knows how many 

plants are included under the common name, or what descriptive term will 

sufficiently distinguish each from the others. It is only by comparison of the plants 

brought in by each name that it is found that half a dozen distinct terms are 

intended to designate the same species. 

27

Mooney made a similar comment when voicing his frustration on the formation of 

specific and varietal taxa (see below). When considering the apparent variation among 

informants, it must be noted that the majority of Mooney’s and Olbrechts’ informants 

were medicine men, specialists that would have had significantly more plant knowledge 

than the average Cherokee. When challenged by their interviewer, they would have 

used descriptors that distinguished the most salient differences between similar 

species. They would have recognized the various species as different, often with 

unrelated uses, but may not have previously labeled them or shared that knowledge 

with others. This is apparent in the text of this work from the large number of synonyms 

recorded for many of the biological species and the distinct uses applied to them. What 

is not known is whether the general Cherokee population would be able to distinguish 

the subtle variation in a folk genus and if this would have influenced the ratio of 

monotypic to polytypic genera. 

The names for the Cherokee folk genera were constructed around a range of 

concepts, but the most common by far were organoleptic qualities inherent in the plants. 

The primacy of vision among the senses was reflected in the Cherokee choice of 

names, but smell, taste, touch, and sound were also represented. Names that involved 

a visual quality usually described a salient morphological feature that distinguished the 

folk genus. For example, Magnolia fraseri was known as tsugwalâga tsegwa (‘big 

leaves’), a name describing the large leaves, which reach lengths of up to half a meter. 

Polymnia uvedalia was called gātâ΄yătĭ (‘it has gone round’), also describing the leaves, 

which surround the stem. 

28

The sense of smell was especially evident in the genera included in the intermediate 

category gáw’sûkĭ (‘smeller’), whose members are noted for their prominent scents. The 

members of this category were mostly in the mint family, but it also included 

muskmelon. Monarda clinopodia was called dilaiyústĭ (‘skunk-like’), a reference to its 

pungent odor. Species of Oxalis, commonly known as sourgrass, were included in the 

genus tsuntsâ΄y’stĭ (‘it is sour’), reflecting its prominent sour taste. The sense of touch 

was evident in the Cherokee name utsaléstĭ (‘it is sticky’), the Cherokee name for 

wheat, Triticum aestivum. The name was descriptive of the consistency of dough made 

with wheat flour. Names that depicted sound usually referred to noises made be dried 

seed pods, such as anisgína-(ts)unâ΄năsû΄ta (‘ghosts’ terrapin rattles’), the name 

applied to Dioscorea villosa. 

Utility and ecological function also played a role in the construction of Cherokee 

generic names. Erigeron canadensis was known as atsilsû΄tĭ (‘fire, to make with’), due 

to its prominent role in the making of ceremonial fires. Mitchella repens was known as 

tlûtístĭ unígistĭ (‘pheasant food’), a reference to the succulent red berries that are often 

eaten by game birds. 

Considering the long history of contact with Europeans before Mooney’s work and 

the incorporation of introduced species in the Cherokee diet and pharmacopoeia, it is 

surprising that there were only two examples of the conversion of an English name to a 

Cherokee folk genus. Coffee, Coffea arabica, became káwĭ, as there is no “f” sound in 

the Cherokee language and cucumber, Cucurmis sativus, was slightly changed to 

kagama. Onomatopoeia, generally a common feature in folk zoological classification 

systems, was represented by a single example in the Cherokee ethnobotanical 

29

classification system. The tall thistle, Cirsium altissimum, was known as tsítsĭ, a 

replication of the sound made by a blowgun dart. The down of this particular thistle was 

used as the primary material to fletch darts. 

Mooney’s notes indicate that the concept of the prototypical taxon was apparent 

in the Cherokee ethnobotanical taxonomic system and was expressed at the level of the 

folk generic. This feature was observed among several Native American groups 

(Gatschet 1899), typically by the addition of a secondary lexeme, suffix, or prefix to 

indicate the “true” or “real” plant of a category. This would be the member of a category 

that embodied the defining characteristics of the category, also known as the “type 

specific” or a “type-species” (Berlin 1972, Berlin 1992: 110). 

In the Cherokee system, the suffix –yû or –yă, glossed by Mooney as ‘true’ or 

‘real’, was added to indicate the most representative member of a more inclusive taxa. 

This concept functioned at both the intermediate and generic levels of classification. At 

the intermediate level Desmodium nudiflorum, or tick-trefoil, is designated as 

únistilû΄istĭ-yu or the ‘true únistilû΄istĭ’, being prototypical of an inclusive category of 

burrs that shared the morphological feature of being able to ‘stick flat to a hairy 

substance.’ Agertina altissima, yet another example of the most prototypical member of 

an intermediate category, was called gátatsú‛lĭ-ya, or the ‘true’ form of gátatsú‛lĭ (‘it has 

dirt in it’). It was considered the most prototypical of plants that appear to remain dirty 

after they are washed. 

At the level of the folk genus, examples of the prototypical member of a category 

included the curly variety of Brassica oleracea and certain species of the genus Pinus. 

Brassica oleracea was considered the ‘true’ cabbage, or tsugûntéayu, tsugûntéa being 

30

the folk generic name for broad-leafed varieties of cabbage. Natsuya was glossed as 

‘true pine’, but the exact botanical species is not clear (see natsĭ in the chapter on 

trees). 

Not all of the prototypical folk genera or intermediate categories were labeled. 

Rubus ideaus was known simply as sûntiwálĭ (‘bowl’), but other members of this folk 

genus were labeled with specific qualifiers. This would indicate that R. ideaus was the 

embodiment of the characteristics of a typical sûntiwálĭ. Cucumis melo, the muskmelon, 

became a relished food of the Cherokee after its introduction and, due to its fragrant 

flesh, became prototypical of the intermediate category gáw’sûkĭ (‘smeller’). The 

unmodified folk generic may have been a more common expression of prototypicality 

than those labeled by –yû or –yă, but the labeled lexemes demonstrate unambiguous 

prototypicality. 

While prototypicality expresses the highest level of inclusiveness in a category, 

with the properties of the prototypical taxon defining the category, there is often a need 

to express a relationship between two taxa based on the perception of shared inherent 

qualities. In his discussion of the comprehensiveness of the Mayan ethnobotanical 

system, Berlin proposed that unnamed taxa are included in a taxonomic scheme 

through a perceived similarity to a named taxon (1999: 73). The informant may not 

know what the plant is called, but will recognize that it is similar to or “conceptually 

related to” a known, named taxon. But in an historical ethnobotany such as this, I am 

limited by the plant names that were documented. Unnamed species are rarely included 

on plant lists. The conceptual relationship between taxa was recognized and labeled in 

31

the Cherokee ethnobotanical classification system by the addition of the suffix –iyústĭ 

(‘like’ or ‘as’) to a known name. 

One of the best examples of this concept is the introduced species, Oenothera 

biennis. Oenothera fruticosa is a native species, known to the Cherokee as atátsû΄ 

(‘trout’) because of its speckled leaves, which resemble the patterns on a trout. 

Oenothera biennis was called atátsû΄-iyústĭ (‘like atátsû΄’) due to its close resemblance 

to O. fruticosa. The two are so similar that it takes careful inspection to identify them in 

the field. But they have very different blooming habits, O. biennis, commonly known as 

evening primrose, blooming around sunset, and O. fruticosa, commonly known as 

sundrops, blooming in full sunlight. Even though O. biennis had several medicinal 

applications and was gathered in the spring as an edible green, it retained the 

subordinate position of being ‘like’ the native O. fruticosa, a plant with no recorded 

Cherokee use. 

Among the tree species, Platanus occidentalis was labeled as kuwiyu΄stĭ (‘like 

mulberry’), due to its resemblance to Morus rubra, known as kuwû΄. Another synonym 

for P. occidentalis was ku΄wû une΄ga (‘white mulberry’). While the use of –iyústĭ alone 

was not enough to signify an inclusive relationship at the level of the folk genus, the 

synonym ku΄wû une΄ga strongly suggests that P. occidentalis was considered a kind of 

kuwû΄. The similarity between P. occidentalis and M. rubra is less evident than the 

comparison in the previous example. Both have aggregate fruit and large, simple 

leaves, but the fruit of P. occidentalis are dry and fibrous, nothing like the succulent fruit 

of M. rubra, and the shape and surface of the leaves is dissimilar in the two species. But 

32

the Cherokee perceived enough of a conceptual relationship between the two species 

to label P. occidentalis with the comparative suffix –iyústĭ. 

The suffix –iyústĭ also had number of other applications which were used to 

express a range of concepts. While the primary use was to signify a resemblance of one 

plant to another, seemingly in the same folk genus, it could also referto a plant in a 

completely different botanical genus and frequently a different life from. The suffix often 

indicated an exclusive relationship rather than inclusive one, suggesting that the labeled 

plant was not a member of the folk genus to which it is being compared. When the 

relationship appeared to be exclusive, the suffix –iyústĭ was added to describe a 

significant morphological similarity between two plants or plant categories. 

For example, Potentilla canadensis was known as aniyústĭ, in reference to its 

resemblance to Fragaria virginiana, the strawberry or ána. The leaf and flower 

morphology is quite similar, as is the growth habit, but the number of leaflets, flower 

color, and fruit type are all different. Potentilla canadensis was not a kind of ána, but 

could easily be described as being ‘like’ ána. Another example comes from Mooney’s 

explanation of the taxa included in the intermediate category tsâliyústĭ (‘like tobacco’). 

Mooney’s statement that they were classified, “not on account of similar use or general 

appearance, but on account of having a similar flower and seed stalk” strongly suggests 

that were considered a separate taxon from the types of tobacco (tsâ΄lâ΄). 

Other examples from the intermediate categories tend to cross life form 

boundaries. The category na‛tsiyústĭ (‘like a pine tree’) was so named because the habit 

of its members resembled the branches of pine trees. However, none were woody 

species and there is no indication that they were considered a type of pine. This also 

33

happened at the level of folk genus. Aruncus dioicus was known as tiliyústĭ (‘like 

chestnut’), due the resemblance of the inflorescence to that of the American chestnut, 

Castanea dentata. It is unlikely that these two plants, one an herbaceous plant, the 

other a large tree, were considered the same “kinds” based on inflorescence 

morphology alone, but the conceptual relationship based on inflorescence morphology 

was clearly labeled in the name. 

When –iyústĭ was part of a subgeneric qualifier, it could be used to describe a 

perceived similarity between members of different kingdoms. For instance, Pityopsis 

graminifolia was known as kâstúta selikwayûstĭ (‘simulating ashes, like a green snake’) 

due to the resemblance of the long leaves to the green snake, selikwáya. Subgeneric 

qualifiers could also contain –iyústĭ to express ambiguous qualities. Desmodium 

canescens was called únistilû΄istĭ sa‛kanigiyústĭ ukwalága (‘they stick flat to a hairy 

substance, bluish leaved’), due to the grayish or bluish cast to the leaves from the 

dense pubescence. Sa‛kanigiyústĭ literally meant ‘like blue’; not a true blue, but giving 

the impression of blueness. So, while the primary function of this linguistic construction 

was to signify a relationship at the generic level, it was by no means limited to this 

function. 

Specific and Varietal 

The most outstanding example of Mooney’s insight into the Cherokee folk system 

was evident in the following description of the linguistic production of specific and 

varietal taxa among the category of herbs with a strong smell (gáw’sûkĭ or ‘smeller’): 

34

No adjective term is added unless it becomes necessary to distinguish 

species and then the adjectives used generally serve only to distinguish the 

species in hand, necessitating a new set of adjectives as often as new 

specimens are added to the series. Thus with two specimens the most obvious 

visual distinction is útana (large) or usdíga (small), but when another specimen, 

or two, is brought in, these words must be discarded and another basis of 

classification adopted. 

Bartlett (1940) made a similar observation in his discussion of the development 

of the genus concept in botanical classification systems (in Berlin 1972): 

With enlarging experience, people make finer distinctions and need 

different names for newly distinguished entities which have previously been 

called by the same generic name. The original name becomes generic in its 

application; variously qualified it provides the basis of specific names. 

Both statements are quite similar to Berlin’s generalization on folk specifics: 

“contrasting specific taxa differ on the basis of very few morphological characteristics, 

many of which are readily visible and sometimes verbalizable (Berlin 1991: 104).” It 

also relates to the principle of classification concerning the partitioning of the generic 

rank into species and varietals: “Taxa of the rank of folk species partition folk generic 

taxa into two or more members; in those systems where they occur, folk varietals further 

subdivide folk species (Berlin 1992: 24).” 

35

However, Mooney also voiced his frustration at the degree of variation in the 

Cherokee system. The large number of synonyms extant for a single botanical species 

led him to write the following about a species of mint: 

As a sample of the worthlessness of Indian specific classification it may be 

stated that this species was designated, under different specimens, as gáw’sûkĭ 

tĕlugéĭ (‘purple smeller’), gáw’sûkĭ tĕlugiyústĭ (‘purplish smeller’), gáw’sûkĭ égwa 

(‘large smeller’), gáw’sûkĭ wâtigéĭ (‘brown smeller’), two or three of these 

designations being given by the same man, while another described the 

Pycnanthemum muticum as gáw’sûkĭ útana (‘large smeller’). 

The phenomenon of several synonyms appears to be most common among the 

herbaceous plants, but the only explanation for this phenomenon appears to be 

overdifferentiation by Cherokee medicine men as described above. 

While the designation of a ‘large’ and ‘small’ variety was the most common 

means of differentiating multiple members of a folk genus, flower color and the 

ecological niche of the folk species under consideration were commonly incorporated 

into specific qualifiers. Mooney identified two folk species of Pedicularis canadensis 

based on the color of the flower. The yellow flowered form was labeled as ugukúskă΄ 

dalânige adsilû΄skĭ (‘owl’s head, yellow-flowered’), while the purple flowered form was 

labeled as ugukúskă΄ tĕlugéĭ adsilû΄skĭ (‘owl’s head, purple-flowered’). Botanists 

consider Pedicularis canadensis to be a single species with variable flower color. 

Several species of violets commonly found in the Southern Appalachian region were 

36

differentiated into folk species by the recognition of, among other criteria, various flower 

colors. The violets were included in the folk genus dindáskwatéskĭ (‘they pull each 

other’s heads off’), but some were classified into folk species with the addition of the 

qualifiers dalânige adsilû΄skĭ (‘yellow-flowered’), tĕlugéĭ adsilû΄skĭ (‘purple-flowered’), or 

unega adsilû΄skĭ (‘white flowered’). 

In an ecologically heterogeneous region like the Southern Appalachians, an area 

of ample rainfall and changing elevation, there microclimates and isolated habitats are 

common. This would provide a variety of natural and anthropogenic ecological niches 

that could house a diverse flora, some with specific habitat requirements. The Cherokee 

appreciation for this ecological heterogeneity was linguistically represented by the 

addition of the suffix –ĕ΄hĭ (‘living’ or ‘dwelling’) added to term representing an 

ecological habitat. The habitat terms usually represent common aspects of the 

environment, such as wet areas or steep slopes, but they could also represent a very 

limited niche. For instance, qualifying adjectives could be quite subtle, demonstrating 

such fine distinctions as gatusĕ΄hĭ (‘mountain dwelling’) and gûtlatûĕ΄hĭ (‘growing on the 

mountainside’). Other environmental qualifiers demonstrated the wide range of 

environmental situations, such as an anthropogenic ecosystem represented by the term 

klayuĕ΄hĭ (‘growing in old fields’) or the perception of wildness inherent in the term 

inagĕ΄hĭ (‘growing in the wilderness’). Limited niche requirements were labeled with 

terms like kutlaĕ΄hĭ (‘growing under the beech tree’) or nunyâhi-ĕ΄hĭ (‘rock dwelling’). 

There are at least 16 environmental descriptors included in this work, a few more if 

synonymous root terms are considered independently. For instance, the terms 

igâ΄tenĕ΄hĭ and saluyĕ΄hĭ were both glossed as ‘swamp growing’, but were derived from 

37

the root words igâ΄tĭ and salúyi respectively. The specificity of the Cherokee terms 

suggests that their botanical terminology was as sophisticated as any devised using the 

Linnaean system of nomenclature, in spite of Mooney’s frustration with the naming 

process. 

There are inherent difficulties in determining and developing an historical 

ethnobotanical classification system. Informants are often anonymous experts, and they 

are typically few in number. It is difficult to determine if their rendition of cultural 

knowledge was widely shared or the result of years of personal experience in their 

chosen field of expertise. The methodologies used to determine informant consensus 

(Trotter and Logan 1986, Romney et al. 1986, Handwerker 1998) are of limited use in 

an historical evaluation. Yet there appeared to be a level of consistency between the 

works of Mooney and Olbrechts, and, dispite some overlap in the informant base, many 

of Mooney’s informants had died prior to Olbrechts visit. Olbrechts made a conscious 

effort to maintain his independence by including different informants from those used by 

Mooney (n.d. Ms. 4600). It is not until the work of Banks that we see the simplification of 

the system, mostly through the loss at the level of folk species and varietals. However, 

at the level of the folk genus, there appears to be a high level of consistency with the 

findings of Mooney and Olbrechts. It would appear that the folk genus is not only the 

first aspect to develop in an ethnobiological system (Berlin 1972), but also the most 

persistent aspect through the dissipation of that system. 

Another problem is that the exact identification of the biological species under 

consideration is often unclear. In many instances throughout the text, I have questioned 

38

the accuracy of botanical name associated with a Cherokee name. But much of this can 

be remedied with an intimate knowledge of the regions’ flora and careful examination of 

the meaning of the Cherokee name. For instance, Olbrechts identified tsâliyústĭ gígagéĭ 

(‘like tobacco, red’) as Lobelia siphilitica, a blue flowered species. Most members of the 

intermediate category tsâliyústĭ were in the botanical genus Lobelia; however, of the 

species common to the Southern Appalachian region, only Lobelia cardinalis has red 

flowers. This obvious misidentification was rectified by comparison with Mooney’s notes, 

but others that were not as clear have been cited as a questionable throughout this text. 

Also, some of the botanical species correlated with a Cherokee name are not 

indigenous to the Southern Appalachian region. In those cases, I have proposed similar 

species as acceptable alternatives for obvious misidentifications. 

But in spite of the inherent difficulties, the methodology used by Mooney and the 

contributions of subsequent researchers has produced a very intricate ethnobotanical 

classification system. These findings add support to the premise that folk biological 

classification systems are a universal feature of human cognition (Berlin et al. 1973, 

Berlin 1992). Conklin (1954) is generally credited with developing one of the first 

ethnobotanical taxonomies (D’Andrade 1995: 92), but Mooney began his observations 

on the Cherokee system more than 60 years before Conklin’s research. It is clear from 

what is known about Mooney that he was not looking for universals at the time of his 

research. 

The prevailing framework for anthropological study at the Bureau of Ethnology 

during Mooney’s employment as an ethnographer was the evolutionary theory of social 

development as described by Lewis Henry Morgan. This theory was embraced and 

39

promoted the Bureau’s director, John Wesley Powell. Powell’s commitment to the 

evolutionist stance would often cause him to devalue the importance of Mooney’s 

research, referring to his findings about the Cherokee as “vestiges of an earlier system.” 

Powell firmly believed that the study of “survivals” among American Indians using the 

comparative method of ethnology would help solve the “Indian problem” and provide 

scientific evidence that would help explain the evolution of civilized man and his culture 

(Moses, 1984: 30). 

Mooney seemed to parrot the evolutionist theme in his early works and cited the 

inferiority of the Indian medical system and limited range of botanical knowledge among 

the medicine men (Mooney 1890b). But he also accepted that the Cherokee had an 

elaborate religious system and that his work refuted earlier assumptions that “the Indian 

had no religion except what they are pleased to call the meaningless mummeries of the 

medicine men” (Hinsley, 1981: 212). Hudson credits Mooney with being one of the first 

anthropologists to realize that Native Americans did have a system of beliefs that were 

as consistent and complex as many world religions (Hudson, 1976:14). Mooney did not 

accept the prevailing attitude that dominant cultures were somehow superior to 

suppressed cultures. In his eyes, loss of prestige and domination were products of 

history, not a sign of inferiority. Mooney did not accept that the premise of many 

evolutionists that decline of political influence and disrupted social patterns were a sign 

of “moral failure” (Hinsley, 1981: 207). 

Mooney’s assertion that religious beliefs determined the daily lives of Indians in 

the same way that it did for many whites was not well received by his superiors at the 

Bureau of Ethnology. He caused them great consternation when he compared the 

40

Ghost Dance messianic movement to Christianity. They made every effort to mute his 

statements due to misgivings about the backlash that the Bureau might suffer in the 

politically sensitive climate in Washington. Their fears turned out to be unfounded, and 

Mooney received high praises for the thoroughness of his research, his sympathy 

towards his subjects, and his conclusions about the nature of the native religions 

(Moses, 1984: 91-93). 

It was Mooney’s activist approach toward Native American rights that led to his 

being reassigned to positions that did not include fieldwork. In 1888, he brought the 

plight of the Cherokee to the government’s attention and proposed measures to 

alleviate the problems on the reservation (Judd, 1967: 49). Mooney’s sympathy 

towards the Indians and his disgust at the methods of their forced enculturation put him 

in conflict with those who supported the cause of “Indian advancement.” After Mooney 

secured the release of a Cherokee friend’s son from the Carlisle Indian School in 

Pennsylvania, the school’s founder, Henry Pratt, considered Mooney an impediment to 

the assimilationist cause. Pratt eventually developed his case against Mooney and in 

1918 had him barred from further research on reservations in light of his support of the 

use of peyote in Native American religious ceremonies (Moses, 1984: 86). 

Mooney’s assertion to Professor G. Brown Goode that he was trying, “to get at 

the Cherokee basis of classification” (see Introduction) indicates that he believed in an 

inherent native system, unique to the Cherokee. At the time he proposed this, more 

than 60 years before Conklin, there were no other models available to influence 

Mooney’s thinking on how the Cherokee grouped kinds of things in their natural world. 

What is clear from Mooney’s record of the Cherokee ethnobotanical system is that the 

41

principles and structure inherent in the system that he found extant among the late 19 th 

century Cherokee are congruent with contemporary models of ethnobiological 

classification systems. And, while it appears that Mooney was searching for a unique 

system, congruency with contemporary models provides evidence for the contention 

that such systems are universal features of human cognition. 

42

� 

Chapter 3 

Tlukûĭ – Tree 

The range of species diversity of the eastern woodlands culminates in the 

Southern Appalachian Mountains. This diversity is due in part to a favorable climate and 

abundant rainfall in association with diverse soil types, variations in topography, and a 

wide range of microclimates (Randolph et al. 1999: 72). The resources associated with 

these forests were an essential component for survival in a land of limited agricultural 

potential. So it should come as no surprise that trees would play a significant role in the 

lives of the Eastern Cherokee. Trees would supply the Cherokee with food for humans, 

livestock, and game animals as well as providing building materials, fuel, and medicine. 

However, it was during Mooney’s tenure as a researcher (1887-1917) that the Cherokee 

relationship with the forests went through its greatest transformation. Logging interests 

began buying large tracts of land in the region in the 1890s and the Cherokee began 

selling logging rights on the reservation starting around 1900 (Finger 1984: 11). The 

employment opportunities provided by the timber companies were the primary sources 

of wage labor available to the Cherokee in the first decades of the 20 th century. But by 

1929, the majority of the large mills had shut down and the corporate logging interests 

had pulled out of the region (Finger 1984: 54). 

This change in the physical environment did not appear to translate into an 

immediate loss of ethnobotanical knowledge. The Cherokee were a people of the 

43

eastern woodlands, and their reliance on the forest resources was deeply embedded in 

their culture. Mooney may have worked among the Cherokee before the removal of the 

forests, but Olbrechts recorded considerably more medicinal uses for tree species than 

Mooney. This observation will be discussed below in my Re-evaluation of the Cherokee 

Ethnomedical System (Chapter 11). Witthoft (n.d.) also presented evidence of the value 

of trees to the material culture of the Cherokee. All aspects of Cherokee life were 

influenced by the forests around them and, as will be seen below, trees played a 

prominent role in the Cherokee medical pharmacopoeia. 

The Cherokee relationship to the tree life forms appears to be represented it their 

classification system. As mentioned above, the relatively high percentage of opaque 

name associated with the taxa included in the tree life form category indicates the high 

degee of cultural salience attributed to the trees. There were 49 folk genera represented 

in the Cherokee data, 33 of which were labeled with opaque names. The 49 folk genera 

represent 66 botanical tree species (see Table 3.3). However, it is form the relationship 

of monotypic to polytypic genera that we can speculate on the history of cultural 

salience within the tree life form. 

When considering the relationship of the botanical genera with the highest 

number of representative species included in the Cherokee system, patterns become 

apparent. Common species, such as the hickories and maples, are predominantly 

placed in polytypic folk genera (see Table 3.1). The hickories are all considered to be 

kinds of wanéĭ and one appears to be most prototypical due to the lack of a specific 

qualifier. But the poor association of the Cherokee names with botanical species limits 

our understanding of hickory classification. The two large species of maples are 

44

ecognized as types of tsûnwagi, while Acer pensylvanica, a typically shrubby species 

(see Chapter 4), appears to be a taxonomic outlier. However, there is little linguistic 

evidence that the oaks, which comprise the largest group of botanical species of the 

trees labeled by the Cherokee, are recognized as being closely related (see Table 3.2). 

Table 3.1: Botanical and Cherokee Names for Maples and Hickories 

Botanical Name 

Maples 

Acer pensylvanicum 

Acer rubum 

Acer saccharum 

Hickories (see text) 

Carya spp. 

Carya spp. 

Carya spp. 

Carya spp. 

Cherokee Name 

ă΄ta-tsŭ΄siwă ditanélawáskĭ 

tsûnwagi gigage adsilû΄skĭ 

tsûnwagi unega adsilû΄skĭ 

wanéĭ 

wanéĭ să΄hĭ tsúntana 

wanéĭ să΄hĭ tsundí-ga 

wanéĭ tsutisti 

Table 3.2. Botanical and Cherokee Names for Oaks 


Quercus alba 

Quercus bicolor 

Quercus coccinea 

Quercus falcata 

Quercus imbricaria 

Quercus nigra 

Quercus prinus 

Quercus rubra 

Quercus stellata 

Quercus velutina 

Cherokee Name 

tă΄lû΄ 

gasotegwalega 

dalûtsi 

watsiyŭ΄ 

gule tsunstiga 

gulěnégwa 

tsisátugwûléga 

tsugwû΄nstătsâ΄lĭ 

tsuskă΄ 

dagû΄nageí 

45 

Cherokee Gloss 

‘hollow wood, it peels them off’ 

‘maple with red flowers’ 

‘maple with white flowers’ 

opaque 

‘large nuts’ 

‘small nuts’ 

no gloss (see text) 

Cherokee Gloss 

opaque 

‘small abdomen’ 

opaque 

opaque 

‘small acorns’ 

‘large acorns’ 

opaque? 

‘the leaves taper’ 

‘heads’ 

‘they are black’ 

Only Quercus nigra and Q. prinus, being named for the size of their acorns, 

demonstrate a discernable linguistic relationship, but this does not appear to represent

a polytypic genera. It would appear from the linguistic evidence that the oaks are not 

affiliated in the Cherokee system in the same manner as the maples and hickories. 

However, the high number of opaque species and monotypic genera in such an 

obviously related botanical genus may be representative of the high degree of cultural 

salience formerly attributed to the oaks. 

The degree of reliance on acorns for sustenance in the Archaic and Woodland 

periods in the Southern Appalachians is not clearly understood and often controversial. 

Delcourt et al. (1986) found the highest percentage of acorns in nut remains in the Little 

Tennessee River Valley during the Early Archiac period (36%), but the percent 

diminished to less than 10% for the remainder of the Archiac and Woodland periods. 

But their pollen analysis shows a strong dominance for oak trees in the area throughout 

both periods. Yarnell and Black (1985) adjusted the shell-to-food ratio from 

archaeological evidence, and claim that acorns comprised up to 75% of the nut food in 

the region until the switch to a reliance on corn in the Mississippian Period. According to 

this model, hickory nuts made up the bulk of the archaeological remains from the 

region, but they only comprised around 20% of the total diet. 

Acorns would have been a more plentiful and reliable food source for 

Southeastern Natives. The evidence is strong for the use of fire to modify the 

Southeastern environment, which would result in the predominance of oaks in the 

region. Oak trees are fire tolerant and increase in areas of repeated burning (Delcourt 

and Delcourt 1997, 1998). Hickories, on the other hand, are relatively fire intolerant and 

would not have thrived in such conditions. This indicates that, after several generations 

of seasonal burning, acorns would be the dominant nut in terms of quantity. 

46

Acorns would also be a more reliable food product. White oaks and red oaks are 

divided in to two subgenera, the Leptobalanus (white) and Erythrobalanus (red). The 

acorns from the members of the Leptobalanus subgenera mature from flowers in a 

single season, while those in the Erythrobalanus mature the next year after flowering 

(Sork and Bramble 1993). As the quantity of fruit yield is environmentally determined 

(Sharp and Sprague 1967), a bad fruiting season would not affect both subgenera of the 

oaks. If the white oaks were decimated by a late frost, the red oaks would still produce a 

crop based on the previous seasonal conditions. The difference in the yearly cycles of 

the two oak subgenera would decrease the likelihood of a poor crop, suggesting a more 

reliable resource. The dependablilty of oaks as a food source and their pervasiveness in 

the Southern Appalachian region appears to have been reflected in the Cherokee 

ethnobotanical classification system. 

Other relationships between botanical genera also appear to be reflected it the 

Cherokee tree life forms. The genus Prunus is represented by four species, two cherries 

(Prunus serotina and P. pensylvanica), a plum (P. americana), and the peach (P. 

persica). The two cherries were grouped together in the folk genus ta΄ya while the 

larger plum and peaches were known as kwă΄na. The names reflect a finer distinction in 

the Cherokee perception of the members of the genus Prunus than that indicated by 

their botanical classification. However, trees with apple-like fruit were included in the 

folk genus sûnktă΄, which included representative taxa from the botanical genera Malus 

and Crataegus. The Cherokee perception of the folk genus sûnktă΄ appears to be more 

inclusive than is indicated by botanical classification. 

47

Some relationships have no apparent explanation. Why are the pines generally 

referred to as natsĭ΄, yet Pinus strobus is singled out as tâtskĭ΄? Why do the Cherokee 

names for Juglans nigra (sétĭ) and J. cinera (kahĭ), two very similar species, not reflect a 

perceptual relationship? Questions such as these are difficult to address in an historical 

work such as this and the answers may be lost with the original meanings of the names. 

Table 3.3. Tree Index: Botanical Species and Folk Genera 

Botanical Species 

Abies fraseri 

Acer rubrum 

Acer saccharum 

Aesculus octandra 

Amelanchier arborea 

Asimina triloba 

Betula lenta 

Betula lutea 

Betula nigra 

Carpinus caroliniana 

Carya glabra 

Carya ovata 

Carya tomentosa 

Castanea dentata 

Cercis canadensis 

Cornus florida 

Crataegus coccinea 

Diospyros virginiana 

Fagus americana 

Fraxinus americana 

Gleditsia triacanthos 

Halesia carolina 

Ilex opaca 

Juglans cinera 

Juglans nigra 

Juniperis virginiana 

Liquidambar styraciflua 

Liriodendron tulipifera 

Magnolia acuminata 

Magnolia fraseri 

Malus coronaria 

Malus pumila 

Morus rubra 

Folk Genus 

unagéĭ 

tsûnwagi 

tsûnwagi 

úniskwûtû΄ 

udâ΄lănă΄ 

disûnki 

atsû΄kĭ 

atsû΄kĭ 

gûnetiski 

tsutanû΄ 

wanéĭ 

wanéĭ 

wanéĭ 

tilĭ΄ 

tsunyû΄stĭ 

kănûsĭ΄tă 

sûnktă΄ 

salĭ΄ 

kutlû΄ 

tsukânan 

kûlsétsĭ 

tsuskû΄találti 

ústăstĭ 

kahĭ 

sétĭ 

atsĭnĭ΄ 

tsilalŭ΄ 

tsiyu 

tsuhyûnsti (ătă) 

tsugwalâga tsegwa 

sûnktă΄ 

sûnktă΄ 

kuwû΄ 

48 


Nyssa sylvatica 

Oxydendron arboreum 

Picea rubens 

Pinus echinata 

Pinus pungens 

Pinus rigida 

Pinus strobus 

Pinus virginiana 

Platanus occidentalis 

Prunus americana 

Prunus pensylvanica 

Prunus persica 

Prunus serotina 

Quercus alba 

Quercus bicolor 

Quercus coccinea 

Quercus falcata 

Quercus imbricaria 

Quercus nigra 

Quercus prinus 

Quercus rubra 

Quercus stellata 


Robinia pseudoacacia 

Salix alba 

Salix babylonica 

Salix humulis 

Sassafras albidum 

Tilia americana 

Tsuga canadensis 

Tsuga caroliniana 

Ulmus americana 

Ulmus fulva 

Folk Genus 

uníkwă 

nûdâgweja 

unagéĭ 

natsĭ΄ 

natsĭ΄ 

natsĭ΄ 

tâtskĭ΄ 

natsĭ΄ 

ku΄wû 

kwă΄na 

ta΄ya 

kwă΄na 

ta΄ya 

tă΄lû΄ 

gasotegwalega 

dalûtsi 

watsiyŭ΄ 

gule tsunstiga 

gulěnégwa 

tsisátugwûléga 

tsugwû΄nstătsâ΄lĭ 

tsuskă΄ 

dagû΄nageí 

kûlākwégti 

díligalĭ΄skĭ 

gágĭlanahíta 

díligalĭ΄skĭ 

kûnstû΄tsĭ 

idehû΄ 

nona 

nona 

dawātsíliyústi 

dâwātsíla

Cherokee Trees 

atsĭnĭ΄or atsĭnû΄ – cedar – Juniperis virginiana L. – red cedar 

Mooney reported that the red cedar was, “held sacred above all other trees” by 

eastern tribes due to its evergreen habit, pleasant smell, the color of its wood, and it 

resistance to decay (Mooney 1900: 421). It was used ceremonially as an incense and 

for diseases associated with dreams of ghosts (see aniskina göwani‛tsö istöi). By the 

time Olbrechts was among the Cherokee, it was remembered that it was once used 

medicinally, but the specifics of that use were forgotten. He did find that the branches 

were used in a magic rite (not described) and the branches were used to make fish 

traps. 

atsû΄kĭ gûnage – ‘black smelling wood’, atisöyi uyalemö – ‘smelling wood with rough 

bark’ – Betula lenta L. – black birch, sweet birch, cherry birch, Betula lutea Michaux – 

yellow birch 

The second name for this species comes from Olbrechts, but he only glossed 

uyalemö as ‘rough bark’ and provided no gloss for atisöyi. However, Mooney recorded 

Betula as atsû΄kĭ, stemming from ă΄tă or ‘wood’ and sû΄kĭ’ or ‘smelling’, and atisöyi was 

probably Olbrechts’ version of atsû΄kĭ. Mooney identified atsû΄kĭ gûnage as Betula lutea, 

but it is highly unlikely that the yellow birch, with a distinctly golden cast to the bark, 

would be the ‘black smelling wood’ and I am going to assume that this is actually B. 

lenta, a species with very dark bark. However, B. lutea does have what is referred to as 

a peely bark, and the rough appearance would provide evidence that this is the species 

49

to which Olbrechts was referring. Both are found in the mountains near the Cherokee 

reservation, but the yellow birch is found at the higher elevations. 

When a novice was a candidate to become a medicine man, he was required to 

take great pains to avoid any food prepared by a menstruating woman or touch an 

object she had touched. If this did occur, he would forget all that he had learned and be 

spoiled as a candidate. As a prophylactic to these nefarious influences, the novitiate 

would chew the inner bark of B. lenta and rub the juice over his heart area, or the “place 

where the soul is” (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 102). 

Olbrechts recorded B. lutea as a remedy for uyo‛usö tsunineliçq (‘disgusted by 

the sight of a corpse’), but, as mentioned above, it is not clear which species was 

actually used or if they were used interchangeably. An infusion of the bark of B. lenta 

was also used alone in a ritual monthly emesis. It is not an emetic, but its pleasant taste 

probably eased the process and settled the stomach. Olbrechts quoted his informant as 

saying they would take in “as much as they can hold.” This supposition on my part of 

the role of B. lenta in the emetic process is supported by Banks, who reported that it 

was used to settle the stomach (1953: 29). 

atsŭ΄nki unega – ‘white smelling wood’ – Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carr – eastern hemlock 

The phonetic spelling of atsŭ΄nki is slightly different than that of the previous 

species, but this was from the plant labels and Mooney might not have had the 

opportunity to refine his notes. The name is appropriate, though, as T. canadensis is 

quite fragrant and the wood is very light in color. Neither Mooney or Olbrechts attributed 

any medicinal properties to this species, but Olbrechts did record several uses for T. 

50

caroliniana (see nona below). The two species may be interchangeable, as their 

distribution is sympatric in the mountains of North Carolina. Banks found T. canadensis 

used by the Cherokee and made no mention of T. caroliniana, other than to attribute a 

citation to Olbrechts which he mistakenly placed under the heading of T. canadensis. In 

his own research he found that the tips of the branches were made into a tea for kidney 

troubles and that the pounded bark could be used as a poultice for itchy armpits (1953: 

7). 

dagû΄nageí – ‘they are black’ or ‘blackwood’ – Quercus velutina Lam. – black oak 

The Cherokee name here is evident for the same reason as the common English 

name; the bark of black oak is the darkest of the oaks. In Mooney’s linguistic analysis 

for ‘blackwood’, he found that dagû΄nageí stemmed from ătă΄ or ‘wood’ and û΄nageĭ or 

‘black’. His informant indicated that da or d at the beginning of the name makes it 

specific as “the black.” This was one of several species combined for the treatment of 

wounds in cases such as adayuni‛t‛i‛lö (‘pierced by wood’), a‛yelsti tsundat‛istanöçi 

(‘pierced by a knife’), and yigetsiyolö (‘if they have been shot by a bullet or arrow)’. A 

decoction of the bark was also a remedy for a sore throat, an aching tooth, diarrhea, 

and to improve appetite. It was combined with Polygonum sagittatum and two 

unidentified plants for duletsi. 

dalûtsi – scarlet oak – Quercus coccinea Muenchh. 

Mooney included this in a list of Cherokee plants (Ms. 2235). There was no gloss 

or other information about this species. I am assuming it is an opaque, proper name. 

51

dâwātsíla – ‘tree with saliva’ – Ulmus rubra Muhl. (U. fulva) – slippery elm 

The Cherokee gloss is very fitting for a species known for the mucilaginous 

nature of its inner bark. The only uses from Olbrechts’ notes was a reference to Ulmus 

rubra as part of a formula for a condition known as dawzni e‛i unitłöyö; however, no 

gloss or description of this condition was included (see appendix). Other uses were 

included in The Swimmer Manuscript, though. Dâwātsíla was made into a decoction 

with Impatiens capensis, the roots of Veronica officinalis, and the cones of Pinus 

pungens to prepare a woman to give birth. The slippery elm was given to lubricate the 

passage for the child and ensure an easy birth (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 119). It 

was also used as part of the formula for amayi didatsoststi dinineldö (‘he is sick by the 

water’). Banks (1953: 34) also recorded that the steeped bark was used as a wash to 

heal burns. 

dawātsíliyústi – ‘like dâwātsíla’ – Ulmus americana L. – American elm 

While it may surprise those familiar with the elms that Ulmus rubra, the smaller 

species, is the more prototypical species here and Ulmus americana is designated as 

the ‘like’ or subordinate species, this is most likely due to the frequency of occurrence in 

the mountains. The range of Ulmus americana in the North Carolina mountains is 

restricted to the area around Swain County (Radford et al. 1968: 387) and it would 

appear that these were introduced to the region. No medicinal uses were recorded for 

this species. 

52

díligalĭ΄skĭ – ‘it peels to the bark’ – Salix spp. - willow 

Mooney recorded this gloss for the willows, which stems from tsigáliă΄, or ‘I peel 

it’. Olbrechts glossed díligalĭ΄skĭ as ‘they strip themselves’. Both appear to be due to the 

habit of the bark of the willows, which peels easily from the stem. Mooney and 

Olbrechts noted two species used by the Cherokee, Salix humilis Marshall and Salix 

alba L., but difficulties with field identification of the species of the genus Salix may have 

led to misidentification. Salix humilis is the only common species of Salix without 

serrations on the leaf margin found in the North Carolina mountains, and this is probably 

one of the species used by the Cherokee. The labels identified by the Smithsonian 

botanists support this speculation (Mooney Ms. 2591). But Salix alba, a species with a 

serrated margins and densely hairy undersides to the leaves, is not common in the 

mountains and was an introduced species. The most common of the Salix species that 

fits the above description and is found in the region is Salix sericea Marshall, and I 

would presume that this is the species most frequently used by the Cherokee (Radford 

et al. 1968: 387). But without a voucher specimen, this can not be verified. I will use 

Salix alba in the remainder of this description as it was the species discussed by 

Mooney and Olbrechts, but the reader should maintain a degree of skepticism 

concerning the exact species. 

The medical applications and ethnobotanical classification were deeply 

intertwined in the case of díligalĭ΄skĭ. At the level of the folk generic, any díligalĭ΄skĭ 

could be used with Prunus serotina for a severe cold that resulted in laryngitis or for 

andlköça yunalstuneça (‘if their urine is stopped’). At the level of folk species, the two 

biological species were associated with several synonyms. Salix alba was known as 

53

díligalĭ΄skĭ egwa or díligalĭ΄skĭ utana, both glossing as ‘it peels to the bark, large’, 

díligalĭ΄skĭ utana amayułtei or ‘it peels to the bark, large, growing by the water’, and 

díligalĭ΄skĭ ustiga geyöeçi or ‘it peels to the bark, small, growing by the river’. The last 

gloss is anomalous due to it being described as a ‘small’ variety, which would support 

the argument that it was actually S. sericea. 

The medicinal uses for S. alba are as varied as the names given to it. It was 

added to Morus rubra, Platanus occidentalis, and Lobelia spicata for cases of unawasti 

egwa (‘big chill’). It was one of the alternative ingredients in the formula for unak‛ewagöi 

(‘if they lost their voice’). It was included in one of many formulas for e‛isti andik‛ö‛öi (no 

gloss), a condition typified by painful urination, along with Vitis lambrusca, Alnus 

serrulata, and Rubus occidentalis. As with many urinary conditions, the plants should all 

have their roots growing in water. It was also combined with S. humilis for the condition 

gotisgi tsunitsöyöi (‘when their stomach is swollen’), a condition that occurs when the 

food in the stomach was changed by a witch or a conjurer. Salix alba was combined 

with an unidentified plant known as inadö tsunigatogi, or ‘snake odor’, for uyo‛usö 

tsunineliçq (‘disgusted by the sight of a corpse’). And it was used alone for aniskina 

göwani‛tsö istöi (‘when they have been made sick by dead persons’). 

Salix humilis was known as díligalĭ΄skĭ ustiga gatłatöeçi, or ‘the small díligalĭ΄skĭ 

growing on the hillside’. One of the common names for this species, the tall prairie 

willow (Petrides 1986: 250), suggests that it is less dependent on a constant water 

source and would fare quite nicely on a well-drained Southern Appalachian hillside. 

Olbrechts recorded it as digalulegi, but did not provide a gloss for this name. Other than 

the use mentioned above in combination with S. alba, S. humilis was used by itself as a 

54

emedy for a condition known as ‘bones coming out’, which was not clarified but may be 

a severe case of didölesgi (‘the crippler’), a type of rheumatism. 

disûnki – pawpaw – Asimina triloba (L.) Dunal 

This also comes from a list of Cherokee names matched with botanical species 

(Ms. 1894). Witthoft (n.d.: 35) verified that this is an opaque, proper name. He also said 

that it was quite rare on the Cherokee reservation an insignificant as a food product. No 

medicinal uses for pawpaw were attributed to the Cherokee. 

gágĭlanahíta – ‘hanging down long’ – Salix babylonica L. – weeping willow 

The name gágĭlanahíta (‘hanging down long’) is the same as the word used to 

describe someone with long hair; however, it is applied only to soft things. No medicinal 

application was attributed to this introduced species. 

gasotegwalega – ‘small abdomen’ – Quercus bicolor Willd. – swamp white oak 

This identification is highly unlikely, as the distribution of Q. bicolor is limited to 

the Piedmont region of North Carolina. As the oaks are known to hybridize, it is possible 

that the specimen he found was a hybrid between Q. prinus and another species of 

white oak (Radford et al 1968: 374). Olbrechts also gave tsisotegwalega as a synonym 

for gasotegwalega, but gave no explanation for the etymology of either name. He 

recorded that it was used in the formula for unöłstay‛ti tsuniyotc‛eça (‘when their 

appetite gets spoiled’). 

55

gulěnégwa - ‘large acorns’ – Quercus nigra L. (Q. aquatica) – water oak 

The name stems from gúlě or ‘acorn’ and égwa or ‘large’, which brings its 

identification into question, as the acorns for Q. nigra are fairly small and the high 

mountain areas are outside of its range. The original identification my have been a 

hybrid species that was misidentified as Q. nigra or this could be black oak, Q. velutina, 

that was referred to as “nigra”, meaning black. No further information was given for this 

species. 

gule tsunstiga – ‘small acorns’ – Quercus imbricaria Michaux – shingle oak 

The acorns for Q. imbricaria are between 1 and 1 ½ cm long (Radford et al. 

1968: 382)), hence the basis for the Cherokee name. Mooney called this species 

tsugwû΄nstătsâ΄lĭ or ‘leaves tapering’, but he also identified Q. rubra by the same name, 

so this could have been a misidentification. The leaves of Q. imbricaria do not taper. 

The only recorded medicinal use was for the bark as an alternative for Q. falcata in the 

formula for the condition known as unak‛ewagöi (‘if they lost their voice’) (Mooney and 

Olbrechts 1932: 199). 

gûnetiski – river birch – Betula nigra L. 

The range of Betula nigra is limited in the mountains of North Carolina (Radford 

et al. 1968: 368) and it seems unlikely that this is the species that was available to the 

Cherokee. However, both Mooney and Olbrechts recorded it as a Cherokee plant and 

both identified it as gûnetiski. Banks also included it in his work, providing more 

evidence for its presence among and use by the Cherokee. Gûnetiski appears to be an 

56

opaque, proper name. This assumption is also supported by Banks’ research (1953: 

29). 

Olbrechts found that B. nigra was used by itself or in the formula for unödi 

tsandik‛uça (‘they urinate all milk’) (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 200). Banks added 

the use of the bark sap (inner bark?) as a tea to alleviate loose bowels (1953: 29). 

idehû΄ (Mooney) or itea (Olbrechts) – basswood – Tilia heterophylla Vent. or Tilia 

americana L. 

I included both pronunciations of the Cherokee name for this species because of 

the variation between Mooney’s and Olbrechts’ versions. Tilia heterophylla is the most 

common species of basswood in the North Carolina mountains, but T. americana was 

the species that both Mooney and Olbrechts identified as idehû΄. While T. americana is 

rare in North Carolina, it is found in Swain County, the home of the largest portion of the 

Cherokee Reservation. The two species are very similar and Banks (1953: 87) 

suggested that the Cherokee do not distinguish between the two. 

Olbrechts recorded two uses for idehû΄. It was used for a type of diarrhea that 

was attributed to animals, known as at‛awini e‛i or ‘the forest dwellers’. Women would 

drink a decoction of the bark as soon as they found out they were pregnant. This was 

done every month until they delivered the child because the bark is slippery, like that of 

slippery elm (see dâwātsíla above), and aids in the birthing process. 

Banks attributes a use to the notes of Mooney, which he acquired from Witthoft, 

stating that the juice from chewed bark from a lightening struck tree was rubbed on a 

snakebite. I did not come across this reference in my searches. He also found that the 

57

eaten bark was used as a poultice for boils and that the bark was a component in a 

decoction used for tuberculosis caused by conjuring (see kutlû΄ below) (1953: 86-87). 

kahĭ – butternut – Juglans cinera L. 

Kahĭ appears to be an opaque, proper name for butternut. The inner bark was 

used as a cathartic (Witthoft 1947), while an infusion of several barks, including J. 

cinera, Prunus serotina, Alnus serrulata, and Diospyros virginiana, was used to draw 

the pus out of an infected tooth (Banks 1953: 26). The edible nut was used in Cherokee 

cooking (Perry 1974: 42). Accounts from the early 19 th century suggest that the oil of 

black walnuts was extracted in much the same way as that from hickory nuts (see 

wanéĭ below), but the informant had never seen the operation performed (Payne n.d.: 

157). Contemporary experiments with the extraction of oil from walnuts and butternuts 

have shown that bits of the husks are trapped in the rough outer shell of the nut and that 

pounding and boiling creates an inedible, bitter product (Talalay et al. 1984: 354). This 

would suggest that the Cherokee may have used a more labor intensive means to 

extract walnut oil and that this was not the preferred nut for oil extraction. 

kănûsĭ΄tă – flowering dogwood – Cornus florida L. 

Kănûsĭ΄tă appears to be an opaque, proper name. This is one of the few tree 

species highlighted by Mooney. In one of his random notes, he states that this is a 

“noted medicine” and that the inner bark was boiled for dysentery and a decoction of 

dogwood and black oak barks (Quercus velutina) was drunk for sore throats. The bark 

of dogwood was harvested from the east side of the tree. 

58

Olbrechts added a wide range of applications for C. florida. It was part of the 

formula for the form of cancer known as ada‛yeski (‘eating itself’), unawasti egwa (‘big 

chill’), unak‛ewagöi (‘if they lost their voice’), and unegö tsandiköça (‘if they water out 

white’). He included it in a formula for severe diarrhea (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 

283) and found it was used alone for chicken pox or any condition that produced boils 

on the skin. The chewed bark was spat on spider bites and a decoction of the bark was 

used as a remedy for poison ivy. For poison ivy part of the decoction is drunk and part 

sprinkled on the rash, but the sprinkling must occur after a portion has been drunk or 

the rash will be driven into the body. 

Banks also found that dogwood was used for dermatological conditions (1953: 

96). A tea of the bark was taken alone or decocted with Prunus serotina and Lindera 

benzoin as a remedy for measles. The decoction was added to corn whiskey to break 

out the rash. The bark of an old tree was made into a decoction to bathe one suffering 

from chicken pox, clearing up the outbreak that same day. The bark was chewed for 

headaches and the flower petals were boiled and drunk for colds. 

kûlākwégti – ‘to use as a bow’ – Robinia pseudoacacia L. – black locust 

This species was apparently named for its use in the making of a hunting bow. 

King (1976) said that Robinia pseudoacacia and Gleditsia triacanthos were the 

preferred woods for Cherokee bows, but that Platanus occidentalis and Carya spp. were 

also acceptable. Witthoft (1953: 149) stated unequivocally that R. pseudoacacia and G. 

triacanthos were the only woods used in traditional Cherokee bows. Medicinally, it was 

59

used for uyosöçi e‛isti tsanançtatia (‘when they suffer painful remembrances of the 

dead’). 

kûlsétsĭ – honey locust – Gleditsia triacanthos L. 

Both Mooney and Olbrechts recorded kûlsétsĭ as an opaque, proper name for 

honey locust. Olbrechts recorded several medicinal uses for G. triacanthos. The sweet 

pods could be used in place of honey to sweeten unpalatable medicines, such as the 

harsh medicines used for worms (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 249). It was a 

component in the formula for unitseno‛ise‛oi (‘when a person has stomach trouble’) 

(Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 239) and for uyosöçi e‛isti tsanançtatia (‘when they suffer 

painful remembrances of the dead’). Kûlsétsĭ was used with others to make an emetic 

used to throw off spoiled saliva (see dunikstisgöi in the appendix for a discussion on 

spoiled saliva). It was one of the plants used to prepare ball players for the match, the 

wood of honey locust being burnt with that of a lightening struck tree that was not killed 

and used to paint designs on the contestant. It was believed that such a treatment 

would make the ball player’s flesh, “as hard and firm to the touch as the wood of honey 

locust (Mooney 1890a).” Banks (1953: 71) was told that a tea from the bark of G. 

triacanthos or Crataegus spp. would help ball players repel tacklers because no one 

would want to run into the sharp spines of either. He also reported that a tea of the pods 

was used for measles and that the bark of honey locust was combined with the leaves 

of Tovaria virginiana and the hot tea given to patients with whooping cough (1953: 72). 

The pods were also once prepared as a beverage. The dried pods were crushed 

and placed in a vessel with water. This was set in a warm spot until the sweet flavor 

60

was imparted to the drink. Hotter water was later added to extract all remnants of the 

sweet pulp (Payne n.d.: 157-158). 

kûnstû΄tsĭ – sassafras – Sassafras albidum (Nutt.) Nees. 

Kûnstû΄tsĭ appears to be an opaque, proper name for S. albidum. Olbrechts 

recorded several medicinal applications for sassafras, but none were included in the 

published materials and the material on preparation and application was scanty. The 

leaves and bark were chewed and the juice spat on spider bites. It was brewed for all 

types of diarrhea and as a remedy for scrofula. It was combined with Pinus pungens 

and Bovista pila for the purple form of the cancer known as ada‛yeski. He also said it 

was used for a condition known as “when they are shaking with fever”, possibly a form 

of unawasti egwa (‘big chill’). 

Mooney, in one of his few references to the medicinal properties of trees, 

recorded the use of the barks sassafras, Carpinus caroliniana, and Alnus serrulata with 

the leaf of Hexastylis arifolia for cancer and old sores. 

Banks also found S. albidum used for diarrhea, but he added several more 

applications to Olbrechts’ findings. The root tea was drunk as a blood builder, for 

headaches and colds, as a poultice for sprains and bruises, and as a favored beverage. 

The pith of the young twigs was made into a cold eyewash for any type of sore eyes, 

including conditions such as sties or pink eye (1953: 53). Along with its use as a 

beverage, Perry (1974: 45) recorded that the roots could be chewed to dispel the 

personal odor that accompanies eating ramps. She was told that there are two varieties 

of sassafras roots, but that the red roots were superior to the white roots. 

61

kutlû΄ or kusû΄ - beech – Fagus grandifolia Ehrh. (F. americana) 

This was apparently an opaque, proper name for beech. Neither Mooney or 

Olbrechts recorded a medicinal use for beech, but Banks (1953: 32) acquired two 

formulas. An infusion of the barks of Fagus grandifolia, Castanea dentata, Liriodendron 

tulipifera, and unidentified species of Quercus and Tilia was used for a type of 

tuberculosis that was due to conjuring. Another formula was for “bad disease”, a 

condition that typically involved a high fever. It consisted of a combination of F. 

grandifolia, P. occidentalis, Vitis aestivalis, Smilax glauca, Euonymus americanus, 

Liquidambar styraciflua, and Nyssa sylvatica, the barks of which were made into an 

infusion and drunk by the patient. 

kuwû΄ - mulberry – Morus rubra L. 

Kuwû΄ appears to be an opaque, proper name for M. rubra. Olbrechts recorded 

two uses for it; combined with a species of Salix it was used for unawasti egwa (‘big 

chill’) and with Panax quinquefolium it was used for chest pains. The berry was one of 

the favorite ingredients in Cherokee corn bread (Witthoft n.d.: 50). 

ku΄wû une΄ga or kuwiyu΄stĭ – ‘white mulberry’ or ‘like mulberry’ – Platanus occidentalis 

L. – sycamore 

The designation kuwiyu΄stĭ is not a definite indication that the Cherokee 

considered this a folk species of kuwû΄ as the suffix –iyusĭ (‘like’) can represent 

perceived similarities that are not necessarily classificatory relationships, such as the 

leaves of plants that resemble ferns being referred to as igûliyusti (‘fern-like’). However, 

62

Mooney recorded both kuwiyu΄stĭ and ku΄wû une΄ga for P. occidentalis and Olbrechts 

recorded an unidentified botanical species as ku΄wû une΄ga. However, the name ku΄wû 

une΄ga would indicate that this is a white species of kuwû΄ and that the Cherokee 

perceived a classificatory relationship between the two trees. As the bark, leaves, and 

buds of the two species are quite different from each other, it appears that the 

relationship is due to the similarity of the fruits. Both have a pendulous aggregate fruit 

and, while that of P. occidentalis is dry and inedible, the visual similarities would indicate 

that it is was considered a species of Morus rubra. Witthoft (n.d.: 148) claims that both 

names are due to the resemblance of the whole tree to Morus rubra, but the differences 

mentioned above cast doubt on this assertion. 

Another possible explanation is that the introduced Morus alba L., or white 

mulberry, was also known to the Cherokee and this is the species that was known as 

ku΄wû une΄ga. Radford et al. indicate that it is now a widely scattered species, but it is 

not on their distribution maps in the mountains of North Carolina (1968: 390). Hamel 

and Chiltoskey (1975: 45) also mention it as a medicinal, but it is included in the same 

reference as Morus rubra and no distinction is made between the two. Without voucher 

specimens, it is impossible to resolve the identity of ku΄wû une΄ga. For the purposes of 

this work, the medicinal uses attributed to ku΄wû une΄ga will be included with others for 

P. occidentalis. 

Platanus occidentalis appears in several formulas in The Swimmer Manuscript, 

where it was attributed to a wide range of conditions such as ut‛igadö (‘to drive out 

afterbirth’), unödi tsandik‛uça (‘they urinate all milk’), at‛awini e‛i (‘the forest dwellers’), 

andkt‛egö (‘they are under restriction’), and uyalot‛isga (‘if there is swelling’) (Mooney 

63

and Olbrechts 1932: 126, 200, 244, 246). Olbrechts also included several applications 

for P. occidentalis in his notes, used alone or in a formula, for Cherokee ethnomedical 

conditions including yigöwaninilööski (‘when they have suint’), dalânige tsandik‛öça 

(‘yellow urine’), ada‛yeski (‘eating itself’), dawzni e‛i unitłöyö (no gloss), gigö 

analdziskwsköi (‘when they spit blood’), and unawasti egwa (‘big chill’). For the 

discharge of yellow urine, a special type of root was required and it was designated by 

the name kuwiyu΄stĭ amayi tsunastunöi or ‘the sycamore with its roots in the water’. 

Witthoft (n.d.: 148) found that the inner bark was steeped in water and the 

infusion applied to sores on the skin that resembled the scaly, variegated bark of the 

sycamore. He also found that the roots growing in water were beaten and steeped, the 

resulting infusion used to wash the genital lesions due to venereal disease. 

kwă΄na – peach – Prunus persica (L.) Batsh 

Mooney speculated that the introduced peach superceded the wild plum (Prunus 

americana) as the folk generic kwă΄na, due to its rapid assimilation and status as a 

relished food crop for the Cherokee after its introduction by the Spanish. Olbrechts 

reported that it was used medicinally with Aristolochia serpentaria for scrofula and alone 

for a type of heartburn attributed to “the insects living in the water”. For the latter 

condition, all juicy fruits and vegetables were avoided during treatment. Banks (1953: 

63) confirmed this use, finding that a tea made of the bark in cold water was used for a 

“sick stomach”. He also found that cold bark tea was used to ease the pain of piles and 

to stop vomiting, while a hot infusion was used as a cough medicine. For the bark to 

work correctly as an anti-emetic, the knife used to harvest the bark must slice upwards, 

64

while for bowel conditions it must slice downwards, both representing the direction of 

movement of the condition. 

The Cherokee relished peaches as a food crop and peach orchards were noted 

by several 18 th century observers (Goodwin 1977: 127). To preserve the peaches, the 

pit and skin were removed, the flesh pounded in a mortar, and the resulting pulp was 

made into cakes and dried in the sun (Payne n.d.: 156). 

kwă΄na unsdíga – ‘little peach’ – Prunus americana Marsh. – wild plum 

Unsdíga or usdí is the irregular form of tsundíga, the regular plural form for 

‘small’. Only the plural form was used when referring to Prunus americana. Mooney 

speculated that this was the original kwă΄na, being renamed as the small variety after 

the introduction of the peach by the Spanish (see kwă΄na). No medicinal uses were 

recorded for this species, which was probably an oversight as all other species of 

Prunus have multiple applications (see ta΄ya gadusie‛i below). 

natsĭ΄ - pine or natsuya – ‘true pine’ – Pinus echinata Miller – short-leaf pine; Pinus 

pungens Lambert – Table Mountain pine; Pinus virginiana Miller – Virginia pine; Pinus 

rigida Miller – pitch pine 

There are classification problems with the pines stemming from either 

misidentification by the researchers or a lack of differentiation among the Cherokee. 

Natsĭ΄ appears to be an opaque, proper name and is applied as the generic term for all 

pines (excluding Pinus strobus, see tâtskĭ΄ below). However, Mooney identified P. 

echinata as natsuya or the ‘true pine’, that pine demonstrating the most prototypical 

65

qualities of the pines, while Olbrechts matched natsuya with P. pungens. Conspicuously 

absent from the notes of both Mooney and Olbrechts was P. virginiana, which was the 

most prominent medicinal pine in Banks’ work. Complicating the matter even further 

was a note from one of the botanists with whom Mooney had collaborated determining 

that a sample of natsĭ΄ was P. rigida. Olbrechts identified natsĭ΄ simply as Pinus spp., 

indicating the generic aspect of the term and leading me to the conclusion that the 

Cherokee did not differentiate the pines into folk species. 

The ambiguity surrounding the pines continues in the reports of their medicinal 

applications. When he identified the species, Olbrechts exclusively referred to P. 

pungens as the pine used medicinally by the Cherokee, such as its use in the formula 

for amayi didatsoststi dinineldö (‘to take pregnant women to the water’) (Mooney and 

Olbrechts 1932: 119). Other uses for P. pungens from his notes included severe cases 

of cancer or gangrene known as ada‛yeski tsunitłöyi nundiwsköna (no gloss), aninedzi 

dik‛anöwoti (‘to cure their breast with’), duletsi (‘kernels’), and tsidunitsileça (‘when they 

have itching’). 

Olbrechts also published generic uses for the pines. Cherokee homes were 

smudged by burning pine branches after the burial of a recently deceased family 

member. The belief was that the evergreen quality of pines was symbolic of long life 

and the smell would eliminate the remnants of death and disease (Mooney and 

Olbrechts 1932: 139). A decoction made from the tops pine trees was also used for the 

condition sent by conjurers known as ayeligogi uniyelö‛nöçi (‘they have made it like it’) 

(Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 188). 

66

Banks found that a tea of the needles from P. echinata was used as cough 

remedy (1953: 5), but the majority of his findings concerned P. virginiana. A tea of the 

roots was used for sore throats while the steam from a tea of the needles could be used 

for as a cold remedy. Tea of the buds and needles was used to ease diarrhea or as an 

anti-tussive. A hot decoction of pine needles, Hamamelis virginiana, and Lindera 

benzoin was given to a patient to cause a fever to break. Pine needles were placed in 

apple juice with Vicia caroliniana to prevent fatigue of ball players. The roots of pine 

were combined with those of Alnus serrulata and a species of dewberry (Rubus spp.) as 

a remedy for piles (1953: 6-7). 

nona – hemlock – Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carr. or Tsuga caroliniana Engelm. 

Nona appears to be an opaque, proper name and a folk generic for both species 

of hemlock, Olbrechts applying it to T. caroliniana and Banks to T. canadensis. Mooney 

also recorded T. canadensis as atsû΄nki unega or ‘white smelling wood’, indicating a 

name based on the two organoleptic qualities of sight and smell. Olbrechts recorded 

two medicinal applications for nona; ut‛igadö (‘to drive out afterbirth’) and adayuni‛t‛i‛lö 

(‘pierced by wood’). Banks added that a tea from the tips of the stems was used for 

kidney problems and the pounded bark was used as a poultice for itchy armpits (1953: 

7). 

nûdâgweja – sourwood – Oxydendrum arboreum (L.) DC 

Nûdâgweja appears to be an opaque, proper name for sourwood. Sourwood 

played a prominent role in Cherokee myths. When the daughter of the Sun was killed by 

67

a conjured rattlesnake, she was retrieved from the land of the dead by by seven men, 

each carrying a short rod of sourwood. When they touched the spirit of the daughter 

with the rods, she fell down and left the circle of the dancing dead. She was then placed 

in a box and taken back to her mother (Mooney 1900: 253). The role of sourwood is not 

explained, but it appears that the twigs had the power to restore life to the dead. 

Sourwood stakes were also used to pin the stone man to the ground after he had been 

made weak by coming into contact with seven menstruating women. He then had large 

logs piled on him and as the fire approached he shared his medicine knowledge with 

the bystanders (Mooney 1900: 320). The wood of sourwood was also used to barbecue 

meat as its flavor was transferred to the meat, but it was not used for firewood because 

the ashes would cause the cook to become ill (Mooney 1900: 422). The wood also had 

a prophylactic power against the spells of witches (Mooney 1900: 469). 

The straight twigs of sourwood were included in formulas for stopped urination 

because it was thought that they would straighten out twisted urinary passages that 

caused the blockage (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 222). Olbrechts found that it was 

also included in a formula for another urinary condition, unegö tsandiköça (‘if they water 

out white’), as well as being included in a formula for a type of severe diarrhea (Mooney 

and Olbrechts 1932: 283). Banks reported that the bark scraped off of young shoots, 

used in combination with the leaves, was used for diarrhea and a decoction of the bark 

was added to baths for the itch (1953: 100-101). Witthoft claimed that sourwood was 

considered one of the “great medicines” of the Cherokees, not for unique or spectacular 

conditions, but because a tea of the bark was applied to such common problems as 

thrush and diarrhea of infants and children (n.d.: 145-146). 

68

salĭ΄ - persimmon – Diospyros virginiana L. 

Salĭ΄ appears to be an opaque, proper name for persimmon. Persimmon appears 

in a few different contexts in The Swimmer Manuscript, such as for part of the remedy 

for bloody flux (1932: 275) and as part of a multi-bark decoction given for uyalot‛isga (‘if 

there is swelling’) (1932: 298). A stamper made of persimmon wood was used to 

massage patients suffering from rheumatic pains, although the reason for selecting 

persimmon wood was forgotten by the time of Olbrechts’ research (1932: 293). The 

unpublished materials suggest that D. virginiana was a popular remedy for a wide range 

of ethnomedical conditions including ada‛yeski (‘eating itself’), duni‛alagöi ata‛yesgi 

(‘inflamed palate’), inflammation of the urinary tract known as e‛isti andik‛ö‛öi (no gloss), 

and gançawadööski (‘blisters caused by heat’). Banks found that the bark was chewed 

for heartburn and combined with the barks of Alnus serrulata, Juglans cinerea, and 

Prunus serotina in a cold infusion for toothaches (1953: 104). The tea would be held in 

the mouth, causing the infection to come to a head. 

Witthoft found that the fruit from selected trees was eaten fresh, but other means 

to store the fruit for later consumption had been forgotten (n.d.: 49). However, older 

accounts describe how pulp was processed for storage. The seeds were removed and 

the fruit pulp pounded in a mortar, formed into flattened cakes, and dried in the sun on a 

drying rack (Payne n.d.: 156). 

sétĭ – black walnut – Juglans nigra L. 

Sétĭ appears to be an opaque, proper name for the black walnut. In addition to 

sétĭ, Olbrechts also recorded wanduya as another proper name for J. nigra, but Mooney 

69

attributed this name to Carya glabra (Miller) Sweet. No clarification could be obtained 

from the notes of either man or subsequent researchers. 

The nuts of J. nigra were taboo for pregnant women for fear that the child would 

have a large, broad nose (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 121). Also, the wood of walnut 

was not used as firewood because the inner bark was yellow, and if the ashes from it 

were used to cook corn gruel, it would cause a yellow discharge to emanate from the 

person who consumed it (Mooney 1890b). Olbrechts found that the bark was used 

medicinally for u‛iyugwatisgi (‘he has a toothache’) and the urinary tract affliction known 

as e‛isti andik‛ö‛öi (no gloss). He also recorded that wanduya was used for spoiled 

appetite and for saliva that was spoiled by dreams, but the ambiguity associated with 

the identification of wanduya must be considered here. Banks was told that the bark, a 

known fish poison, was too toxic to use as medicine, but another informant said that the 

inner bark was a remedy for smallpox (1953: 26). The edible nut was a component in 

Cherokee bean bread (Perry 1974: 43). Accounts from the early 19 th century suggest 

that the oil of black walnuts was extracted in much the same way as that from hickory 

nuts (see wanéĭ below), but the informant had never seen the operation performed 

(Payne n.d.: 157). It is unlikely that black walnuts were processed in this way for 

reasons discussed earlier (see kahĭ above). 

sûnktă΄ - apple – Malus pumila Miller (Pyrus malus) 

The notes concerning the various species of apple and related plants are 

somewhat confusing. For instance, Olbrechts distinguishes between sûnktă΄ 

uniganasta, or ‘sweet apples’, and sûnktă΄ uiyösti, or ‘bitter apples’, but he identifies 

70

them Malus malus (L.) Britt. and Pyrus malus (L.) Mill., which are both synonyms of 

Malus pumila. Also, Mooney identifies sûnktă΄ ínăgeaně΄hĭ, the ‘wilderness dwelling 

apple’, as Crataegus coccinea, while Olbrechts has the same Cherokee species as 

Malus coronaria. With the materials between researchers and in their individual work in 

conflict, I will present the materials here as they were recorded in their notes and the 

reader will need to be aware that the association of an exact species with its description 

or medicinal use is tenuous at best. 

Sûnktă΄ appears to be an opaque name for the apples and the generic name for 

apples and trees that bear apple-like fruit. But like kwă΄na it seems that the introduced 

apple became the prototype and the smaller native species were designated as folk 

species. Apples appeared to reach the Cherokee soon after their introduction by the 

Spanish (Goodwin 1977: 58). To avoid further confusion and because the voucher 

specimens are absent or nearly impossible to locate, I will present the species and their 

uses as they have been recorded by the researchers. 

The primary medicinal use for sûnktă΄ found by Olbrechts was in a combination 

with Malus coronaria, Cornus florida, and Nyssa sylvatica as a remedy for cancer. No 

directions for preparation or application of this remedy were included. He also found that 

the bitter variety was used with others for unak‛ewagöi (‘if they lost their voice’). Banks 

(1953: 65) found that the bark of sûnktă΄ was used by ball players, a cold infusion of the 

bark and the outer layer of a corn stalk combined to allay a dry throat. Apple juice was 

also infused with the stem of Vicia caroliniana and the needles of Pinus virginiana to 

increase the ball players’ endurance. 

71

sûnktă΄ ínăgeaně΄hĭ – ‘wilderness dwelling apple’ – Crataegus coccinea L. – hawthorne 

or Malus coronaria (L.) Miller – crab-apple 

The name stems from sûnktă΄ or ‘apple’, ínăge or ‘a wilderness’, and aně΄hĭ, the 

plural form of ě΄hĭ, which glosses as ‘dwelling’ or ‘growing’. Mooney’s identification of 

this species as Crataegus coccinea is questionable, as this is an uncommon species of 

Crataegus that is rarely found outside of the Piedmont region. The genus is considered 

botanically difficult and this was probably C. flabellata, a very similar species more 

commonly found in the mountains. Malus coronaria is found in the North Carolina 

mountains and could have been the species used by the Cherokee. This could also be 

the sûnktă΄ uiyösti or ‘bitter apples’ mentioned above, as Olbrechts recorded a 

Cherokee synonym for this species as sûnktă΄tsunsti, which may be a short form of 

tsunyû΄stĭ (‘bitter’). 

Besides its inclusion in the cancer remedy mentioned above, an infusion of the 

bark and fruit of M. coronaria was drunk by ball players. The purpose for this was not 

explained. 

tă΄lû΄ or t‛ala - white oak – Quercus alba L. 

Tă΄lû΄ appears to be an opaque, proper name for the white oak. The range of 

uses attributed to it indicate that it was an important component of Cherokee life. 

Mooney noted that the white oak acorn was the favored acorn for making acorn bread 

(gulé gátŭ). Olbrechts recorded several medicinal uses, including as a component of the 

formulas for at‛awini e‛I (the forest dwellers), dalânige tsandik‛öça (yellow urine), e‛isti 

andik‛ö‛öi (painful urination), and another condition that consisted of sores that burst, 

72

possibly yigöwaninilööski (‘when they have suint’). He also noted that the inner bark 

was used to make baskets. Witthoft (n.d.: 54) reported that the acorns of white oak were 

coarsely crushed in a mortar, thoroughly parched, pulverized further, and then boiled to 

be used as a coffee substitute. 

tâtskĭ΄ - white pine – Pinus strobus L. 

Tâtskĭ΄ appears to be an opaque, proper name. Mooney gave both tâtskĭ΄ (from 

Middle Cherokee) and tâtsŭ΄ (from Upper Cherokee) as versions of this name. It is 

morphologically different than the other members of the genus Pinus, having flexible 

needles in bundles of five instead of stiff needles in bundles of 2 to 3, which may explain 

why it was not included in the folk genus of natsĭ΄. None of the researchers recorded 

any medicinal uses for P. strobus and it is not known if it was used in the same way as 

the natsĭ΄. 

ta΄ya or gita΄hya – wild cherry – Prunus serotina Ehrhart, Prunus virginiana L. 

Ta΄ya appears to be a proper, opaque name for the wild cherry, but there is 

some confusion over the botanical species represented by the name. Olbrechts 

identified both P. serotina and P. virginiana L. as ta΄ya, and he recorded other 

synonyms for P. virginiana, but this is a shrubby species that is rare in North Carolina 

and only found in two mountain counties, neither contiguous to the Cherokee lands 

(Radford et al. 1968: 568). Olbrechts also exhibits this confusion in his notes, citing 

names that can be a combination of P. virginiana, P. pensylvanica L., or P. serotina. 

Banks (1953: 64), while adding several used for P. serotina, only attributes uses of P. 

73

virginiana to Olbrechts. While I am doubtful that the species encountered by Olbrechts 

was P. virginiana, I will discuss that species when he identifies it as one used 

exclusively for a Cherokee ethnomedical condition. When two species are identified as 

possible botanical species that match up with a Cherokee name, I will refer to the 

species that is common to the region and assume that P. virginiana was a 

misidentification. 

Mooney recorded wild cherry bark as the main treatment for the intermittent 

fevers known as unawasti egwa (‘big chill’). The bark was beaten, placed in water with 

seven coals that heated the decoction, and blown on the body of the patient (1891: 

362). As P. virginiana, Olbrechts found it was a component for another formula for 

unawasti egwa (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 277), as well as for unak‛ewagöi (‘if they 

lost their voice’) (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 199) and gotisgi tsunitsöyöi (‘when their 

stomach is swollen’) (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 297). In his notes he also reported it 

used for, swollen testicles, a condition described only as “when heat caused it”, for a 

form of diarrhea when combined with Alnus serrulata and another unidentified plant. 

Banks (1953: 64) found that the Cherokee, like the mountain whites, used cherry 

bark for all the symptoms associated with colds and the flu, as well as other conditions. 

A decoction, cooked down until it was thick, was taken for coughs. Combined with 

Clethra acuminata, it was employed to break a high fever. Mixed with the barks of 

Lindera benzoin and Cornus florida, it was made into a decoction, added to corn 

whiskey, and given to a patient to cause the rash from measles to appear on the skin’s 

surface. A decoction of the bark was given to break up the congestion that 

accompanied a cold. A tonic formula, used to strengthen the blood, consisted of P. 

74

serotina, Xanthorhiza simplicissima, Goodyera pubescens, Asarum canadensis, and 

Alnus serrulata. This combination was made into a decoction and several swallows 

were taken before meals to improve the appetite. 

ta΄ya gadusie‛i – ‘the cherry that grows in the mountains’ and kwanustiga – ‘little peach’ 

– Prunus pensylvanica L. – pin cherry 

The name ta΄ya gadusie‛i is quite appropriate for this species, as it is only found 

in the high mountain counties of North Carolina (Radford et al. 1968: 567); however, 

Mooney connected the name kwanustiga to Prunus americana. Whether this is a 

misidentification or a case of synonymy cannot be determined without voucher 

specimens. 

Careful reading of The Swimmer Manuscript indicates that the formula for 

unawasti egwa (‘big chill’) contained ta΄ya gadusie‛i, but this was misidentified as P. 

virginiana (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 276). Also, it was included in the formula for 

gigö digöguski (‘when they discharge blood from their bowels’), but recorded as 

kwanustiga, so this may have actually been Prunus americana (Mooney and Olbrechts 

1932: 275). 

Olbrechts’ notes provide a much broader range of application toward Cherokee 

ethnomedical conditions for P. pensylvanica than is indicated by the published material. 

It was used in formulas for the scrofulous condition known as duletsi (‘kernels’), the lung 

disease ganedzi u‛tsöya (‘he is sick in the breast’), gigö yandik‛öça (‘urinating blood’), 

and a type of seizure known as unalötelö (‘they have fits’). 

75

tilĭ΄ - chestnut – Castanea dentata (Marsh.) Borkh. (C. americana) 

Tilĭ΄ appears to be a proper, opaque name for the American chestnut. Mooney 

and Olbrechts provided surprisingly little information on a species that was once so 

prominent in the Southern Appalachian region. Olbrechts reported that C. dentata was 

used for the condition known as ‘when they dream of all sorts of things’, but did not 

clarify the condition. It may be a form of anskitsö’ö sköi (‘whenever they dream (of…)’). 

However, Banks, even though he did his research in the years after the chestnut blight 

had decimated the larger trees, found a wide range of medicinal and material uses for 

the American chestnut (1953: 30-31). The new leaves were used to help heal old sores, 

while year old, dried leaves were made into a decoction for heart trouble. A decoction of 

the leave of C. dentata and Verbascum thapsus, mixed with honey or brown sugar, was 

used a cough remedy. A small amount of a cold infusion of the bark of C. dentata and a 

species of Aesculus was taken by women who had recently birthed to stop bleeding and 

cramping. An infusion of the bark was used for a type of tuberculosis that was due to 

conjuring (see kutlû΄ - Fagus grandifolia, above). A decoction of C. dentata, Acer 

rubrum, Quercus alba, and Q. nigra was drunk for “monthly female trouble”. The 

inclusion of Q. nigra in this formula is questionable, as it is rare in the mountains 

(Radford et al. 1968: 382). While Banks said the nuts were ground into flour and added 

to bread, Witthoft said that the chestnuts were never ground like acorns, but cut into 

pieces, boiled, and the nuts and stock mixed with cornmeal to make bread (Witthoft 

n.d.: 47-48). Witthoft also reported that the nuts were roasted whole and eaten or boiled 

and added to soup. He also found that they could be used in place of acorns as a coffee 

substitute (see tă΄lû΄ above). An earlier account also mentions the extraction of oil from 

76

chestnuts in much the same manner as from hickory nuts (see wanéĭ below) except that 

the nuts were hulled and dried before the extraction process (Payne n.d.: 174). 

tsilalŭ΄ or tsilălĭ΄ - sweet gum – Liquidambar styraciflua L. 

Tsilalŭ΄ appears to be a proper, opaque name for sweetgum. Neither Mooney nor 

Olbrechts recorded a medicinal use for L. styraciflua, but Banks (1953: 58) included it in 

the formula he found for “bad disease” (see kutlû΄ - Fagus grandifolia, above). Witthoft 

(1947), in an edited version of an early 19 th century text, noted that the gum of L. 

styraciflua was used as a drawing plaster and the inner bark was made into a tea for 

calming nerves. He also reported it to be one of the barks used with Nyssa sylvatica in a 

multi-bark formula for gonorrhea (see uníkwă below) (Witthoft n.d.: 134). 

tsisátugwûléga or gasátakwûlégwa – chestnut oak – Quercus prinus L. 

Mooney recorded both names for Q. prinus, but did not include a gloss or the 

etymology for either name. No further mention is made of this species in any of the 

Cherokee ethnobotanical literature, which I find strange for a common upland species 

with some of the largest acorns among the region’s white oaks. This species may have 

been confused with other species of oaks (see gulěnégwa - Q. nigra above). 

tsiyu – tulip poplar – Liriodendron tulipifera L. 

Tsiyu appears to be an opaque, proper name for tulip poplar. In his notes, 

Olbrechts indicated that the Cherokee held a high regard for the healing properties of L. 

tulipifera, “The bark of this tree is used in most “chirurigical” treatments; wherever 

77

uises or cuts, arrows or bullet wounds have to be treated and infusion of poplar-bark 

is held to be a sovereign remedy.” This was supported in is notes with its inclusion in 

the formula for adayuni‛t‛i‛lö (‘pierced by wood’). In The Swimmer Manuscript, he 

reported that L. tulipifera was used for gotisgi tsunitsöyöi (‘when their stomach is 

swollen’) (1932: 298) and as an acceptable substitute for Aristolochia serpentaria for 

itchy genitals due to urinating on the fire (1932: 286). A decoction of the bark or root of 

tulip poplar could also be used as a substitute for Botrychium virginianum as a remedy 

for a poisonous snakebite, the decoction blown over the patient and rubbed on the 

actual bite (1932: 177). The decoction of the bark was also blown over fractured bones 

(1932: 71). In his notes, he indicated that L. tulipifera was used in the formula for the 

urinary condition known as e‛isti andik‛ö‛öi (no gloss) and for swelling of the neck. 

Banks (1953: 50) added that the bark from the roots was made into an infusion 

and drunk for indigestion and a decoction of the bark was drunk for bowel trouble. The 

bark was added to homemade medicines as a preservative and the inner bark scraped 

off, dried in the oven, and a small quantity taken for pinworms. And an infusion of the 

bark of L. tulipifera and several other barks was used for tuberculosis due to conjuring 

(see kutlû΄ - Fagus grandifolia, above). 

tsugwû΄nstătsâ΄lĭ – ‘the leaves taper’ – Quercus rubra L. – red oak 

Mooney did not explain this gloss, other than to mention that the “ts” at the 

beginning designates the plural form. It is not obvious from looking at the leaf why the 

Cherokee considered the taper a salient feature. Olbrechts recorded two other names; 

doladzi, which appears to be a proper, opaque name and gulnegwa or ‘large acorns’, 

78

the name given by Mooney to Q. nigra. However, Q. rubra does have the largest acorns 

of the oaks common to the Southern Appalachian Mountains, so this name would seem 

most appropriate when applied to Q. rubra. 

Olbrechts found Q. rubra to be a component in several formulas for a wide range 

of conditions. It was one of the plants used for painful urination or e‛isti andik‛ö‛öi, and 

unöłstay‛ti tsuniyotc‛eça (‘when their appetite gets spoiled’). It was part of the wound 

healing formula for such conditions as adayuni‛t‛i‛lö (‘pierced by wood’). The roots were 

used with others for dalânige tsandik‛öça (‘yellow urine’) and it was a component of the 

formula used when someone had diarrhea due to at‛awini e‛i (‘the forest dwellers’). 

Olbrechts also said it was one of four different types of red oak, the barks of which were 

boiled down and placed while still hot against an aching tooth. However, the only other 

species of oak that he identified for this purpose was Q. velutina. It was part of a 

formula with Castanea dentata for ‘when they dream of all sorts of things’ (see above), 

but the other trees whose barks were used for this condition are not evident form his 

notes. The other woody species that he identifies for this condition, a species of Ilex, 

Clethra acuminata, and a species of Cornus, are all shrubs and will be dealt with in a 

later chapter. 

tsugwalâga tsegwa – ‘big leaves’ – Magnolia fraseri Walter – umbrella tree 

The large leaves, up to a half a meter long, indicate the source for this Cherokee 

name. Mooney also mistakenly identified tsugwalâga tsegwa as Chionanthus viriginicus 

L., but his description of the seed heads as being red, shaped like ears of corn, and 

containing round, red berries indicates that this is a species of Magnolia. He also said 

79

that the leaves were 15 inches long, about twice the length of those of Chionanthus. A 

sketch of the outline of the leaf in a later work (Ms. 1894) is clearly that of M. fraseri. 

Medicinally, Olbrechts found it to be used for toothaches, the bark either steeped 

and the infusion held in the mouth or chewed and held against the tooth, or as a remedy 

for painful urination when combined with Quercus velutina. Banks found that a tea of the 

bark of tsugwalâga tsegwa was sniffed up the nose for sinus problems, but he identified 

the botanical species as Magnolia macrophylla Michaux (1953: 51). This is most likely a 

misidentification, as M. macrophylla has not been recorded in the mountains of North 

Carolina and both are commonly referred to as umbrella tree (Radford et al. 1968: 474). 

tsuhyûnsti (ătă) – ‘bitter (wood)’ – Magnolia acuminata L. – cucumber tree 

Olbrechts recorded M. acuminata as tsuyösti (‘they are bitter’), which appears to 

be a version of tsuhyûnsti, which Mooney recorded on one of his later trips to the 

Cherokee reservation (Ms. 1894). It was used in the formula for uyalot‛isga (‘if there is 

swelling’), with Castanea pumila for dunitsalöi (‘when they have blisters’), and as part of 

the formula for e‛isti andik‛ö‛öi (no gloss). Alone it was chewed or steeped into a tea 

and kept in contact with a sore tooth. Banks (1953: 51) found that the leaves were 

combined with those of Ostrya virginiana (Miller) K. Koch and made into a decoction for 

a toothache. The bark tea was also used to relieve cramps in infants, ease belching and 

stomach aches, and was part of a formula for bloody flux. 

80

tsukânan – ash – Fraxinus americana L. 

Tsukânan appears to be an opaque, proper name for the ash tree; however, 

Olbrechts noted that the name was shared with the wooden mortar in which corn was 

pounded. This was originally made of ash, but at the time of his research it was made of 

oak. 

Olbrechts recorded that tsukânan was used medicinally in formulas for the 

urinary tract condition known as e‛isti andik‛ö‛öi (no gloss) and for gigö analdziskwsköi 

(‘when they spit blood’). It was also used for a form of dalâni, but Olbrechts gave no 

further information on how it was used or with what it might be combined. Witthoft found 

that the bark of F. americana was used as a treatment for diabetes (n.d.: 147-148). The 

bark must be harvested from the east side of the tree near ground level and large 

quantities of the tea, prepared one time in a large batch, are drunk at night over a four- 

day interval whenever the patient wakes up. This is a rare remedy for diabetes, a 

disease which Witthoft claims was rampant among the Cherokee when he was there in 

the 1940s. 

tsûnwagi gigage adsilû΄skĭ – ‘maple with red flowers’ – Acer rubrum L. – red maple 

Mooney did not provide a gloss for tsûnwagi gigage adsilû΄skĭ and Olbrechts 

glossed it as ‘plant with red flowers’, but tsûnwagi does not gloss as ‘plant’. But both 

King (1975) and Alexander (1971) included a Cherokee word for maple in their 

dictionaries, tsuwaki and tlvwagi respecitively, and it was obvious from these that 

tsûnwagi is the generic term for ‘maple’. Other variations in spelling included tsuwagi 

(Olbrechts) and klûhwagĭ΄ (Mooney, Ms. 1894). 

81

Olbrechts found A. rubrum was with Diospyros virginiana for the type of cancer 

known as ada‛yeski (‘eating itself’) and for du‛alagosa (‘inflammation of the palate’). 

Combined with Quercus velutina, it was used for wounds caused by arrows, bullets, axe 

cuts, etc. No directions for preparation or application were provided for the latter. 

Banks found that a decoction of the bark of A. rubrum was used for dysentery, 

hives, and combined with Quercus alba, Q. nigra (but see gulěnégwa above), and 

Castanea dentata for menstrual irregularities. The steam from the boiled bark was 

allowed to enter the eyes to help with blindness (1953: 81-81). In his recounting of the 

plants observed by the early 19 th century missionaries working with the Cherokee, 

Witthoft also reported that A. rubrum was used for eye problems. The notes of Mrs. 

Anna Gambold, the wife of Moravian minister John Gambold, contained the following 

use for A. rubrum, “The inner bark boiled to a syrup, made into pills, and these 

dissolved in water, is used in case of sore eyes; the eyes washed therewith.” 

tsûnwagi unega adsilû΄skĭ – ‘maple with white flowers’ – Acer saccharum Marshall – 

sugar maple 

While the flowers are described as being more greenish-yellow than white 

(Radford et al. 1968: 688), they are obviously lighter in color than the red maple and 

would help give the tree a whitish appearance while in bloom. No medicinal applications 

were recorded for A saccharum, but it the sap was processed into a sweetening agent. 

It has been speculated that the precontact Cherokee used Gleditsia triacanthos as their 

primary sweetener, but that they later learned to process maple sap from the Iroquois 

(Goodwin 1977: 59). 

82

tsunyû΄stĭ – ‘bitter’ – Cercis canadensis L. – redbud 

Mooney did not clarify whether the name tsunyû΄stĭ was synonymous for both 

Cercis canadensis and Magnolia acuminata, but the similar spelling and gloss for the 

Cherokee name suggests that it may have been so. Banks (1953: 70) referred to C. 

canadensis as kwaniyustí (‘little peach’), but this is an obvious misidentification on his 

part. This also raises doubt on his reference to its use as a remedy for whooping cough 

(see kwaniyustí above). No other medicinal applications were attributed to C. 

canadensis, but Witthoft (1947) did write that the Cherokee children were fond of 

snacking on the flowers. 

tsuskă΄ – ‘heads’ – Quercus stellata Wang. (Q. obtusifolia) 

The name stems from a plural form of uskă΄ or ‘head’, but Mooney gave no 

explanation for the name. Olbrechts recorded its use in formulas for the ethnomedical 

conditions unödi tsandik‛uça (‘they urinate all milk’) (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 200) 

and dalânige tsandik‛öça (‘yellow urine’). It was used alone for dalâni ga‛öski (‘dalâni 

squatting down’), a form of biliousness or gastric distress with gripping pains (see dalâni 

in the appendix). 

tsuskû΄találti – ‘striped shins’ – Halesia carolina L. – silverbell 

Mooney claimed the name stemmed from the plural form of uskutagĕ (‘shin’), 

which is tsuskutagĕ. It is in reference to the stripped appearance of the trunk of the tree. 

The only medicinal application came from Olbrechts, who found that it was used with 

other unidentified materials for backaches. 

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tsutanû΄ or tsutkĭnŭ΄ - ironwood – Carpinus caroliniana Walter 

Mooney did not elaborate on the two names he recorded for C. caroliniana, but 

the variations are consistent with other renditions of the middle and upper dialects of 

Cherokee that he recorded for other species. Tsutanû΄ appears to be an opaque, proper 

name for ironwood. Mooney found it was used with other barks and plant parts for 

cancer and old sores (see kûnstû΄tsĭ above). 

Olbrechts recorded two uses for C. caroliniana in The Swimmer Manuscript, as 

part of the formula for unödi tsandik‛uça (‘they urinate all milk’) (1932: 200) and for a 

type of dalâni (1932: 265), but he also found other uses that were not published. It was 

part of the formula for the conditions unawasti egwa (‘big chill’) and unak‛ewagöi (‘if they 

lost their voice’), as well as being used alone for toothaches. 

udâ΄lănă΄ - serviceberry – Amelanchier arborea (Michaux f.) Fernald 

Both Mooney and Olbrechts identified this species as Amelanchier canadensis 

(L.) Medicus, but that species is not found in the mountains of western North Carolina. 

Udâ΄lănă΄ appears to be an opaque, proper name for serviceberry. 

Olbrechts recorded several medicinal uses for A. arborea, but only its application 

in a formula for a severe form of diarrhea was published (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 

283). The unpublished uses included its presence in formulas for three conditions of the 

urinary tract; a type of painful urination known as e‛isti andik‛ö‛öi (no gloss), gigö 

yandik‛öça (‘urinating blood’), and for a form of dalânige tsandik‛öça (‘yellow urine’) in 

combination with Vitis aestivalis. Other applications included yöwi tsunstia göwani 

skastane‛öi (‘when the little people frighten them’), dalâni, and backache. Witthoft 

84

eported that the berries are a relished wild food, typically eaten raw when found (n.d.: 

46). 

ûnagéĭ – ‘black’ – Abies fraseri (Pursh) Poiret – Fraser’s fir; Picea rubens Sargent – red 

spruce 

The name ûnagéĭ (‘black’) is also used for several herbaceous species, usually 

due to the overall appearance or to the attributes of one specific plant part, but Mooney 

did not clarify which aspect of A. fraseri the Cherokee considered to embody blackness. 

However, he did say that the Cherokee recognized a male and a female form of ûnagéĭ, 

recognized by the male having alternate branches and the female having opposite 

branches. The genus Abies, like all members of the family Pinaceae, is monoecious, 

each individual having both male and female flowers. However, the older common 

names for A. fraseri and Picea rubens are “she balsam” and “he balsam” (Radford et al. 

1968: 38,40), respectively, and it may be that the association recorded by Mooney is 

based on a folk model of male and female kinds in nature. This association has been 

observed in both the mountain and Cherokee folk classification systems (Cozzo 2003) 

and this appears to be another example of this. Olbrechts identified ûnagéĭ as P. 

rubens, further supporting the likelihood of this association. The two species, remnants 

from a time when the region was much cooler, are found growing together at the highest 

altitudes in the Blue Ridge Mountains and are the dominant species at those altitudes, 

which is commonly known as the Spruce-Fir forest. This would suggest a special 

relationship between the two that would not be obvious in a more diverse forest and 

85

may explain the Cherokee perception that they are male and female types of the same 

tree. No medicinal uses were reported for either tree. 

uníkwă – black gum – Nyssa sylvatica Marsh. (N. multiflora) 

Uníkwă appears to be an opaque, proper name for N. sylvatica. It appears 

several times in The Swimmer Manuscript, as an alternative to Oxydendron arboreum 

for blocked urinary passages (1932: 222), for unödi tsandik‛uça (‘they urinate all milk’) 

(1932: 308), as part of the remedy for dalâni dikstoti (‘to make patient vomit bile’) (1932: 

218), and in the formula for severe or chronic diarrhea (1932: 283). This last condition 

was not included Olbrechts’ notes on ethnomedical conditions, so I will include the 

formula from The Swimmer Manuscript in this section. 

A decoction was made from the roots, harvested from the east side of the tree, of 

O. arboreum, Amelanchier arborea, N. sylvatica, and Cornus florida, along with runners 

from the east sides of the vines Vitis aestivalis and Ampelopsis cordata, was boiled 

down for four consecutive times before it is administered to the patient. Chicken and fish 

were avoided during the treatment (1932: 283). The presence of Ampelopsis cordata in 

this formula is probably a misidentification, as it is a Piedmont species that has only 

been located in Madison County in the mountains of North Carolina. 

Olbrechts also cited other uses for N. sylvatica in his notes. It was one of the 

barks used for wounds or when one was shot, such as in the condition adayuni‛t‛i‛lö 

(pierced by wood’). Uníkwă was combined with other unidentified plants for gonorrhea 

and toothaches as well as being part of a cancer formula for ada‛yeski (‘eating itself’). 

86

Banks found N. sylvatica was still in use at the time of his research in 1952. A tea 

of the bark was used to stop excessive menstrual bleeding. The roots were made into a 

tea to aid the delivery of birthing women and an “ooze”, or thick decoction, was made 

from the roots for eye problems. The “ooze” was wrapped in a cloth and allowed to drip 

into the afflicted eyes. Also, a decoction of the barks of N. sylvatica, Euonymus 

americanus, Smilax glauca, Platanus occidentalis, Liquidambar styraciflua, Vitis 

aestivalis, and Fagus grandifolia was drunk as a tea for “bad disease”, a condition 

whose primary symptom was a severe fever (Banks 1953: 90-91). 

Witthoft (n.d.: 134) found N. sylvatica was used as an ingredient for venereal 

disease, but only named Liquidambar styraciflua as one of the ingredients. There were 

at least ten other unidentified tree barks used in the formula. He also said a cold 

infusion was used as a burn remedy, again attributing to its reputation as a wound 

healer. He also found that a depression was carved into a sound length of black gum, 

about 15 inches across and three feet tall, and this was used as the pounding block for 

the corn mortar. The toughness of the cross-grained wood and its resistance to decay 

made it an ideal choice (n.d.: 133). The Cherokee also used hollow sections of the 

trunks of large specimens of N. sylvatica for “bee gums” (n.d.: 134). As this name 

suggests, the practice of using hollow black gum logs by beekeepers was common 

where the trees reached a usable size (Wigginton 1972: 37). 

úniskwûtû΄ - buckeye – Aesculus octandra Marsh. (A. flava) 

Mooney said the name stems from úniskwûtĭ΄ or ‘they have a head’, but this 

Witthoft (n.d.: 137) claims this was a proper name for the yellow buckeye and doubts 

87

this etymology for the name. However, the seeds can be described as head-like and 

there may be little cause to doubt Mooney’s assertion. 

Olbrechts recorded some uses for buckeye, but he claimed that the Cherokee 

used the red buckeye, Aesculus pavia L., for medicinal purposes. This is highly unlikely 

as A. pavia is limited to the coastal plain of North Carolina and not found in the 

mountains. The only species common to the mountains is A. octandra (Radford et al. 

1968: 690) and I will assume that it is the species that Olbrechts found in his research. 

Olbrechts identified úniskwûtû΄ as part of the formula for unitseno‛ise‛oi (‘when a 

person has stomach trouble’) (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 239). In his notes he 

recorded it used for a variety of problems associated with the urinary tract. He noted it 

as a remedy for painful urination, which may possibly have been the condition known as 

e‛isti andik‛ö‛öi. It was a part of the formulas for two conditions that were typified by a 

whitish discharge in the urine, unegö tsandiköça (‘if they water out white’) and unegö 

unanugots‛eça (‘it is coming out white’). Buckeye was also a component in a complex 

formula for dalânige tsandik‛öça (‘yellow urine’). 

Witthoft (n.d.: 139) found that the bark was steeped and used in small quantities 

by midwives to aid with postpartum cramping, but it was considered a dangerous 

remedy. In his rewrite of the notes of a Moravian missionary, Witthoft (1947) also found 

the pounded nuts were used as a poultice and the bark as a fish poison. 

Banks also recorded several uses for úniskwûtû΄, which he also mistakenly 

identified as A. pavia, possibly due to the initial identification by Olbrechts (1953: 82-83). 

The nuts appeared to be the most medicinal portion of the buckeye. The meat of the 

nuts was used as a salve to heal sores (much like the poultice activity above) and 

88

simply carrying a nut on one’s person will help cure piles. Small pieces of the nut were 

chewed and the juice was swallowed for colic. When a person was feeling “queer”, like 

they were going to feint or have a seizure, the nuts were ground and steeped in warm 

water. This infusion was drunk by the afflicted. Banks also elaborated on the use of 

úniskwûtû΄ as a birthing plant. The bark was made into a tea to aid in delivery and, like 

Witthoft, he found that a tea of buckeye and Castanea dentata in small portions would 

ease postpartum cramping and bleeding. Again, there was a warning against using too 

much, “or it will stop everything.” 

ústăstĭ – ‘he spins’ – Ilex opaca Aiton – holly 

Mooney indicated that the name ústăstĭ stems from dístăstĭ (‘spinning wheel’), 

but Witthoft found that spinning wheels were made of tulip poplar in the Cherokee 

region of the mountains and this was probably not due to the use of the wood of holly. 

He said the name refers to the act of twisting cord or thread, whether on the thigh or on 

a wheel, but that the name could also stem from the whorled (or spinning) appearance 

of the leaves (n.d.: 146). Neither is a satisfactory explanation for the etymology of 

ústăstĭ. Olbrechts found a variation on the name, calling it tsustasti (‘she will spin’) but 

he provided no explanation for the source of the name. The only medicinal application 

came from Banks (1953: 80) who found that the leaves used to scratch muscles that 

were sore with cramps. He did not indicate if any medicines were applied after 

scratching. Other species of Ilex that were used for a variety of medicinal applications 

are shrubby species and will be described in another chapter. 

89

wanéĭ – hickory – Carya spp. 

Wanéĭ is handled as the folk generic for the hickories by Witthoft (n.d.: 52), Perry 

(1974: 40), and Banks (1953: 24), and appears to be an opaque, proper name. 

Determining the botanical species that constitutes wanéĭ is quite confusing, especially in 

light of the large number of botanical synonyms for each of the hickories (Britton and 

Brown 1970: 580-584). For instance, Mooney identifies Carya microcarpa (Carya ovalis 

(Wang.) Sargent) as wanéĭ and recorded the names for Carya sulcata (Carya laciniosa 

(Michaux f.) Loudon) and Carya alba (Carya ovata (Miller) K. Koch) as wanéĭ să΄hĭ 

tsúntana (‘large hickory nuts’) and wanéĭ să΄hĭ tsundí-ga (‘small hickory nuts’), 

respectively. Olbrechts, on the other hand, identified Hicoria alba (Carya tomentosa 

(Poiret) Nuttall as wanéĭ and referred to Hicoria glabra (Carya glabra (Miller) Sweet) as 

wanéĭ tsutisti (no gloss for tsutisti). He also identified them by the common names 

shagbark and shellbark hickory, neither of which matches the botanical species he 

named. 

Two species carry the specific epithet alba, yet the generic epithet is different, 

indicating two distinct species. Witthoft (n.d.: 52) stated that the two edible species 

favored by the Cherokee were the variety with large nuts, or C. ovata, and the small 

fruited variety, C. ovalis. Distribution maps or descriptions of distributions indicate the 

occurrence of C. ovata as very limited in the mountains of North Carolina and that C. 

laciniosa is rare in the whole state of North Carolina (Radford et al. 364 and 365), 

further complicating any chance of identifying the species under consideration here. For 

the purposes of ethnobotanical classification it is sufficient to state that wanéĭ is the folk 

generic for the hickories and that at least two folk species were recognized, wanéĭ să΄hĭ 

90

tsúntana (‘large hickory nuts’) and wanéĭ să΄hĭ tsundí-ga (‘small hickory nuts’). Wanéĭ 

tsutisti is probably a third folk species, but without a gloss for tsutisti this would be 

difficult to establish. 

Olbrechts identifies two conditions treated with the inner bark of the hickory in 

The Swimmer Manuscript, du‛alagosa (‘inflammation of the palate’) was treated by the 

medicine man chewing the bark and blowing the juice into the mouth of the patient 

(1932: 260). Yigetsiyolö (‘if they have been shot (by a bullet or arrow)’) was treated in a 

similar way, the chewed bark blown through a buzzard quill or the hollow stalk of a plant 

that Olbrechts identified as Gerardia pedicularia, which was later changed to Aureolaria 

pedicularia (L.) Raf. (1932: 273). 

Olbrechts included several more uses for hickory bark in his notes. He wrote that 

the Cherokee considered it a “universal panacea for all wounds” and in this capacity it 

was used in a formula for adayuni‛t‛i‛lö (‘pierced by wood’), for accidents with axes 

known as undalu‛yöçi (‘chopped’ or ‘if they have chopped it’), 

for tsidunitstaldia (‘if they have scars’), and by itself for the type of cancer known as 

ada‛yeski (‘eating itself’). It appeared in a formula to treat the urinary tract condition 

known as e‛isti andik‛ö‛öi (no gloss) and for unöłstay‛ti tsuniyotc‛eça (‘when their 

appetite gets spoiled’). He also wrote that it was part of a formula to make somewhat 

forget, but he did not elaborate on the condition or the formula. This is probably a 

formula for painful remembrances of a recently departed loved one. Thoughts and 

dreams of the deceased were thought to be signs of a departed spirit calling their loved 

one to join them in the afterlife (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 26). 

91

Banks also recorded several uses for wanéĭ (1953: 25). Ball players drank an 

infusion of the bark to keep their limbs supple. An infusion of the barks of hickory, 

Castanea dentata, Tilia spp., Liriodendron tulipifera, Fagus grandifolia, and Quercus 

spp. was for a type of tuberculosis caused by conjurers. The bark of a species only 

identified as black hickory was steeped in cold water and the infusion was blown over 

patients to alleviate the pain of poliomyelitis; however, it did not prevent the crippling 

effects of the disease. 

The nuts of hickory were an important food item for the Cherokee. The whole 

nuts were crushed with a wooden mortar until the shells and nutmeats were pulverized, 

then rolled into balls for immediate use or storage. These balls would then be boiled in 

water, the shells sifted out, and the resulting nut milk used as a base for soup or drunk 

as a beverage (Witthoft n.d.: 52). Earlier accounts state that the oil from the nuts was 

extracted and used for culinary and medicinal purposes. The nuts were pounded in the 

manner described above and boiled until the oil floated to the surface. The oil was then 

skimmed off the surface of the water and placed in a vessel. This was heated until all 

residual water had evaporated and then stored in a container for future use. The 

finished product, “resembled bear’s oil in both consistency and appearance and 

answered all the purposes of that oil (Payne n.d.: 157).” 

watsiyŭ΄ or wagŭ΄ - Spanish oak, Southern red oak – Quercus falcata Michx. 

Watsiyŭ΄ and wagŭ΄ appear to be proper, opaque names as Mooney provided no 

gloss for either. Olbrechts found Q. falcata to be a component in the formulas for 

92

unak‛ewagöi (‘if they lost their voice’) (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 199) and for unegö 

tsandiköça (‘if they water out white’). 

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Chapter 4 

Uwáwa‛téna – Shrub 

Udûnsínĭ - Vine 

Mooney mentioned the life form “shrub” in the myth concerning the origin of 

medicine (1900: 252), but he did not provide the exact Cherokee word that could be 

glossed as ‘shrub’. The botanical usage of the term “shrub” usually encompasses 

perennial woody plants with relatively low stature (when compared to trees) and multiple 

stems. Mooney did collect terms that approach this meaning. For instance, in his 

description of the Cherokee name for Desmodium nudiflorum, he glossed the specific 

qualifier uwáwa‛téna as ‘bushy’ or ‘having leafy branches’ (see tuyayústĭ uwáwa‛téna, 

Herbaceous Plants, Part 3). In 1885, before he visited the reservation, Mooney 

interviewed then Cherokee chief Nimrod J. Smith and recorded a glossary of Cherokee 

terms (Mooney n. d. g). He recorded the word for “brush” as tsuyâ΄nu and “thicket” or 

“bushes”, as sûlúyĭ. The latter may have been restricted to low, wet ground, but other 

contextual usage of sûlúyĭ places this in question (see below). As uwáwa‛téna appears 

to most closely approach the botanical definition of a shrub, I have headed this section 

by that name. 

Mooney did not specify what constituted the Cherokee concept of ‘shrub’ and the 

variability inherent in the botanical life form known as shrubs makes it difficult to 

establish which plants should be included in this category. For instance, Xanthorhiza 

94

simplicissima is known as a colonial shrub (Radford et al. 1968: 453), but the plants are 

usually only 1 foot tall and rarely surpass a height of 2 feet. The members of the genus 

Rubus are considered shrubs, but the canes of the bramble fruits are often referred to 

as vines. The smaller members of the genus Acer are considered predominantly 

shrubby, but some individuals reach the proportion and habit of small trees. As the 

Cherokee perception of the inclusiveness of the category “shrub” was not recorded, 

those plants that fit the botanical definition will be included in this chapter. 

Mooney recorded the word for ‘vine’ as udûnsínĭ, but did not discuss its place in 

the ethnobotanical classification system. There are several morphological similarities 

between shrubs and vines (woody stems, diffuse branching patterns, etc.), but also 

considerable differences (vines have flexible stems, the two often occupy different 

ecological niches, etc.). As several of the species of vines used by the Cherokee were 

used in conjunction with or in place of certain shrubby species, they are included in this 

chapter solely at the discretion of the author. 

The various researchers collected the names of 38 folk genera of shrubs and 

vines representing 57 botanical species. The relationship between the folk genera and 

botanical species is as complex as that in the tree life form (see Table 4.1) and 

comparisons between the shrubs and trees are necessary due to botanical 

inclusiveness that crosses life forms. For instance, the shrubby members of the genus 

Cornus are known as kinds of wală΄hûne΄ga, but Cornus florida, a small tree, was called 

kănûsĭ΄tă, a name indicating no clear relationship. While the leaves are quite similar, the 

obvious difference in flower morphology may have contributed to the Cherokee 

differentiation at the generic level. The shrubby member of the genus Acer, discussed in 

95

the previous chapter, was classified in a different folk genus from the larger tree 

species, even though the leaves and fruit are morphically similar. Castanea pumila, the 

shrubby member of the genus that includes the American chestnut, was called unigína, 

a label with no obvious relationship to its larger cousin, tilĭ’. Yet Leucothoe axillaris was 

labeled as nûdâgweja-iyu΄stĭ (‘like sourwood’), an acknowledgement of its resemblance 

to Oxydendron arboreum (nûdâgweja). However, there is no apparent linguistic 

relationship to its sister botanical species, L. recurva, labeled with the opaque name 

euisúhĭ. 

There also appears to be no general pattern among the vines. The members of 

the botanical genus Smilax were generally known as kinds of galiwâ΄dĭ, while the 

various species of Vitis were labeled with distinct, opaque names. The viney members 

of the genus Rubus were labeled as utlásinûta (‘it has crept’), while the erect, bushy 

members were called kinds of sûntiwálĭ (‘bowl’). The perceptual similarity between 

Passiflora incarnata, labeled as uwă΄lă΄, and P. lutea was recognized by labeling the 

latter as uwă΄liyústĭ. 

Certain polytypic folk genera of shrubs demonstrated apparent linguistic 

relationships.The functional relationship between the laurels (Kalmia latifolia, 

Rhododendron maximum, R. catawbiense) is evident by their inclusion in the folk genus 

dusúģa, a reference to their use in the scratching ritual. Perceptual similarities are 

evident in the labeling of Viburnum acerifolium as kûnigûiyústĭ, an acknowledgement of 

its resemblance to V. prunifolium (kûnigû΄), and Lyonia ligustrina as kuwáya-iyu΄stĭ in 

recognition of its resemblance to the blueberries and huckleberries (kuwáya). 

96

For all the variety that appears in the relationship between the Cherokee shrub 

and vine category and the botanical classification system, there is one consistency that 

is notable. Rarely are unrelated botanical genera included in the same folk genera and 

those that are, such as Kalmia latifolia in the genus dusúģa or Lyonia ligustrina as 

resembling kuwáya, they are in the same botanical family as the other members of the 

folk genus. So, why botanical relationships are not always apparent from the Cherokee 

labels, there are also no apparent anomalies when comparing the Cherokee system to 

the botanical system. 

Table 4.1. Shrub and Vine Index: Botanical Species and Folk Genera 


Acer pensylvanicum 

Alnus serrulata 

Alnus viridis 

Aralia spinosa 

Aristolochia macrophyllum 

Calycanthus floridus 

Castanea pumila 

Ceanothus americanus 

Clematis virginiana 

Clethra acuminata 

Cornus alternifolia 

Cornus amomum 

Corylus americana 

Dirca palustris 

Euonymus americanus 

Gaylussacia baccata 

Hamamelis virginiana 

Hydrangea arborescens 

Ilex montana 

Ilex verticillata 

Kalmia latifolia 

Leucothoe recurva 

Leucothoe axillaris 

Lindera benzoin 

Lyonia ligustrina 

Passiflora incarnata 

Passiflora lutea 

Photinia pyrifolia 

Pyrularia pubera 

Rhododendron 

catawbiense 

Folk Genus 

ă΄ta-tsŭ΄siwă 

itsĕ΄hĭ 

itsĕ΄hĭ 

ultsă΄gĭtă΄ 

udâĭ 

kanélskă 

unigína 

elĭ΄skală 

igagû΄tĭ 

ditanélawáskĭ 

wală΄hûne΄ga 

wală΄hûne΄ga 

hayúgĭtă 

kuwáya-iyu΄stĭ 

tsuwatúna 

kuwáya 

kûnasútlawă 

ă΄ta-tsŭ΄siwă 

gâ΄lăgû΄skŭ 

kâlûgûtliski 

dusúģa 

euisúhĭ 

nûdâgweja-iyu΄stĭ 

nátû‛tlĭ 

kuwáya-iyu΄stĭ 

uwă΄lă΄ 

uwă΄liyústĭ 

gâ΄lăgû΄skŭ 

tsigwágwă 

dusúģa 

97 


Rhododendron 

maximum 

Rhododendron 

periclymenoides 

Rhus copallina 

Rhus glabra 

Rhus typhina 

Rhus vernix 

Rosa carolina 

Rosa eglanteria 

Rubus allegheniensis 

Rubus ideaus 

Rubus occidentalis 

Rubus odoratus 

Rubus flagellaris 

Rubus hispidus 

Sambucus canadensis 

Smilax glauca 

Smilax pseudochina 

Smilax tamnoides 

Toxicodendron radicans 

Vaccinium stamineum 

Viburnum acerifolium 

Viburnum prunifolium 

Vitis aestivalis 

Vitis baileyana 

Vitis lambrusca 

Vitis vulpina 

Xanthorhiza 

simplicissima 

Folk Genus 

dusúģa 

kûnagĭ΄l‛ka 

dalâni 

kwălágă 

kwălágă 

didáleyû΄skĭ 

atáyakalĭ΄skĭ 

atáyakalĭ΄skĭ 

nugû΄la 

sûntiwálĭ 

sûntiwálĭ 

sûntiwálĭ 

utlásinûta 

utlásinûta 

gaksûka 

galiwâ΄dĭ 

galiwâ΄dĭ 

dinû΄skĭ 

ulû΄ta 

ayălatískĭ 

kûnigûiyústĭ 

kûnigû΄ 

telû΄latĭ 

unāsúga 

kwalúsĭ 

kwalúsĭ 

dalâni

Cherokee Shrubs and Vines 

atáyakalĭ΄skĭ – ‘it chokes one’ – Rosa carolina L. – wild rose 

The name atáyakalĭ΄skĭ stems from ágiyăgû΄lihû (‘I am choking’) and was 

attributed to the fact that the “berries (hips) are dry and powdery when bitten.” Or, as 

another informant noted, the berries were, “furry inside.” Mooney also recorded the 

synonym tsíst- unígistĭ (‘rabbit’s food’), from tsístu (‘rabbit’) and unígistĭ, the plural form 

of agístĭ (‘food’). This was because rabbits were perceived to be fond of the berries. 

Olbrechts recorded several synonyms for R. carolina based on the folk generics 

atáyakalĭ΄skĭ, tsíst- unígistĭ, and tsistukskilönti (‘rabbit’s bobbed tail’). He found it was 

known as atáyakalĭ΄skĭ usdíga, tsíst- unígistĭ usdíga, or tsistukskilönti usdíga, all 

representing the recognition of it as the ‘small’ kind, as well as atáyakalĭ΄skĭ igâ΄tenĕ΄hĭ 

or tsíst- unígistĭ igâ΄tenĕ΄hĭ, signifying that it was known as the ‘swamp-growing’ kind. 

The designation as the ‘swamp-growing’ kind suggests that these species names may 

have also been used for Rosa palustris Marshall, the swamp rose, which is 

morphologically very similar to R. carolina and inhabits the same distribution range 

(Radford et al. 1968: 551). 

According to Olbrechts, R. carolina was used in combination with R. eglanteria, 

Euonymus americanus, and Phlox stolonifera for diarrhea with a slimy discharge. He 

also recorded that R. palustris was used for two conditions involving the loss of blood, 

gigö digöguski (‘when they discharge blood from their bowels’) and gigö yandik‛öça 

(‘urinating blood’). He did not indicate which parts of the plants were used or how they 

were prepared. 

98

atáyakalĭ΄skĭ gatusĕ΄hĭ – ‘it chokes one, mountain dwelling’ – Rosa eglanteria L. – 

sweet briar rose 

The specific qualifier gatusĕ΄hĭ (‘mountain dwelling’) stems from gatúsi 

(‘mountain’) and ĕ΄hĭ, a form of éhû (‘it dwells’). Olbrechts also recorded the synonyms 

tsistukskilönti útana (‘rabbit’s bobbed tail, large’) and tsíst- unígistĭ útana (‘rabbit’s food, 

large’). It was used with or in place of R. carolina for slimy diarrhea and gigö yandik‛öça 

(‘urinating blood’) and in combination with two species of Ilex for groin pain caused by a 

ghost. The roots were used as an emetic when prepared in a decoction with Vitis 

aestivalis, Lobelia cardinalis, Cornus florida, Prunus pensylvanica, Aureolaria flava, 

Lindera benzoin, Xanthorhiza simplicissima, and a species of Ilex. 

ă΄ta-tsŭ΄siwă – ‘hollow wood’ – Hydrangea arborescens L. – hydrangea 

The name ă΄ta-tsŭ΄siwă stems from ă΄ta (‘wood’) and tsŭ΄siwă (‘empty or hollow’) 

and was due to the stem having pith instead of a solid core. Mooney also recorded the 

synonyms ditanélawáskĭ ă΄ta-tsŭ΄siwă (‘it peels them off, hollow wood’), which was due 

to the exfoliating bark, and ditanélawáskĭ ustsáhĭ (‘it peels them off, topknot’), ‘topknot’ 

referring to the appearance of the inflorescence. Olbrechts recorded it simply as 

ditanélawáskĭ, suggesting that his informants found the exfoliating bark a more 

diagnostic feature than the pithy core. But Mooney found that the folk generic 

ditanélawáskĭ was a reference to Clethra acuminata (see below) which also has 

exfoliating bark. 

Mooney found that a cold infusion of either the roots or the bark was drunk to 

stop vomiting. Olbrechts found that it was combined with Lindera benzoin for the same 

99

purpose and used by women for andkt‛egö (‘they are under restriction’). An infusion of 

the bark was also used as an emetic for the biliary condition known as dalâni (‘yellow’) 

(Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 192). A cold infusion of the green bark was given to 

infants and children to alleviate vomiting, while the freshly scraped bark was used on 

burns and swellings or made into a poultice and used on sore muscles (Banks 1953: 

57). 

ă΄ta-tsŭ΄siwă ditanélawáskĭ – ‘hollow wood, it peels them off’ – Acer pensylvanicum L. – 

striped maple 

Mooney did not explain the gloss for this name (Ms. 1894), and it is not clear why 

this would be known as ‘hollow wood’ or why it is described as having bark that peels 

off. He also recorded the synonym ă΄ta-tsŭ΄siwă ditawisgage, but provided no gloss for 

the specific qualifier. However, Olbrechts also recorded it as ă΄ta-tsŭ΄siwă without a 

modifier, so the perception of hollowness or pithy wood appears to be consistent. Acer 

pensylvanicum is a northern species that grows as a shrub or small tree and reaches its 

southern terminus in the Southern Appalachian Mountains (Preston 1989: 311). 

Olbrechts found that it was used in a formula with 18 other plants for when a person 

“feels queer”, a condition caused by the intervention of a witch. 

ayălatískĭ – ‘its abdomen is swollen’ – Vaccinium stamineum L. – wild gooseberry, 

deerberry 

The folk generic ayălatískĭ stems from ayălâ΄tistihû (‘it is causing the abdomen to 

swell’), which is a composite of skwa‛líyĭ (‘abdomen’) and ga‛tískû (‘it is swelling’). 

100

Mooney speculated that this was due to the swollen appearance of the berry. A 

decoction of all parts of the plant was drunk at night and the following morning before 

meals for colic with associated cramps. A decoction of the roots prepared in 

combination with those of Gaylussacia baccata, Amelanchier arborea, and Ilex montana 

for excess menstrual discharge with a pale color. Mooney said the berries were always 

eaten raw, never dried for future use. Witthoft also said they were eaten from the bush 

when very ripe, but not normally gathered for use during meals (n.d.: 45). He found that 

they were sometimes stewed, but not preserved for future use. 

dalâni – ‘yellow’ – Rhus copallina L. – winged sumac 

Mooney did not explain why R. copallina was referred to as ‘yellow’, but both he 

and Olbrechts recorded dalâni as the folk generic. From my observations of the plant I 

would suggest that it might have been due to the inflorescence, which has a yellowish 

color. Mooney also recorded it as dalâni kûlágwă-iyústĭ (‘yellow, like smooth sumac’), 

due to its resemblance to Rhus glabra, and dalâni tsunâgsti (‘yellow foods’), possibly 

due to the edibility of the sour berries. Mooney did not provide a gloss for tsunâgsti (Ms. 

1894), but it appears to be a plural form of agístĭ (‘food’). Olbrechts recorded the name 

for R. copallina as dalâni goksti (‘yellow, to smoke’), due to the prevalent use of the 

leaves in smoking mixtures. An early 19 th century account from the Payne/Butrick 

papers referred to it as “the common talony used for smoking” to distinguish it from 

Xanthorhiza simplicissima, which was also recorded as talony (Payne n.d.b: 279). In 

fact, Mooney said that the leaves were once used in place of tobacco (Ms. 1894). 

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Olbrechts found that R. copallina was used in a formula for blisters caused by the sun, 

known as unawat‛ö‛öski (‘blisters’). 

dalâni amayułtehi – ‘yellow, water edge growing’ – Xanthorhiza simplicissima Marshall – 

yellow-root 

The name dalâni was in reference to the intensely yellow color that was apparent 

when the bark is removed from the roots. The specific qualifier amayułtehi (‘water edge 

growing’) refers to the preferred habitat of X. simplicissima, which is commonly found 

growing near mountain streams. Olbrechts also recorded the synonyms dalânige 

unastetsi (‘yellow root’) due to the yellow color that permeates the roots and gígagéĭ 

atat‛aski (‘bloody juice comes out of it’), but he did not explain the gloss and during my 

interactions with this plant I have not observed red juice coming from any of its parts. 

The broad range of seemingly unrelated uses for X. simplicissima suggests that 

this was an important medicinal in the Cherokee pharmacopoeia. Mooney recorded a 

single use (1891: 364), as a decoction that was blown on the head, breast, and palm of 

each hand of a birthing mother. This was reiterated as the single published account of 

for this plant’s use by Olbrechts (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 274), but he recorded a 

number of uses in his notes. The yellow roots were indicative of its efficacy for the 

condition dalâni tsanötłiyöskiliça (‘when they have yellow slime coming out of their 

nostrils’). It was used alone or in combination with other plants for danak‛ewsköi (‘when 

they have sore eyes’), the scrofulous condition duletsi (‘kernels’), gigö yandik‛öça 

(‘urinating blood’), and uniskowldisgöi (‘whenever they have diarrhea’). The roots were 

also steeped and the infusion held in the mouth to cure thrush. 

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Banks (1953: 47-48) added the scraped bark was used as a poultice to relieve 

sore eyes, the root was added to mutton tallow and used as a salve for sores, and the 

chewed root or an infusion of the root was used for a sore mouth. A tea of the roots was 

drunk to alleviate cramps and to calm nerves. A decoction of X. simplicissima combined 

with Asarum canadensis, Goodyera pubescens, Alnus serrulata, and Prunus serotina 

was used as a blood tonic and to increase the appetite. 

Yellowroot was also the primary source of yellow dye used to color white oak 

baskets as well as masks, bows, and other objects. In the early part of the 19 th century, 

this dye, with the addition of black oak bark, was also used to color ceremonial feathers, 

turning them “a most brilliant yellow” (Payne n.d.b: 279). 

didáleyû΄skĭ – ‘they burn them’ – Rhus vernix L. – poison sumac 

According to Mooney, didáleyû΄skĭ was the plural form of adáeyû΄skĭ (‘it burns 

them’), which stemmed from tsilĕ΄tiskû (‘I am burning it habitually’). This was due to the 

severe dermatological irritation caused by contact with R. vernix. While not common in 

the southern Appalachians, it is found in the southwestern portion of North Carolina 

(Radford et al. 1968: 677) and its reputation would have guaranteed its persistence in 

Cherokee folklore, much as the fear of “poison sumac” does in the Euro-American 

tradition. Witthoft referred to it as “one of the most dreaded of local plants” and was told 

of one fatality due to contact with this plant (n.d.: 60). 

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dinû΄skĭ or didanûskĭ – ‘breeder’ or ‘it breeds’ – Smilax tamnoides L. – bristly greenbriar 

Dinû΄skĭ and didanûskĭ stem from anûskû΄ (‘it is bringing forth’), a term used for 

birthing animals and birds laying eggs, but not for women. It was called ‘breeder’ 

because it was thought that a thorn from dinû΄skĭ, if left in the flesh, will breed other 

thorns in the same spot. Mooney only identified this to the genus level, but he described 

it as having, “slender stalks, smaller thorns”, which fits the description for S. tamnoides. 

This may also have been the species used for scratching ceremonies (see galiwâ΄dĭ 

below). However, Witthoft claimed Mooney was mistaken and dinû΄skĭ was not a 

species of Smilax, but a species of Rubus with “innumerable tiny prickles” on the 

creeping vine that were impossible to completely remove if a bare leg caught the 

runner. A voucher specimen would be necessary to settle the discrepancy. 

ditanélawáskĭ – ‘it peels them off’ – Clethra acuminata Michaux – sweet pepperbush 

The name ditanélawáskĭ refers to the exfoliating bark of C. acuminata. Olbrechts 

also recorded the synonym saluyitsuga (‘the tree growing among the laurels’) due to its 

habitat preference, but he placed the name ditanélawáskĭ next to it in parentheses. 

However, he did not specify if it was a folk species of ditanélawáskĭ or if this was an 

alternative name. Clethra acuminata was included in two formulas from The Swimmer 

Manuscript (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 192 and 218), both referring to its use as an 

emetic to dislodge stagnant bile in cases of dalâni. In the first reference, he stated that 

specimens of both C. acuminata and Hydrangea arborescens were collected by his 

informants as samples of saluyitsuga. The two may have been used interchangeably, 

especially for biliary disease, but this is not clear from either his or Mooney’s notes (see 

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ă΄ta-tsŭ΄siwă above). Olbrechts also recorded that C. acuminata was combined with 

Dirca palustris for another biliary condition known as dalâni unit‛elα‛öska (‘shaking 

dalâni’), as well as for strange dreams associated with a woman’s menstrual cycle. 

Banks added that an infusion of the bark was used for bowel complaints and a 

decoction of the bark, in combination with Prunus serotina, was drunk to break a high 

fever (1953: 97). 

dusúģa gatusĕ΄hĭ – ‘laurel, mountain dwelling’ – Rhododendron catawbiense Michaux – 

mountain rosebay, purple laurel 

Mooney and Witthoft both indicated that dusúģa was an opaque, proper name for 

the laurels. But Olbrechts glossed it as ‘they are claws’; possibly referring to their topical 

application in rituals that involved scratching (see askwaneta in Herbaceous Plants, Part 

3). The word dusúģa may also be closely related to da‛núga (‘scratcher’), a term that 

applied to the scratching devices used by the medicine men, and also to the leg of a 

grasshopper (see da‛núga in Herbaceous Plants, Part 3). The specific qualifier 

gatusĕ΄hĭ was a combination of gatúsĭ (‘mountain’) and ehĭ (‘dwelling’ or ‘growing’), 

because of the tendency for R. catawbiense to grow high in the mountains. No 

applications were attributed to R. catawbiense and it is not clear from the notes if it was 

an acceptable alternative to R. maximum (see below). 

dusúģa tsundí-ga – ‘small laurel’ – Kalmia latifolia L. – mountain laurel 

The specific qualifier tsundí-ga is the plural from of usdíga (‘small’). According to 

Mooney, a decoction of K. latifolia, Rhododendron maximum, and Leucothoe axillaris 

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was applied to a scratched area for the relief of involuntary muscular twitching and 

rheumatism of the knee. The Cherokee would not burn any part of these plants, not 

even the leaves swept off of the floor, because burning would destroy their medicinal 

qualities of the whole species and cause the onset of cold weather (Mooney 1900: 422). 

Olbrechts was more general about its use and recorded that K. latifolia was combined 

with R. maximum, L. axillaris, Porteranthus trifoliatus, and Veratrum viride were, as a 

rule, used for all conditions that required pretreatment by scratching (Mooney and 

Olbrechts 1932: 203-204). The same combination, with Cassia marilandica substituted 

for P. trifoliatus, was used for heart attacks, know to the Cherokee as usonuli unt‛ane‛ö 

(‘sudden attack’). Dusúģa tsundí-ga was made into a warm infusion with R. maximum 

and V. viride, and rubbed on an area scratched with the serrated edges of the leaves of 

L. axillaris for the condition unestanelidoloçöi (‘when they have pains all over their 

body’). The medicine man follows the pain to different areas, treating each spot each 

spot until there is no new pain (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 220-221). Banks similarly 

found that the laurels were used to treat rheumatism, as well as for preventing cramps 

in ball players (1953: 99). 

dusúģa tsúntana – ‘large laurel’ – Rhododendron maximum L. – great laurel 

The specific qualifier tsúntana is the plural form of útana (‘large’). As the 

Cherokee and common names suggest, this shrub can get quite large and will 

sometimes reach the proportion of a small tree (Radford et al. 1968: 798). The 

medicinal uses have been discussed in the previous entry; however, the wood was also 

favored by woodworkers for making combs and spoons. Well-seasoned rhododendron 

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wood was used to make, “the finest cooking spoons made anywhere” (Witthoft n.d.: 

139). 

elĭ΄skală – New Jersey tea or redroot – Ceanothus americanus L. 

Elĭ΄skală appears to be an opaque, proper name for C. americanus. Mooney 

found that a warm decoction of the bruised roots of C. americanus, Cacalia atriplicifolia, 

Cimicifuga racemosa, and Polymnia uvedalia was drunk as a remedy for fevers. 

Olbrechts noted that the steeped root was drunk for dysentery and that the plant was 

used in ceremonies to separate two lovers. Banks found that large quantities of warm 

elĭ΄skală tea were drunk as an emetic for when one was “tired in the chest”, and a tea of 

the roots was drunk before bedtime for bowel complaints (1953:84). 

euisúhĭ – dog-hobble – Leucothoe axillaris var. editorum (Fernald & Schubert) Ahles 

Euisúhĭ appears to be an opaque, proper name for dog-hobble. Most of the uses 

for L. axillaris were recorded above (see dusúģa tsundí-ga). In addition to these, 

Mooney found that a cold infusion of the beaten leaves was applied after scratching for 

rheumatism, hurts, and stings. Olbrechts called euisúhĭ, “one of the most important 

agents in the Cherokee materia medica”. Besides its use in conditions that required 

scratching, it was used with the three varieties of dusúģa for dinileni dunt‛askiye‛öi (‘their 

ears burst’). Banks (1953:100) found that an “ooze” of the roots was applied to a dog’s 

skin to cure mange and that people would bathe in a decoction of the leaves and stems 

to cure a related condition; the “itch” or scabies. It is extremely toxic and, according to 

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Witthoft, it was “used only in medicine, and externally at that, and is noted mostly to 

prevent stock and children from chewing on it (n.d.: 60).” 

gaksûka usdíga – ‘small gaksûka’ – Viburnum spp. – mountain elderberry 

Gaksûka (spelled with a “g” or a “k”) appears to be an opaque, proper name for 

the elderberries. The specific qualifier usdíga indicates that there were at least two folk 

species, but the vague botanical identification for the small variety and no outside 

references to “mountain elderberry” makes it difficult to clarify this point. Witthoft (n.d.: 

40) also mentions that the Cherokee distinguished between a large and small variety of 

gaksûka, but he decided that they were ecological variations of the same species. The 

red elderberry, Sambucus racemosa L. var. racemosa Michaux, grows at the higher 

elevations and apart from the red fruit and paniculate inflorescence, is very similar to the 

elderberry, Sambucus canadensis (see below), so there is a good chance that Mooney 

misidentified it as a Viburnum. No medicinal uses were attributed to gaksûka usdíga 

and, if it was S. racemosa, the fruits are considered to be toxic and are usually avoided 

(Muenscher 1975: 221). 

gaksûka útana – ‘large gaksûka’ – Sambucus canadensis L. – elderberry 

Mooney identified S. canadensis as the ‘large’ species of gaksûka, but Witthoft, 

Banks, and Olbrechts simply referred to it by the folk generic. Mooney found that the 

bark, scraped from the stems of S. canadensis, was combined with Xanthorhiza 

simplicissima and made into a tea and considered a good remedy for the small white 

worms that were common in children. Olbrechts recorded that a young root growing 

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from a new sprout of an old root of Sambucus canadensis was made into a hot infusion 

and drunk for the kidney condition dunatsöwalö ne‛öi (‘swellings on both sides’). He also 

found it used for heartburn and the biliary condition dalâni (‘yellow’). Banks (1953: 121) 

added that elderberry tea was a remedy for rheumatism and that a decoction of the bark 

was used for diarrhea (“summer complaint”). Several sources suggest that the berries 

were used in jelly (Banks 1953: 121, Perry 1974: 32, White 1975), but Witthoft observed 

that they were rarely eaten (n.d.: 40), occasionally being stewed or cooked into bean 

bread. 

gâ΄lăgû΄skŭ gatusĕ΄hĭ – ‘it ripens in winter, mountain dwelling’ – Ilex montana Torr. & 

Gray ex Gray – mountain holly, mountain winterberry 

The folk generic gâ΄lăgû΄skŭ refers to the tendency of the berries to turn red and 

remain on the plant until late in winter. The specific qualifier gatusĕ΄hĭ was a 

combination of gatúsĭ (‘mountain’) and ehĭ (‘dwelling’ or ‘growing’), and, as the common 

name suggests, this species is most commonly found in the mountains. Ilex montana 

will be discussed below, but is included here for classification purposes. 

gâ΄lăgû΄skŭ saluyĕ΄hĭ – ‘it ripens in winter, swamp growing’ – Photinia pyrifolia (Lam.) 

Robertson & Phipps – red chokeberry 

The specific qualifier saluyĕ΄hĭ stems from salúyi (‘swamp’) and ehĭ (‘dwelling’ or 

‘growing’), due to the preference of P. pyrifolia for wet ground. Mooney also recorded 

the synonym gâ΄lăgû΄skŭ tlawâtuehĭ, the specific qualifier being a form of klawátuĕ΄hĭ 

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(‘growing in mud’); another reference to its preference for wet ground. There is no 

available information on the medicinal properties of gâ΄lăgû΄skŭ saluyĕ΄hĭ. 

galiwâ΄dĭ gûnagéĭ – ‘greenbriar, black’ – Smilax pseudochina L. - 

Galiwâ΄dĭ was the Cherokee folk generic for the species of Smilax, the 

greenbriars or catbriars. Smilax pseudochina was considered gûnagéĭ (‘black’) due to 

the color of the stalk at certain times of the year. He identified the botanical species as 

S. pseudochina, but this species is most common on the coastal plain and only 

occasionally encountered in the mountains (Smith 1998: 18). Another herbaceous 

species, Smilax herbacea L., is commonly encountered in the North Carolina 

mountains, but Mooney wrote that galiwâ΄dĭ gûnagéĭ was used as a scratching 

implement. The herbaceous species of Smilax, unlike the woody species, do not have 

bristles that could be used in such a manner. One of Mooney’s informants identified S. 

herbacea as anisgína-(ts)unâ΄năsû΄ta (‘ghosts’ terrapin rattles’), a name generally 

reserved for the wild yam (Dioscorea villosa), but this may have been a misidentification 

due to the similarity of the two plants in their early stages of development. However, the 

informant did say that a tea of the roots of S. herbacea, combined with those of 

Collinsonia canadensis, was used for “rumbling bowels”, which was similar to the use 

recorded by Banks (1953: 17-18). Will West Long told Banks that a decoction of the 

roots and vines of both S. herbacea and S. rotundifolia was drunk for bowel problems. 

While it appears that the Cherokee utilized S. herbacea, it was not likely that it was the 

‘black’ species of galiwâ΄dĭ recorded by Mooney. He also recorded the synonyms 

galiwâ΄dĭ wâtigeĭ (‘brown’) and galiwâ΄dĭ itsĕ΄hĭ (‘green’). 

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galiwâ΄dĭ talânige – ‘greenbriar, yellow’ – Smilax spp. – greenbriar, catbriar 

This was another case of Mooney, or the Smithsonian’s botanists, identifying the 

botanical species as one that does not grow in the region. He recorded galiwâ΄dĭ 

talânige as Smilax smallii Morong, a species commonly found in the coastal plain and 

lower Piedmont, but not present in the mountains (Radford et al. 1968: 289). He also did 

not indicate why it was known as the ‘yellow’ species of galiwâ΄dĭ. He found that 

galiwâ΄dĭ talânige was used to cool the pain caused by a burn, but did not specify how it 

was prepared. 

galiwâ΄dĭ sa‛kánigeĭ – ‘greenbriar, blue’ – Smilax glauca Walter – catbriar or greenbriar 

Smilax glauca was known as the ‘blue’ species of galiwâ΄dĭ due to the bluish 

color of the stems. Mooney also recorded the synonym galiwâ΄dĭ klayuĕ΄hĭ (‘greenbriar, 

growing in old fields’), due to its frequency in abandoned garden sites and fields. 

Mooney found that the root of S. glauca was pounded and placed in the hollow portion 

of an aching tooth. Olbrechts recorded several uses, including in formulas for dalânige 

tsandik‛öça (‘yellow urine’) and ut‛igadö (‘to drive out afterbirth’), and as a scratching 

utensil for a condition involving cramps known as dik‛anugosti nugötlö götoti (‘to be 

used with a briar to cause it to come out’). It was combined with Vitis aestivalis and 

used as a love attraction medicine and with Eryngium yuccifolium for “insects coming 

out of wounds”. He also wrote that a portion of the stem used as a scratching implement 

to treat rheumatism (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 196). 

Banks (1953:17) added that the wilted leaves were used as drawing poultice for 

bringing boils to a head and that the bark was added to a decoction with that of Nyssa 

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sylvatica, Euonymus americanus, Platanus occidentalis, Liquidambar styraciflua, Vitis 

aestivalis, and Fagus grandifolia. This was drunk as a tea for “bad disease”, a condition 

whose primary symptom was a severe fever. 

hayúgĭtă, uy‛úgĭtă or yúgĭtă – hazel-nut – Corylus americana Walter 

Mooney recorded hayúgĭtă, uy‛úgĭtă and yúgĭtă as acceptable names for the 

hazel-nut bush, and they all appear to be opaque, proper names. Olbrechts recorded 

that it was used in a formula as an emetic for dalâni dikstoti (‘to make patient vomit 

bile’), toothaches, and with Platanus occidentalis for fevers accompanied by shaking. 

The nuts were also cracked and eaten raw, especially by Cherokee children (Witthoft 

n.d.: 48a). 

igagû΄tĭ – ‘light’ or ‘light hangs on it’ – Clematis virginiana L. – virgin’s bower 

The folk generic igagû΄tĭ (‘light’) was due to the long, white styles on the seeds 

creating the appearance of a ball of light. Mooney also collected the synonyms û΄tsatĭ 

uwadsĭ΄ska-iyústĭ (‘like fish scales’), due to its resemblance to Thalictrum thalictroides, 

unutláeta (‘a heavy mass of vines’), and ulkátăskĭ (‘it swells at the base’). Mooney found 

that a cold infusion of the pounded plant was used for the biliary disease dalâni 

(‘yellow’) with associated dysentery. It appears to have been especially useful in 

conditions of the urinary tract. Olbrechts found it used in formulas for both dalânige 

tsandik‛öça (‘yellow urine’) (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 288) and unegö tsandiköça (‘if 

they water out white’). Banks added that it was used for profuse urination and as a 

general remedy for the kidneys and bladder. He also found that an infusion of the roots 

112

was drunk for an ulcerated stomach and the root was chewed alone or it was combined 

in an infusion with a species of Asclepias for back problems. It was an ingredient in the 

medicine if one got ill from eating the first ears of corn (Banks 1953: 45). 

itsĕ΄hĭ or t’tsĕ΄hĭ – ‘green’ – Alnus serrulata (Aiton) Willd. – tag alder 

Mooney did not explain why this shrub would be considered prototypical of 

“green-ness”, but Olbrechts glossed itsĕ΄hĭ as both ‘new’ and ‘green’, so it may have 

been due to shade of green found on the emerging spring leaves. Olbrechts also 

recorded the synonyms at’tsĕ΄hĭ (‘green’) and tsaya (no gloss). 

Alnus serrulata appears only twice in Mooney’s notes. In a formula for old sores 

and cancers, the bark was combined with that of Sassafras albidum and Carpinus 

caroliniana as well as the leaves of skwálĭ utana (see Herbaceous Plants, Part 3). It 

was also part of a formula used for sickness sent by animals who had not been 

respected by a hunter known as at‛awini e‛i (‘the forest dwellers’). 

In contrast, Olbrechts found it used for a wide variety of ethnomedical conditions. 

It was part of an infusion held in the mouth of the medicine man for sucking out the 

affliction caused by adansiludoi yune‛istanelö (‘trailing along, if there is pain in different 

places’) or the similar condition unestanelidoloçöi or uneistaneo gananugotsidoi (‘when 

they have pains all over their body’). The chewed bark was blown into the eyes of a 

patient suffering from akt‛oli yutłöya (‘when their eyes hurt’) or daninsugi (‘sore eyes’ or 

‘when they have them drooping’), and it was part of a formula given to menstruating 

women known as andkt‛egö (‘they are under restriction’). It was used in an emetic 

formula for dalâni dikstoti (‘to make patient vomit bile’) and for an undescribed condition 

113

known as dawzni e‛i unitłöyö (no gloss). It was included in formulas for gotisgi 

tsunitsöyöi (‘when their stomach is swollen’), unisi‛kwaskö (‘when they are coughing’) or 

utłiyaktanöçi yiki nundiwsköna (‘when they have a bad cough’), and unödi tsandik‛uça 

(‘they urinate all milk’). This is one of the few species that Olbrechts noted as a species 

cultivated by the Cherokee medicine men (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 91). 

Banks added several more uses to this list (1953: 27-29). An infusion of the bark 

was used for heart trouble, excessive menstrual discharge, coughs, thrush in newborns, 

as a diuretic, and to bring down blood pressure while purifying the blood. A cold infusion 

of A. serrulata, Prunus serotina, Juglans nigra, and Diospyros virginiana was held in the 

mouth to heal an abscessed tooth. The roots of alder, Rubus spp. (a type of dewberry), 

and Pinus virginiana were made into a tea and used as a soak to relieve hemorrhoids. A 

decoction of alder, Goodyera pubescens, Xanthorhiza simplicissima, Asarum 

canadense, and Prunus serotina was considered to be a good blood tonic and a 

decoction of alder alone was used as a general tonic. 

itsĕ΄hĭ usdíga – ‘green, small’ – Alnus viridis (Vill.) Lam. & DC. or Alnus viridis (Vill.) 

Lam. & DC ssp. crispa (Ait.) – green alder, mountain alder 

Olbrechts observed the ‘small’ itsĕ΄hĭ growing in the neighboring settlement from 

where he was based. The identification of the botanical species is speculation on my 

part because the smaller species of Alnus, the green alder and the mountain alder, are 

found at the highest elevations and are very rare. It may have been one of these 

species that was cultivated by the medicine men (see above), as they would not have 

been conveniently located near the towns. 

114

The uses her recorded were slightly different from those of A. serrulata. An 

infusion of the scraped bark was blown on the patient in cases of “heat”, possibly a type 

of fever, and it was combined with a larger species of alder to counteract the effects of 

eating food prepared by a menstruating woman. 

kâlûgûtliski – ‘bone joiner’ – Ilex montana Torr. & Gray ex Gray – mountain holly, 

mountain winterberry 

The folk generic kâlûgûtliski (‘bone joiner’) was used in reference to the use of 

the plant to mend broken bones (see below). Mooney recorded several synonyms for I. 

montana including kâlûgûtliski usdíga (‘small’), kâlûgûtliski útana (‘large’), kâlûgûtliski 

na‛tsihi-ehi (‘growing in the pines’), and gâ΄lăgû΄skŭ gatusĕ΄hĭ (‘it ripens in winter, 

mountain dwelling’). The last name referred to the red berries that remain on the bush 

after the leaves have dropped in the late fall. Olbrechts recorded three synonyms based 

on an unidentified yellow quality of I. montana. They were dalâni usdíga (‘small yellow’), 

dalâni útana (‘large yellow’), and dalâni gigage atat‛aski (‘red fruit yellow’), again 

referring to the red berries. 

Mooney found that a decoction of the bark was used as a wash to mend broken 

bones. Olbrechts also found that it was used in combination with Vitis aestivalis for 

broken bones and in formulas for dalânige tsandik‛öça (‘yellow urine’) and unisi‛kwaskö 

(‘when they are coughing’). Along with its use for ‘yellow urine’, it was combined with 

Rosa eglanteria for gigö yandik‛öça (‘urinating blood’), as well as in combination with I. 

verticillata for an‛t‛asgiski tskoya (‘insects are breaking out’). 

115

kâlûgûtliski usdia egwanulti-ehi – ‘bone joiner, small, growing by the river’ – Ilex 

verticillata (L.) Gray – winterberry, black alder 

Mooney did not provide a gloss for egwanulti-ehi, but Alexander recorded e quo 

ni as one of the Cherokee words for “river” (1971: 135). Other synonyms suggest this is 

a viable name for I. verticillata. Mooney also found that it was called salúĭtskĭ΄ (‘swampy 

tree’) from salúyĭ (‘swamp’) and tskû΄ĭ (‘tree’). 

Olbrechts recorded it as kâlûgûtliski amayułtei (‘bone joiner, growing by the water’), 

another reference to its preference for wet areas, and t‛elanö (‘it has been shaken’), but 

he did not explain this name. 

Mooney found that the outer bark was scraped off and boiled for one to two 

minutes and drunk as an emetic for cases of dalâni (‘yellow’). This was repeated for four 

mornings while fasting. Olbrechts found that, like I. montana, it was used for 

undölaksöçi (‘broken bones’). However, he found that the bark of I. verticillata was 

chewed and blown over the previously scratched area instead of being poured on as a 

decoction. He also found that it was used with or in place of I. montana for dalânige 

tsandik‛öça (‘yellow urine’) and an‛t‛asgiski tskoya (‘insects are breaking out’), as well as 

for strange dreams during menstruation known as andkt‛egö (‘they are under 

restriction’). 

kanélskă – Calycanthus floridus L. – sweet-shrub 

Kanélskă appears to be an opaque, proper name for C. floridus. According to 

Mooney, Cherokee hunters would eat the seeds of kanélskă to ward off hunger. Witthoft 

elaborated on this use, offering that, “the seeds in the ball-like pods, which ripen in 

116

autumn, are remembered as starvation-time food or stimulant, and are said to have 

formerly been eaten by hunters in the woods (n.d.: 51). He also determined C. floridus 

was the species referred to as “strawberry shrub” in a missionary report on Cherokee 

plants from the early 19 th century (Witthoft 1947). The roots were used as a powerful 

emetic and the seeds used to poison wolves. However, this may have been Euonymus 

americanus, commonly known as “strawberry bush” (see tsuwatúna utana below). 

Olbrechts found that C. floridus was used for the scrofulous condition duletsi 

(‘kernels’) when combined with Pyrularia pubera and the bark was used in an infusion 

with that of Xanthorhiza simplicissima for andkt‛egö (‘they are under restriction’). It was 

part of a formula for dalânige tsandik‛öça (‘yellow urine’) and used singly for venereal 

disease of men and “to drive witches about”. Banks (1953: 51-52) added that a cold 

bark tea, dripped into the eye from a rag, was used for those going blind from cataracts. 

The tea would “take white stuff off the eyeball”. A tea of the bark would also cure sores 

on children and hives on infants. 

kûnigû΄ - Viburnum prunifolium L. – black haw 

Kûnigû΄ appears to be an opaque, proper name for V. prunifolium. The only 

medicinal application for black haw was recorded by Olbrechts, who found that the bark 

was boiled down in a decoction with several other woody species for cancerous sores 

known as ada‛yeski (‘eating itself’). However, in another section of his notes, Olbrechts 

identified kûnigû΄ as Viburnum rufidulum, but this species is not common in the 

mountains. He was probably observing Viburnum nudum L. var. cassinoides (L.) Torr. & 

Gray, commonly known as withe-rod. Mooney recorded the name for V. nudum var. 

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cassinoides as kûnigû΄ unígistĭ, unígistĭ being the plural of agístĭ (‘food’), in reference to 

the edible fruit. 

Olbrechts found kûnigû΄ was used for a dermatological condition known as 

uninidla (‘crevices on the skin’), as well as in a formula for scrofula and in combination 

with otter’s brains and rock water for tuberculosis. Banks added that an infusion of the 

bark of withe-rod was used to wash the mouth in cases of a sore tongue (1953: 121). 

kûnigûiyústĭ – ‘like kûnigû΄’ – Viburnum acerifolium L. – mapleleaf viburnum 

The Cherokee classification of V. acerifolium appears to have been due to the 

inflorescence and fruit. The leaves are nearly identical in form and arrangement to the 

red maple, Acer rubra, and are often found growing in the same habitats, but the 

inflorescence and fruit are quite similar to other species of Viburnum. In this case, the 

plant was identified as being ‘like’ kûnigû΄ and the resemblance to red maple was not 

acknowledged. This reliance on the inflorescence and fruit as criterion for classification 

demonstrates a high level of botanical sophistication. 

Olbrechts found that V. acerifolium could be used as a replacement for V. nudum 

var. cassinoides and was combined with an unidentified plant for the biliary condition 

known as dalâni (‘yellow’). Banks added that it was an ingredient in a formula for small 

pox (1953: 121), but did not include the other ingredients. 

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kûnagĭ΄l‛ka unega (adsilû΄skĭ) – ‘turkey, white (flowered)’ – Rhododendron 

periclymenoides (Michaux) Shinners – pinxter azalea 

Mooney claimed that the folk generic kûnagĭ΄l‛ka stemmed from kû΄na (‘turkey’) 

because turkeys ate the berries that resembled the turkey’s dewlap. This is unlikely, as 

the fruit of the azaleas is an inedible, dry capsule. However, Banks (1953: 101) and 

Witthoft (n.d.: 55) recorded that a gall of a fungus which on Rhododendron 

calendulaceum (Michaux) Torrey, probably Exobasidium rhododendri (Fuckel) Cramer, 

was eaten by the Cherokee to assuage thirst while traveling through the mountains (see 

sûnktă΄ in the chapter on Fungi). The irregular gall, which is found on species of 

Rhododendron (Bassette et al. 1997: 467), could easily be said to resemble the dewlap 

of a turkey. Witthoft said the name was due to the arrangement of the flowers and 

leaves, said to resemble parts of a wild turkey (n.d.: 55), but his explanation leaves too 

much to the imagination to be considered tenable. 

Mooney found that an infusion of the scraped bark of R. periclymenoides was 

drunk to alleviate vomiting caused by over-eating the wrong foods. Banks, in reference 

to R. calendulaceum, found that a peeled, boiled twig was rubbed on areas affected by 

rheumatism. 

kûnasútlawă – ‘tangled up’ – Hamamelis virginiana L. – witch-hazel 

The gloss for kûnasútlawă was purely speculative on Mooney’s part. Will West 

Long told him it might have been derived from akĭ΄năsúdălûnkĭ (‘I am tangled’), but 

there was no explanation for the gloss. 

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According to Mooney, the green twigs of H. virginiana were combined with those 

of Lindera benzoin to increase appetite, relieve the pains of rheumatism and sore joints, 

and to reduce fever. The tea could also be rubbed in the mouth to relieve soreness. 

Banks found that a hot decoction of the bark of H. virginiana, the bark of L. benzoin, and 

the needles from Pinus virginiana was drunk to break a fever. He also found that the 

bark of H. virginiana was used alone as a hot infusion for colds and as a hot decoction 

to relieve a sore throat (Banks 1953: 58). 

kuwáya – ‘hanging’ or ‘bending down’ - Gaylussacia baccata (Wangenh.) K. Koch – 

black huckleberry, Vaccinium spp. – blueberries 

Mooney did not provide a gloss for kuwáya, which he associated with 

huckleberries, but Witthoft said the same name was used for wild and cultivated 

blueberries and glossed it as ‘hanging’ or ‘bending down’ and suggested that it was, 

“descriptive of the loaded branches” (n.d.: 45). Witthoft said the fruits of G. baccata 

were eaten fresh in the field, but were not as relished as the blueberries. Perry (1974: 

39) found that they were added as flavoring to corn bread and biscuits. 

kuwáya-iyu΄stĭ uni‛elusati – ‘like “hanging”, with soft things hanging on it’ – Lyonia 

ligustrina (L.) DC. – male-berry, male-blueberry, Dirca palustris L. – eastern 

leatherwood 

Olbrechts glossed kuwáya-iyu΄stĭ as ‘plant like the real kuwû΄’, the suffix -ya 

indicating the ‘true’ or ‘real’ kind and -iyu΄stĭ (‘like’) indicating a resemblance to the ‘real’ 

kind. But this was probably incorrect, as there is little morphological similarity between 

the mulberry tree (Morus rubra) and the shrubby species he identified. The name 

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kuwáya-iyu΄stĭ would indicate a resemblance to the huckleberries and blueberries and I 

have chosen to use Witthoft’s gloss for kuwáya (see above). The specific qualifier 

uni‛elusati (‘with soft things hanging on it’) would suggest that the species under 

consideration is Dirca palustris, which has hanging flowers that appear in the axils of the 

leaf buds before the leaves appear. However, as the common name “male-blueberry” 

implies, the leaves and inflorescence of Lyonia ligustrina are very similar to the 

blueberries. It may be that L. ligustrina and D. palustris are both types of kuwáya-iyu΄stĭ, 

but only D. palustris required the specific qualifier. 

Olbrechts found that kuwáya-iyu΄stĭ uni‛elusati was used in combination with 

Aesculus octandra and Cassia marilandica for painful urination and with Alnus serrulata, 

Ilex verticillata, and Corylus americana for cases of shaking due to fever. It was also 

used alone for dalâni unit‛elα‛öska (‘shaking dalâni’). Witthoft added that it was 

“recognized as a plant that stupefies animals and makes them ill, but rarely kills (n.d.: 

60).” 

kwălágă – ‘bow’ - Rhus glabra L. – smooth sumac 

Mooney did not provide a gloss for kwălágă, but Olbrechts glossed it as ‘bow’, 

most likely in reference to the shape of its trunk rather than its functional qualities, as 

the wood is quite soft. Olbrechts also included the synonyms kwălágă unega (‘white’), 

kwălágă dawiskage (‘smooth’), and kwălágă dalânige (‘yellow’). 

A woman that wanted her children to become witches would feed them nothing 

but corn hominy for 24 days. She would drink a decoction of Rhus glabra to start her 

milk flowing again after this time (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 130). Banks added that 

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a cold tea of the roots would make the milk of older women begin to flow (1953: 79). A 

topical application of a warm infusion of the bark of R. glabra was used to treat 

unawat‛ö‛öski (‘blisters’) caused by exposure to the sun (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 

251). Olbrechts also found it was used for the back problem known as ga‛yedi (‘pain in 

the back’), yöwi tsunstia göwani skastane‛öi (‘when the little people frighten them’), 

strange dreams associated with menstruation known as andkt‛egö (‘they are under 

restriction’), and the biliary condition dalâni. Banks found that a tea of the berries and 

roots were part of a remedy for gonorrhea, the berries were eaten for kidney problems 

and bedwetting, a tea of the berries was used as a gargle for tonsillitis. He also found 

that an infusion of the roots was drunk for bowel problems and blown on convulsive 

patients (1953: 79). Witthoft found that the roots of R. glabra produced a yellowish- 

brown dye when used alone or a black dye when ferrous sulfate was added as a 

mordant (n.d.: 66). It was used to dye fabric, but not for baskets. 

kwălágă útana – ‘large bow’ – Rhus tyhpina L. – staghorn sumac 

The specific qualifier útana (‘large’) was in reference to the size of the plant, 

which was the largest of the sumacs in the southern mountains. Like R. glabra, it was 

used for the back problem ga‛yedi (‘pain in the back’) and for unawat‛ö‛öski (‘blisters’). 

kwalúsĭ – Vitis lambrusca L. – fox grape, Vitis vulpina L. – frost grape 

Kwalúsĭ appears to be an opaque, proper name for both the fox grape and the 

frost grape, although Mooney identified it as V. vulpina and Olbrechts as V. lambrusca. 

Olbrechts also recorded the synonym kwalúsĭ inagĕ΄hĭ (‘growing in the wilderness’). 

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Olbrechts found V. lambrusca was used in formulas for the urinary conditions andlköça 

yunalstuneça (‘if their urine is stopped’) and dalânige tsandik‛öça (‘yellow urine’), as well 

as in combination with Vitis aestivalis as a love attraction medicine. When used for 

stopped urination, a special plant was sought that had its roots growing in water. 

Grapes were generally eaten fresh when ripe, but were also dried for use as a 

winter beverage. Segments of the grapevines were cut and hung on a drying frame 

placed in the sun. In the evening the racks were placed in front of the fire. The dried 

grapes were stored in the house until needed, then they were placed in boiling water 

and the resulting beverage drunk with meals (Witthoft n.d.: 41). 

nátû‛tlĭ or nátûtsĭ – ‘feverbush’ – Lindera benzoin (L.) Blume – spicebush 

Mooney speculated that nátû‛tlĭ (upper dialect) or nátûtsĭ (middle dialect) glossed 

as ‘feverbush’, but this was also the common name among the local whites and may 

have been unrelated to the Cherokee names. Olbrechts indicated that L. benzoin was 

the primary remedy for ganewot‛iski (‘measles’) and was used in a formula for gigö 

yandik‛öça (‘urinating blood’). It was also used alone for fevers and with Hydrangea 

arborescens as an anti-emetic. According to Witthoft (n.d.: 53), the winter twigs and 

buds were often made into a beverage, along with its use for colds and fevers. Banks 

added that the tea of spicebush alone was given to infants for hives or in combination 

with Cornus florida, Prunus serotina, and good corn whiskey it was a remedy for 

measles. When combined with the bark of Hamamelis virginiana and the needles of 

Pinus virginiana, it would cause a fever to break (Banks 1953: 52-53). 

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nûdâgweja-iyu΄stĭ – ‘like sourwood’ – Leucothoe recurva (Buckley) Gray – fetter-bush 

The name nûdâgweja-iyu΄stĭ (‘like sourwood’) was due to the resemblance of the 

twigs, leaves, and inflorescence of L. recurva to the sourwood tree, Oxydendron 

arboreum. Olbrechts provided the only use for this species, finding that it was used with 

other plants for a fever accompanied by thirst known only as “heat”. 

nugû΄la – ‘scratcher’ – Rubus allegheniensis Porter, Rubus argutus Link – blackberry 

Mooney wrote the following about the word nugû΄la, also known as kă-nugû΄la, “a 

general term for all briers and thorny shrubs, including bamboo (Smilax), blackberry, 

raspberry, wild rose, etc., each of which also has a specific name. The word, as 

commonly used, refers to blackberry.” Olbrechts added the synonyms nugû΄la agístĭ 

(‘food’), salâ΄lĭ atka (‘squirrel’s eye‘), and udansinöte (‘it is snaking along’); however the 

last name may be due to misidentification of a species of dewberry, which is known to 

have a prostrate habit (see below). He found that it was used in a formula for dalânige 

tsandik‛öça (‘yellow urine’), the root was chewed for thrush and as a prophylactic 

against toothache, and for “heat”, or a fever accompanied by thirst, with Acorus 

calamus. Banks found that a tea of the roots was drunk for bowel complaints (1953: 66). 

Witthoft (n.d.: 44) claimed that the fruit was usually eaten raw but that the 

Cherokee did not especially relish blackberries. However, Cherokee men sometimes 

chewed roots as an acceptable substitution for chewing tobacco. 

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sûntiwálĭ – ‘bowl’ – Rubus ideaus L. – red raspberry 

Mooney wrote the following to explain the name sûntiwálĭ, “Cherokees got the 

idea of the bowl from the raspberry, the bowl first called sûntiwálĭ but later abbreviated 

to tiwá‛lĭ. Sûn may be connected with usûndânĭ (‘a hollow log’).” But Witthoft (n.d.: 42) 

found that tiwá‛lĭ had a more encompassing meaning including concepts such as bowl, 

mushroom, and, in the modern era, hubcaps and automobile tires. Mooney also used a 

similar term, tawálĭ, as the name for the life form category for the mushrooms (see the 

chapter on fungi). So the relationship between the raspberry and the bowl may have 

been less distinct than Mooney indicated in the quote above and this may have been a 

minor myth on how the bowl came to be. Although it is lacking the suffix –yu or –ya 

(indicating the ‘true’ or ‘real’ kinds), Rubus ideaus appears to be the prototypical type of 

sûntiwálĭ as the other members of this folk genus carry specific qualifiers (see below). 

Olbrechts included R. ideaus in a formula for andkt‛egö (‘they are under 

restriction’). The plants used in this case were the vegetatively-reproduced tip-sprouts 

from a second-year cane. Mooney thought the preference for sprouts was because the 

new sprout was more bitter than the parent plant, but bitterness does not appear to be 

an important factor in determining the medicinal qualities of Cherokee plants (Mooney 

and Olbrechts 1932: 246). According to Olbrechts, the Cherokee believed that the 

parent plant had lost its medicinal properties and the vitality was passed to the new 

growth (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 54). 

Banks recorded a specialized use for raspberry roots (1953: 66). If two sisters 

had babies and one of the sisters died, the other sister could successfully raise the 

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dead sister’s child if it drank a decoction of the root of red raspberry before it tried to 

nurse. Otherwise, the baby would “sicken and die”. 

The berries of R. ideaus and the other species of raspberry (see below) were 

generally eaten raw in the field, the cooking or stewing of berries considered a, 

“distinctly mountain white trait (Witthoft n.d.: 42).” 

sûntiwálĭ gatusĕ΄hĭ – ‘bowl, mountain dwelling’ – Rubus odoratus L. – flowering 

raspberry 

Rubus odoratus is found only in the mountainous region in North Carolina, hence 

the specific qualifier gatusĕ΄hĭ (‘mountain dwelling’). Both Mooney and Olbrechts 

recorded synonyms reflecting a ‘large’ aspect of the plant or its parts, Mooney recording 

it as sûntiwálĭ útana and Olbrechts as sûntiwálĭ egwa. 

Olbrechts recorded the only medicinal use for R. odoratus, finding that it was 

used in cases of gigö dunikstisgöi (‘when they vomit blood’). Mooney and Witthoft both 

mentioned the commercial value of the leaves to the Cherokee in their interactions with 

the white herb traders. Witthoft wrote that, “in 1891 the dried leaves brought three cents 

a pound (n.d.: 42).” 

sûntiwálĭ usdíga – ‘bowl, small’ – Rubus occidentalis L. – black raspberry, black-cap 

Rubus occidentalis was considered the ‘small’ folk species of sûntiwálĭ. All 

information on this species was collected by Olbrechts, who found that it was a suitable 

substitute for R. ideaus for the condition andkt‛egö (‘they are under restriction’) and part 

of the formula for dalânige tsandik‛öça (‘yellow urine’). It was used in combination with 

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Orontium aquaticum for uyosöçi e‛isti tsanançtatia (‘when they suffer painful 

remembrances of the dead’) and for painful urination. 

telû΄latĭ – ‘it has them hanging down’ – Vitis aestivalis Michaux – summer grape 

The folk generic telû΄latĭ (‘it has them hanging down’) refers to the hanging 

clusters of fruit. Olbrechts recorded the bulk of the medicinal information about V. 

aestivalis, finding it used in formulas for adayuni‛t‛i‛lö (‘pierced by wood’), aniskina 

uniyaktanöçi (‘ghosts have changed (the condition of the patient)’), and dalânige 

tsandik‛öça (‘yellow urine’). It was used in combination with Diospyros virginiana for 

duni‛alagöi ata‛yesgi (‘inflamed palate’) and with Ilex verticillata for undölaksöçi (‘broken 

bones’). It was used alone for unöłstay‛ti tsuniyotc‛eça (‘when their appetite gets 

spoiled’). It was also included in two formulas that were not discussed in the section on 

Ethnomedical Conditions. It was combined with Vitis lambrusca and Rubus ideaus for 

stopped urination and for cases of chronic diarrhea with Vitis vulpina, Nyssa sylvatica, 

Cornus florida, Amelanchier canadensis, and Tradescantia subaspera. Banks (1953: 

86) included V. aestivalis in a formula for “bad disease”, a condition associated with a 

high fever (see kutlû΄ in the chapter on Trees). 

tsigwágwă – Pyrularia pubera Michaux – buffalo nut 

Tsigwágwă appears to be an opaque, proper name for the buffalo nut. The bulk 

of medicinal uses attributed to P. pubera comes from Olbrechts, who found it used in 

combination with Calycanthus floirdus for the scrofulous condition duletsi (‘kernels’) and 

associated tuberculosis and to treat unitłöyö yiki uniskwali (‘when they have a stomach 

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ache’). He also found it was used for the biliary disease dalâni, which may have been 

related to the stomach condition. Banks added that the nuts were roasted and 

pulverized for use on old sores (1953: 35). It could be used alone or mixed with tallow 

and made into a salve. The pounded roots, mixed with bear grease, were also used to 

heal old sores (1953: 36). 

tsuwatúna usdíga – ‘veins or sinews, small’ – no botanical species 

Mooney described the ‘small’ folk species of tsuwatúna (see below) as 

resembling a vine. It may have been Euonymus obovatus Nuttall, a species of 

Euonymus with trailing stems found in the mountains. No medicinal qualities were 

attributed to this particular species. 

tsuwatúna útana – ‘sinews or veins, large’ – Euonymus americanus L. – strawberry 

bush, hearts-a-burstin’ 

Tsuwatúna is the plural form of watúna (‘veins’ or ‘sinews’) and was in reference 

to the use of green strips of bark from E. americanus, once used in place of sinew to 

attach arrowheads to the shaft. Mooney found that a tea of the leaves and seeds was 

used as a wash to eliminate head lice and a tea of the leaves was drunk to alleviate 

painful menses. Olbrechts recorded the use of E. americanus, combined with seven 

twigs of Oxydendron arboreum for andlköça yunalstuneça (‘if their urine is stopped’) and 

in an infusion for young children when they suffer from awini uniyst‛osgö (‘they are 

burning inside’). It was used in formulas for dalânige tsandik‛öça (‘yellow urine’) and 

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ga‛yedi (‘pain in the back’). For digestive problems, it was combined with Vitis aestivalis 

for slimy diarrhea and with an unidentified plant for dalâni (‘yellow’). 

Banks (1953: 81) found that a tea of the roots was drunk in cases of a prolapsed 

uterus, stomachaches, and gonorrhea. The bark was scraped off and made into a tea 

that was rubbed on varicose veins (“cramps in the veins”). Euonymus americanus was 

also included in a formula for “bad” disease (see kutlû΄ in the chapter on Trees). 

udâĭ – ‘it has something hanging to it’ – Aristolochia macrophylla Lam. – Dutchman’s 

pipe 

The folk generic udâĭ refers to the flowers, which hang on a long peduncle. The 

long stem and curved corolla give the flower the appearance of a pipe, hence the 

common name Dutchman’s pipe. Olbrechts recorded A. macrophylla as udâĭ útana (‘it 

has something hanging to it, large’) and described udâĭ as a vine with cucumber-like 

fruit. But he did not provide a botanical name for the latter. He found that A. macrophylla 

was used when one suffered from bad dreams. It was also part of the formula for 

dalânige tsandik‛öça (‘yellow urine’) (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 288). 

ultsă΄gĭtă΄ útana – ‘it cuts its top off, large’ – Aralia spinosa L. – Devil’s walking stick 

Mooney said the folk generic ultsă΄gĭtă΄ (‘it cuts its top off’) was a reference to the 

deciduous nature of the branches (they are actually compound leaves), which drop off 

every year. He mentioned that there was a ultsă΄gĭtă΄ usdíga (‘small’), but provided no 

description of it and I know of no species that could be considered a small version of A. 

spinosa. 

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According to Olbrechts, a decoction that included A. spinosa was blown on a 

scratched area to treat paralysis on one half of the body. The other ingredients were not 

recorded. According to an early 19 th century account, the roasted roots were used as an 

emetic, but the green roots were considered to be poisonous (Witthoft 1947). The roots 

were also made into a salve to heal old sores (Banks 1953: 92). 

ulû΄ta – ‘it has climbed’ - Toxicodendron radicans (L.) Kuntze – poison ivy 

The folk generic ulû΄ta (‘it has climbed’) refers to the ability of the poison ivy vine 

to reach high into the forest canopy. Mooney said that, “boys spit on their hands and 

touch it lightly so as not to offend and say gĭnalŭ΄ (‘we are friends’)”. Parthenocissus 

quinquefolia (L.) Planchon was also labeled as ulû΄ta and, while generally harmless, 

was thought to be mildly poisonous by the Cherokee (Witthoft n.d.: 60). The dermatitis 

caused by contact with poison ivy was treated by rubbing it with the pounded flesh of a 

crawfish (Mooney 1900: 425). 

unāsúga or unināsúga – possum grape – Vitis baileyana Munson 

Mooney thought this name unāsúga (pl. unināsúga) might have come from 

uyāsúga, the Cherokee name for the opossum, but he was not sure of the etymology. 

Mooney and Olbrechts recorded both the singular and plural forms for this plant and 

both recorded it as Vitis cordifolia Lam. While this is a synonym for Vitis vulpina, they 

both also identified it as the possum grape, a very similar species to V. vulpina. 

Unāsúga may refer to the distinct species V. baileyana, or it could be a synonym for V. 

vulpina. But because the common name possum grape was used by both Mooney and 

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Olbrechts and it was distinguished from both the fox and frost grapes (see kwalúsĭ 

above), I have included here as V. baileyana. It was used in much the same manner as 

kwalúsĭ for yellow urine and a love attractant, but was also combined with Vitis 

aestivalis for chronic diarrhea. 

unigína – chinquapin – Castanea pumila (L.) Miller 

Unigína appears to be an opaque, proper name for the chinquapin, a shrubby 

version of the American chestnut, Castanea dentata. It was used alone for conditions 

related to heat such as aniskoli didzstistoti (‘to blow on their heads’) and dunitsalöi 

(‘when they have blisters’). The nuts are edible, but their use by the Cherokee was only 

mentioned in passing (White 1975) or as an inconsequential food for the Cherokee 

(Witthoft n.d.: 48). 

utlásinûta or utû΄nsinûta – ‘it has crept’ – Rubus flagellaris Willd. or Rubus hispidus L. – 

dewberry 

The name stems from gûtláinĭ (‘it creeps’), utlásinûta being the most common 

term applied to the dewberries but utû΄nsinûta being the usual verb form for ‘it has 

crept’. It refers to the prostrate habit of the stems of the dewberry. Mooney identified the 

botanical species as Rubus trivialis Michaux, but this species is not common in the 

mountains. Rubus flagellaris and R. hispidus are both frequently encountered in and 

around the Cherokee lands. 

Olbrechts included dewberry in the formula for yellowish urine (Mooney and 

Olbrechts 1932: 253). Banks added that a tea of the roots was used for diarrhea and 

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dysentery and the chewed root would take the coating off the tongue (1953: 66). 

Dewberry, combined with Pinus virginiana and Alnus serrulata, was made into a tea and 

drunk or applied externally for hemorrhoids (1953: 687). The berries were eaten and 

used in the same manner as blackberries and raspberries (see above). 

uwă΄lă΄ or uwága – passionflower – Passiflora incarnata L. 

Uwă΄lă΄ appears to be an opaque, proper name for the passionflower, Passiflora 

incarnata. Mooney found that the primary use was as a food source, the fruit either 

eaten raw or boiled twice and strained. Once the seeds were removed, the remaining 

pulp thickened with meal and made into a gruel called uwága agānû΄hĭ (‘boiled 

apricots’). Banks recorded the only medicinal properties, those being associated with 

the roots of the plant (1953: 89-90). The pounded root was made into a warm infusion 

and this was placed into the ears to treat earaches. The roots were also made into a tea 

and given to an infant to encourage weaning. If drunk by the infant at six months, it 

would drop off the breast at one year of age, just like the ripe fruit drops off the vine. 

uwă΄liyústĭ or tsiyu-iyústĭ – ‘like passionflower’ or ‘like tulip poplar’ – Passiflora lutea L. – 

yellow passionflower 

Uwă΄liyústĭ (‘like passionflower’) was derived from uwă΄lă΄ and the suffix -iyústĭ 

(‘like’ or ‘as’), due to the resemblance of the plant to the larger P. incarnata. The second 

name, tsiyu-iyústĭ (‘like tulip poplar’) was in reference to the leaves, which were 

considered to resemble those of Liriodendron tulipifera, known to the Cherokee as tsiyu. 

Mooney found that P. lutea was used for sore eyes, but he did not elaborate on this use. 

132

Banks attributed the knowledge of a use for P. incarnata to Will West Long, but his 

description of a plant with a small, inedible berry suggests that he was referring to P. 

lutea (1953:89). He said that the pounded root was applied to sores caused by locust 

thorns and briers. This type of poultice would draw out the infection. 

wală΄hûne΄ga gígagéĭ – ‘frog’s skin, red’ – Cornus alternifolia L. – pagoda dogwood 

Mooney thought wală΄hûne΄ga was a “generic” term for the dogwoods, but 

Olbrechts glossed it as ‘frog’s skin’ and said it was due to the pattern on the spotted 

bark. This may have stemmed from walosi, a term used for both frogs and toads 

(Fradkin 1990: 135), and ganega (‘skin’) (Alexander 1971: 146). Mooney claimed that 

this was called the ‘red’ species of wală΄hûne΄ga because of the color of the bark and 

the blossoms. No medicinal qualities were attributed to this species. 

wală΄hûne΄ga gûtlatûĕ΄hĭ – ‘frog’s skin, growing on the mountainside’ – Cornus spp. 

The specific qualifier gûtlatûĕ΄hĭ stems from gû΄tlatû (‘mountainside’) and the 

suffix -ĕ΄hĭ (‘living’ or ‘dwelling’). The exact botanical species was not identified and it is 

not discernable from the description. The following species, Cornus amomum, is found 

in both swampy areas and alluvial woods (Radford 1968: 792), so gûtlatûĕ΄hĭ may be 

descriptive of habitat and not a different species. 

133

wală΄hûne΄ga tĕ΄luge-iyústĭ – ‘frog’s skin, purplish’ – Cornus amomum Miller – silky 

dogwood 

The specific qualifier tĕ΄luge-iyústĭ was from tĕlugéĭ (‘purple’) and -iyústĭ (‘like’ or 

‘as’), a reference to the color of the berries. Both Mooney and Olbrechts recorded this 

as Cornus stricta Lam., the swamp dogwood, but this is not common in the mountains 

(Radford et al. 1968: 791), while C. amomum is very common and usually found in wet 

areas. Olbrechts recorded the only medicinal application for C. amomum, finding it was 

used for the strange dreams associated with andkt‛egö (‘they are under restriction’). 

134

Chapter 5 

Ganulû΄hĭ – Herbaceous (Non-woody) Plants 

Mooney glossed ganulû΄hĭ as ‘herbaceous’ and claimed it was, “the generic term 

for herbs as distinguished from trees and shrubs.” The life form ganulû΄hĭ constitutes 

the largest category of Cherokee plants and is the most intricate category in their 

classification system. This intricacy is exemplified by the number of intermediate 

categories (10) and the inclusion of a large number of folk species and folk varietals. In 

fact, the ratio of monotypic to polytypic genera is quite low in the herbaceous category. 

Out of approximately 154 folk genera, only around 83 are monotypic and 71 are 

polytypic. These numbers are approximations due to the large numbers of synonyms 

found in the herbaceous life form, discrepancies between researchers, and the 

ambiguous relationships between genera and those that are labeled as “like” them, but 

they provide a general idea of the nature of the herbaceous life form. The high number 

of polytypic genera in this category skews the overall proportion of polytypic genera in 

the Cherokee classification system as discussed in Chapter 2. The life form ganulû΄hĭ 

also includes the greatest number of biological species of the life form categories with 

275 recorded species. 

An independent observation of the notes of Mooney and Olbrechts would give 

very different perspectives about which life forms were most important to the Cherokee 

ethnomedical system. For instance, Mooney recorded very few uses for woody species, 

135

and from this it would appear that the Cherokee system was based primarily on 

remedies prepared from herbaceous species. However, Olbrechts often observed 

multiple applications for the woody species and, except for a few culturally salient plants 

like tobacco and ginseng, generally found only one or two uses for each of the 

herbaceous plants. Had it not been for the combined efforts of both men we would have 

a very limited view of the range of the Cherokee botanical pharmacopoeia. Banks took a 

more even-handed approach and included a broad representation of the various life 

forms, but without access to Mooney’s and Olbrechts’ archival materials he had a 

limited perspective on the applications of herbaceous plants. 

Unlike the previous chapters, this chapter will be divided into two parts: 

Part 1: Cherokee Intermediate Categories 

Part 2: Cherokee Herbaceous Plants 

The intermediate categories will include a few of the biological species that have 

already been discussed or will be discussed in other life form sections as some of these 

intermediate categories include trees, shrubs, or grasses. The names of the 

intermediate categories will be in bold print to distinguish them from the folk species and 

varieties that are included in them. 

Part 1: Cherokee Intermediate Categories 

As stated in Chapter 2, intermediate categories are generally identified by a 

primary lexeme that indicates a salient feature, usually morphological similarities, 

shared by a number of often unrelated biological genera. However, the Cheorkee 

136

intermediate categories tend to be more inclusive than this, usually encompassing 

several unrelated botanical families (see Table 5.1). Of the ten intermediate categories, 

Table 5.1. Botanical Families in the Intermediate Categories (with No. of Genera) 

Intermediate Category 

dalâni 

gănigwalĭ΄skĭ 

ganitawaâ΄skĭ 

gátatsú‛lĭ 

gáw’sûkĭ 

Botanical Families 

Anacardiaceae (1) 

Asteraceae(2) 

Polygonaceae (1) 

Ranunculaceae (1) 

Asteraceae (1) 

Fabaceae (1) 

Hypericaceae (1) 

Lamiaceae (1) 

Scrophulariaceae (1) 

Caryophyllaceae (1) 

Rubiaceae (1) 

Asteraceae (2) 

Lamiaceae (1) 

Polemoniaceae (1) 

Rubiaceae (1) 

Scrophulariaceae (1) 

Chenpodiaceae (1) 

Cucurbitaceae (1) 

Lamiaceae (8) 

137 

IntermediateCategory 

kâstúta 

na‛tsiyústĭ 

tsâliyústĭ 

únistilû΄istĭ 

ûnagéĭ 

Botanical Families 

Asteraceae(6) 

Asteraceae(2) 

Hypericaceae (1) 

Lamiaceae (1) 

Boraginaceae (1) 

Campanulaceae (1) 


Apiaceae (1) 

Asteraceae(3) 


Fabaceae (3) 

Onagraceae (1) 

Rosaceae (1) 

Rubiaceae (1) 

Solanaceae (1) 

Fabaceae (1) 

Pinaceae (2) 

Ranunculaceae (1) 

Rosaceae (1) 

nine include members from 2 or more plant families. The most diverse category, 

únistilû΄istĭ (‘they stick flat to a hairy substance’), includes 13 botanical genera in eight 

plant families. Such diversity defies comparison to the botanical classification system, 

but demonstrates the naturalness of the Cherokee system. The natural affinities 

between these diverse plants were recognized and they were identified with the same 

generic label. 

This inclusiveness in the face of such diversity also required greater distinction 

between members of each folk genus. This is especially evident it the category

gănigwalĭ΄skĭ, with three folk varieties of the folk speices gănigwalĭ΄skĭ útana, but the 

varietal level of classification is also present in several of the other categories. The 

index for the intermediate categories (see Table 5.2) pairs the Cherokee species name 

with the botanical species, as the polytypic intermediate categories contain too many 

taxa in each genus to be indexed by folk genus alone. 

Table 5.2. Intermediate Category Index: Botanical Species and Folk Species 


Ageratina aromatica 

Ageritina altissima 

Agrimonia parviflora 

Agrimonia spp. 

Anemone virginiana 

Antennaria 

plantaginifolia 

Antennaria solitaria 

Arctium spp. 

Bidens bipinnata 

Bidens frondosa 

Blephilia ciliata 

Cassia marilandica 

Cassia nictitans 

Chemopodium 

ambrosioides 

Chrysopsis mariana 

Circaea leutiana 

Coreopsis major 

Cucumis melo 

Cynoglossum 

virginianum 

Datura stramonium 

Desmodium canescens 

Desmodium nudiflorum 

Diodia virginiana 

Cherokee Genera and 

Species 

gátatsú‛lĭ egwa 

gatusĕ΄hĭ 

gátatsú‛lĭ-ya 

únistilû΄istĭ uniwásgĭlĭ 

únistilû΄istĭ andayalûgi 

ûnagéĭ tsulátskí 

kâstúta usdí-ga 

kâstúta gatłaski 

únistilû΄istĭ gûnagéĭ 

unastetsĭ 


tsundíwatlúgĭ 


unilû΄tigwinû΄ 

gáw’sûkĭ wâtigéĭ 

adsilû΄skĭ 

ûnagéĭ kûlakwégtiyústĭ 

unastetsĭ 

ûnagéĭ klayuĕ΄hĭ 

gáw’sûkĭ atûkiyústĭ 

kâstúta usatû΄lătû΄ 

únistilû΄istĭ tsuwatéstĭ 

dalâni ganulûhi 

gáw’sûkĭ 

tsâliyústĭ únistilû΄istĭ 

únistilû΄istĭ tsunitsiyástĭ 


sa‛kanigiyústĭ 

ukwalága 

únistilû΄istĭ-yû΄ 

gátatsú‛lĭ elatĕ΄hĭ 

138 


Eupatorium perfoliatum 

Galium pilosum 

Glechoma hederacea 

Gnaphalium spp. 

Hackelia virginiana 

Hedeoma pulegioides 

Helenium autumnale 

Houstonia purpurea 

Hypericum gentianoides 

Hypericum hypericoides 

Hypericum punctatum 

Ionactis linariifolius 

Lespedeza repens 

Lespedeza violacea 

Lobelia amoena 

Lobelia cardinalis 

Lobelia inflata 

Lobelia puberula 

Lobelia spicata 

Lobelia syphilitica 

Mentha piperita 

Mimulus ringens 

Monarda didyma 

Monarda fistulosa 

Phaseolus spp. 

Phlox maculata 

Phlox paniculata 

Pityopsis graminifolia 

Prunella vulgaris 

Pseudognaphalium 

obtusifolium 


Species 

gátatsú‛lĭ gatusĕ΄hĭ 


ganidaáskiyústĭ 

gáw’sûkĭ udûnsínidâ΄ită 

kâstúta usdí-ga 

únistilû΄istĭ tsunsdíga 

gáw’sûkĭ událkĭ 

dalâni ganulûhi 

ganitawaâ΄skĭ usdia 

na‛tsiyústĭ 

gănigwalĭ΄skĭ tsustû΄nĭ 

gănigwalĭ΄skĭ dalânige 

na‛tsiyústĭ gatusĕ΄hĭ 

únistilû΄istĭ tsunsdíga 


tsâliyústĭ sa‛kánigeĭ 

tsâliyústĭ gígagéĭ 

tsâliyústĭ usdíga 

tsâliyústĭ élatígatĭ 

tsâliyústĭ usdíga 

tsâliyústĭ útana 

gáw’sûkĭ amáy-utúhi 

gátatsú‛lĭ aniskutataski 

gáw’sûkĭ gígagéĭ 

adsilû΄skĭ 

gáw’sûkĭ tĕlugéĭ 

unistilû΄istĭ unatsû΄welĭ 



tsunikwitayuwani 

kâstúta selikwayûstĭ 

gátatsú‛lĭ agisti 

kâstúta útana

Table 5.2. Intermediate Category Index: Botanical Species and Folk Species (contd.) 


Pycanthemum incanum 

Pycnanthemum 

muticum 

Pycnanthemum 

tenuifolium 

Rumex spp. 

Salvia officinalis 

Sanicula canadensis 

Scrophularia 

marilandica 

Scutellaria elliptica 

Scutellaria lateriflora 

Silene ovata 

Silene stellata 

Silene virginica 


Species 

gáw’sûkĭ unéga 

gáw’sûkĭ sû΄tlĭ 

Cherokee Intermediate Taxa 

dalâni or dalânige – ‘yellow’ 

gáw’sûkĭ ustitláhĭ 

dalânige unastetsi 

gáw’sûkĭ gûnatláĭ 

únistilû΄istĭ gatusĕ΄hĭ 

gănigwalĭ΄skĭ útana 

gănigwalĭ΄skĭ elatígatĭ 


ganitawaâ΄skĭ útana 

ganitawaâ΄skĭ usdí-ga 

ganitawaâ΄skĭ útana 

139 


Solidago odora 

Stylosanthes biflora 

Symphyotrichum 

concolor 

Trichostema 

dichotomum 

Verbascum thapsus 

Verbesina alternifolia 

Verbesina virginica 

Veronica officinalis 

Xanthium strumarium 


Species 

na‛tsiyústĭ útana 

gănigwalĭ΄skĭ usdí-ga 

kâstúta tĕlugéĭ 

gáw’sûkĭ usdíga 

tsâliyústĭ unĭktû΄tĭ 

gănigwalĭ΄skĭ 

tsulawsútsatĭ 


gănigwalĭ΄skĭ nigâ΄lû 

itsĕ΄hi 


The name for this category is based on the perception of a pronounced yellow 

coloration of a part of the plant, usually the roots, flowers, or, in the case of woody 

species, the inner bark. Two shrubby species, Rhus copallina L. and Xanthorhiza 

simplicissima Marshall, were known as dalâni, suggesting that they were the most 

prototypical members of this category. It is not clear why R. copallina is known as 

dalâni, but it may be due to the color of the early inflorescence. It was also known as 

dalâni goksti (‘yellow, to smoke’) and dalâni kûlágwăiyusti (‘yellow, like red sumac’). 

Xanthorhiza simplicissima is commonly known as yellowroot due to the intensely yellow 

color of the roots. Yellowroot was a common dye plant of the Cherokee, imparting a

persistent yellow color to baskets, masks, etc. Other names for it included dalâni 

amayułtehi (‘yellow, water edge growing’) and dalânige unastetsi (‘yellow roots’). The 

other shrub that could be included in this category is a species of Ilex. Known primarily 

as kolagutłiski (‘it joins the bones’), Olbrechts also recorded the synonyms dalâni ustiga 

(yellow, small), dalâni utana (yellow, large), and dalâni gigage atat‛aski (yellow, red 

fruit). All have been described in the chapter on shrubs. The other plant from the life 

form category encompassing the grasses that was a type of dalâni is Sisyrinchium 

angustifolium Miller. One of the synonyms for this species was dalânige unastetsi 

kaneska (yellow root grass). It will be discussed in the next chapter. Three herbaceous 

species round out the intermediate category of dalâni, and these are discussed below: 

dalâni ganulûhi – ‘yellow, herbaceous’ – Helenium autumnale L. – sneeze-weed 

The yellow flowers provide the basis for the inclusion of H. autumnale in the 

category dalâni. Mooney also recorded it as u‛lâ΄ usdí (‘small sunflower’), indicative of 

its family association, and sûnna dalânige adsilû΄skĭ (‘?, yellow-flowered’). Banks (1953: 

130) provided the only recorded use for this species, finding that the bruised roots of H. 

autumnale were combined with those of Vernonia novboracensis (L.) Michaux and 

made into a cold infusion. This was given to women who had just given birth and this 

would prevent menstruation for two years. At the end of two years they would 

menstruate once and this would signal that they were ready to conceive another child. 

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dalâni ganulûhi gadusí-ehi – ‘yellow, herbaceous, mountain dwelling’ – Coreopsis major 

Walter – greater tickseed 

Mooney also recorded the synonym dalâni adsilû΄skĭ gadusí-ehi (‘mountain 

dwelling yellow flower’) for C. major and pointed out that there were several varieties of 

dalâni adsilû΄skĭ (‘yellow flower’). On one of the two voucher specimens I observed at 

the Smithsonian Institution’s herbarium, Mooney identified Senecio aureus L. as 

dalânige adsilû΄skĭ, but he identified as tsugwalága tigásakwalû΄ (‘round leaves’) in his 

notes and I have discussed it under that heading below. The only other one he named 

was dalâni adsilû΄skĭ tsulaw’sútsatĭ (‘fringed yellow flower’), which is a synonym for 

gûnigwalĭ΄skĭ tsulaw’sútsatĭ (Verbesina alternifolia (L.) Britton ex Kearney). However, 

because Mooney pointed out that this was a type of gûnigwalĭ΄skĭ, this species will be 

discussed in the section dealing with that intermediate category. Olbrechts also 

recorded a plant known as dalâni adsilû΄skĭ, but he was unable to associate it with a 

biological species. He did record the names dalâni unitła and dalâni götłaska for C. 

major, but did not give a gloss for either of the qualifiers he provided. However, all the 

Cherokee synonyms contain the term dalâni, which indicates that this was a prominent 

member of this category. As with the previous species, the name was due to the yellow 

flowers. 

Mooney found that a decoction of the roots was used for bowel complaints and 

vomiting. He wrote that the plant was not dried, but located in winter by the dried tops. 

Olbrechts found that the raw root of C. major was made into a cold infusion and used for 

the condition uniskowldisgöi (‘whenever they have diarrhea’). Banks (1953: 127) 

attributed a similar application to a type of dysentery with a greenish discharge, but only 

141

identified the species as Coreopsis spp. Witthoft (1947) also mentions Coreopsis spp. 

as a plant that was used to obtain a red dye, which would correlate with the common 

name “dye flower” that Mooney noted for C. major. 

dalânige unastetsi – ‘yellow roots’ – Rumex obtusifolius L. – yellow dock, broad-leafed 

dock, Rumex crispus L. – yellow dock, curly leafed dock 

This name was also mentioned for Xanthorhiza simplicissima above, but, as with 

the common name ‘yellow root” in the herbal traditions in the Southern Appalachians, it 

may apply to several botanical species. Rumex obtusifolius does have yellow roots, 

hence its common name “yellow dock”, which it shares with Rumex crispus L. 

Banks (1953: 40) is the only researcher to attribute medicinal qualities to 

dalânige unastetsi, but he identifies it solely as R. crispus. However, the herb diggers in 

the mountains of North Carolina made no distinction between the two when gathering 

herbs for market (Cozzo 1999: 114), referring to both as yellow dock, and I have 

observed R. obtusifolius to occur much more frequently in the North Carolina mountains 

than R. crispus. The two readily hybridize, further limiting the exact identification of the 

species in question (Radford et al. 1968: 405). 

The medicinal applications described by Banks were all attributed to the roots of 

the plant. Root tea was given to pregnant women to facilitate labor and it was given in 

late pregnancy to prevent the loss of blood during childbirth. It was thought to purify the 

blood, especially in the spring when sores were slow to heal, and it was used as a 

laxative. As an ethnoveterinary medicine, yellow dock was given to horses to alleviate 

digestive problems. 

142

gănigwalĭ΄skĭ – ‘it becomes discolored when bruised’ 

Some discrepancy exists with the gloss of gănigwalĭ΄skĭ, even between the notes 

of the researchers and their published materials. In his discussion of gănigwalĭ΄skĭ in his 

notes, Mooney traces the etymology to gănigwă΄lihû΄ (‘it is becoming discolored by 

being bruised’), which stems from unigwû΄la (‘a bruise’). This was said to be due to the 

stalk turning red when bruised. However, in his description in The Sacred Formulas of 

the Cherokees, he said, “the name refers to the red juice which comes out of the stalk 

when bruised or chewed (Mooney 1891: 325).” Olbrechts glossed gănigwalĭ΄skĭ as ‘it 

has become purplish’ in his notes, but changed this to ‘it is like clotted blood’ in The 

Swimmer Manuscript (1932: 126). Witthoft (n.d.: 11) claimed Mooney and Olbrechts 

both published erroneous etymologies for gănigwalĭ΄skĭ, and he glossed it as ‘it is 

bruised’, which is most similar to the gloss in Mooney’s notes and correlates well to his 

etymology. For the purpose of this work, I will use ‘it becomes discolored when bruised’ 

as the gloss for gănigwalĭ΄skĭ and will assume it is due to the change of color on the 

stalk when it is damaged. 

gănigwalĭ΄skĭ dalânige – ‘it becomes discolored when bruised, yellow’ or gănigwalĭ΄skĭ 

klayuĕ΄hĭ – ‘it becomes discolored when bruised, growing in old fields’ – Hypericum 

punctatum Lam. 

The specific qualifier of the first name dalânige (‘yellow’) is due to the color of the 

flowers. Klayuĕ΄hĭ is a combination of klayúhĭ (‘an old neglected field’) and ĕ΄hĭ (‘living’ 

or ‘dwelling’). Gănigwalĭ΄skĭ dalânige was used in combination with three other species 

of gănigwalĭ΄skĭ to promote delayed menstruation and to counteract the effects of 

143

encountering or eating food prepared by a menstruating woman (Mooney 1891: 325). 

The other three species, Scutellaria elliptica (pilosa), Stylosanthes biflora (elatior), and 

Scutellaria lateriflora, will be discussed in individual monographs. 

Olbrechts recorded H. punctatum as gănigwalĭ΄skĭ uniskutati (‘it becomes 

discolored when bruised, with seeds at the top’), probably due to the plant’s having the 

inflorescence in the upper portion of the plant. He found it was used with other plants for 

profuse urination, but he did not name them or the method of preparation. 

gănigwalĭ΄skĭ elatígatĭ – ‘it becomes discolored when bruised, low’ – Scutellaria elliptica 

Muhl. – hairy skullcap 

The specific qualifier elatígatĭ glosses as ‘low’ meaning ‘low growing’, as 

distinguished from inígatĭ (‘high’). Gănigwalĭ΄skĭ elatígatĭ was used in combination with 

three other species of gănigwalĭ΄skĭ to promote delayed menstruation and to counteract 

the effects of encountering or eating food prepared by a menstruating woman (Mooney 

1891: 325). 

gănigwalĭ΄skĭ nigâ΄lû itsĕ΄hi – ‘it becomes discolored when bruised, that is green all the 

time’ – Veronica officinalis L. – common speedwell 

Olbrechts recorded nigâ΄lû itsĕ΄hi as ‘evergreen’, and this quality was part of its 

medicinal value. Veronica officinalis was given in a formula to women about to give 

birth. The belief was that the evergreen quality was transferred to the child and would 

impart long life (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 119). It was also used for unawasti (‘he 

144

gets cold’ or ‘that which chills one’), given to the patient as a separate infusion when 

they felt thirsty from a fever (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 277). 

gănigwalĭ΄skĭ tsulawsútsatĭ – ‘it becomes discolored when bruised, fringed’ – Verbesina 

alternifolia (L.) Britton ex. Kearney – wingstem 

The specific qualifier, tsulawsútsatĭ (’fringed’), is due to the flanges or wings that 

appear on the stems and is the plural form of ulawsútsatĭ (‘fringed’). Mooney also 

recorded synonyms for V. alternifolia, including gănigwalĭ΄skĭ dalânige adsilû΄skĭ (‘it 

becomes discolored when bruised, yellow flowered’), dalânige adsilû΄skĭ tsulawsútsatĭ 

(‘yellow flowered, fringed’), and gănigwalĭ΄skĭ útanŭ ulawsútsatĭ (‘it becomes discolored 

when bruised, large, fringed’). Mooney found that the root was made into a red colored 

infusion that was given after menses; however, it can cause weakness. He also found 

that it was used for a condition he called kayétĭ, a “private” disease he also called 

“whites”. This may have been another name for gonorrhea. 

gănigwalĭ΄skĭ tsustû΄nĭ – ‘it becomes discolored when bruised, that branches out 

immediately upon the ground’ – Hypericum hypericoides (L.) Crantz – St. Andrews 

cross 

The specific qualifier, tsustû΄nĭ (‘that branches out immediately upon the 

ground’), has to do with the habit of H. hypericoides, a small, low growing plant with 

many branches (but see kâstúta útana uyanéna below). Mooney also recorded the 

synonym gănigwalĭ΄skĭ tsuyátûlĭ (plural of uyátûlĭ), which Banks glossed as ‘flat on 

ground’ due to the low growing habit (1953: 87). Mooney also thought that this might be 

145

the plant one of his informants identified as gănigwalĭ΄skĭ uyanéna (‘it becomes 

discolored when bruised, a bunch of). Mooney also said that this was the gănigwalĭ΄skĭ 

nigâ΄lû itsĕ΄hi (evergreen gănigwalĭ΄skĭ) that Swimmer used, but this plant is different 

from the one described in Olbrechts’ notes (see above). Banks found that infants were 

bathed in a warm or cold tea of the roots, which was thought to give them strength and 

hasten their ability to walk. Drinking tea from H. hypericoides was also thought to cause 

a fever to break (1953: 88). Adair mentioned St. Andrew’s cross as one of the plants 

carried by hunters and warriors in case of snakebite (Witthoft 1947). 

gănigwalĭ΄skĭ usdí-ga – ‘it becomes discolored when bruised, small’ – Stylosanthes 

biflora (L.) BSP – pencil flower 

The specific qualifier designates this as the small gănigwalĭ΄skĭ, and this is a low- 

growing species. Mooney also collected the names nugû΄la ganúlûhĭ (‘briar, 

herbaceous’), distaíyĭ usdí-ga (‘they are tough, small’), and astaí-ya unastétsĭ (‘strong or 

tough root’). Nugû΄la is often used as the term for the ceremonial scratching utensils 

and the latter two names are both due to the toughness of the roots. Mooney said S. 

biflora was found on the south side of the mountains. He found that a tea of the leaves 

was used for dysentery and that a tea of the whole plant was used to bathe the body of 

a patient with a fever. The bathing was repeated four times in one night. This was one 

of the four species of gănigwalĭ΄skĭ used to promote delayed menstruation and to 

counteract the effects of encountering or eating food prepared by a menstruating 

woman (Mooney 1891: 325). Banks also added that a hot tea of S. biflora was used for 

menstrual irregularity (1953: 72). 

146

gănigwalĭ΄skĭ útana – ‘it becomes discolored when bruised, large’ – Scutellaria 

lateriflora L. – mad-dog skullcap 

Mooney also recorded the synonyms gănigwalĭ΄skĭ tĕlugéĭ adsilû΄skĭ (‘it becomes 

discolored when bruised, purple flowered’) and gănigwalĭ΄skĭ sa‛kánigeĭ adsilû΄skĭ (‘it 

becomes discolored when bruised, blue flowered’). The flowers of S. lateriflora tend to 

be blue or violet, so this was probably a judgement call by Mooney’s informant. 

Olbrechts also recorded S. lateriflora as gănigwalĭ΄skĭ útanŭ, along with the synonyms 

gănigwalĭ΄skĭ egwa (also ‘it becomes discolored when bruised, large’) and unestala 

útana (‘?, large’). 

Scutellaria lateriflora was used in combination with three other species of 

gănigwalĭ΄skĭ to promote delayed menstruation and to counteract the effects of 

encountering or eating food prepared by a menstruating woman. It was also used alone 

for diarrhea and combined with other unidentified plants for breast pains (Mooney 1891: 

325). It was one of the plants used for the condition known as ut‛igadö (‘to drive out 

afterbirth’) (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 126). 

gănigwalĭ΄skĭ útana uktû΄tĭ – ‘it becomes discolored when bruised, large, having seeds’ 

– Scrophularia marilandica L. – figwort 

Mooney gave no explanation for the gloss of the varietal qualifier and provided 

no information on the medicinal uses for S. marilandica. He did record the synonym 

diyesatiski útana or d. egwa (‘it gets dew on it, large’). 

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gănigwalĭ΄skĭ útana ulawsútsatĭ – ‘it becomes discolored when bruised, large, flanged’ – 

Verbesina virginicus L. 

Mooney glossed the varietal qualifier ulawsútsatĭ as ‘flanged’ for this species, as 

opposed to ‘fringed’ for previous kinds of gănigwalĭ΄skĭ with winged stems (see 

gănigwalĭ΄skĭ tsulawsútsatĭ above). However, this still provides an apt description for the 

papery wing-like structures on the stems of Verbesina. He also recorded the synonym 

unĕ΄stalu unûnsûtă΄, which he roughly glossed as ‘fastened on it’, referring to the same 

papery wings. Mooney wrote the following in his notes, “Used much in warm decoction 

of water for easy childbirth, not common, very useful and very much in demand.” 

Distribution maps indicate that V. virginicus is rare in the mountains of North Carolina 

(Radford et al. 1968: 1119). 

ganitawaâ΄skĭ – ‘it unjoints itself’ 

The name ganitawaâ΄skĭ stems from ganidáaskû΄ (‘it is unjointing itself’). Mooney 

gave the following reason for this name, “the dried stalk in the fall breaks off joint by 

joint, beginning at the top.” This is not a large intermediate category, but there is enough 

internal variation to include it in this section. 

ganitawaâ΄skĭ usdia tĕlugéĭ adsilû΄skĭ – ‘it unjoints itself, small, purple-flowered’ – 

Houstonia purpurea L. 

Mooney merely listed the Cherokee and botanical name for this species (Ms. 

1894), but the Cherokee name and the botanical name are congruent here, purpurea 

and tĕlugéĭ adsilû΄skĭ both being descriptive of the purple flowers of H. purpurea. He 

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also recorded the synonym atsila (‘fire’), but gave no explanation for this name (Ms. 

2235). No medicinal qualities were attributed to this species. 

ganitawaâ΄skĭ usdí-ga – ‘it unjoints itself, small’ – Silene stellata (L.) Aiton – starry 

campion 

Mooney recorded two other synonyms for S. stellata, both of them variations on 

the plant’s physical attributes. Because of its white flowers it was known as 

ganitawaâ΄skĭ usdia unega adsilû΄skĭ (‘it unjoints itself, small, white-flowered’) or simply 

ganitawaâ΄skĭ unega adsilû΄skĭ (‘it unjoints itself, white-flowered’). This was the small 

species, which may reach a height of 1 meter, in contrast with the larger Silene ovata 

Pursh. (see below), which tends to reach a height of up to 1.5 meters (Radford et al. 

1968: 447-448). Mooney reported the only medicinal applications for S. stellata, stating 

that, “the juice is held to be a sovereign remedy for snake bites, and it is even believed 

that the deadliest snake will flee from one who carries a small portion of the root in his 

mouth (Mooney 1900: 426).” In his notes he elaborated on the use of the generic 

ganitawaâ΄skĭ, stating that if one was bitten, the dried root was beaten and made into a 

poultice or rubbed on the bite. It would cure the bite if applied within 24 hours from the 

time of the bite, even if yellow liquid had started to seep from the punctures and the site 

was swollen. He also mentioned that a tea of the roots was drunk all day at short 

intervals for yellow urine. No special diet was required. 

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ganitawaâ΄skĭ útana – ‘it unjoints itself, large’ – Silene virginica L. – fire pink 

It was not explained why this is considered the ‘large’ (útana) species of 

ganitawaâ΄skĭ, as it is smaller than both S. stellata and S. ovata, but both Mooney and 

Olbrechts recorded it as such. It may be due to the size of the flowers, which tend to be 

larger in S. virginica. Mooney also collected the name ahwi kanígĕ usdi (‘deer knee, 

small’), presumably describing the joints of the plant, which resemble the knee area of a 

deer. 

Olbrechts recorded the only medicinal use for S. virginica, finding that the root 

was chewed as a prophylactic to ward off snakebites. However, in case of an actual bite 

the juice from chewing the root was blown onto the spot in a circular motion. The circle 

would be in a counterclockwise direction, symbolizing the uncoiling of the snake and 

countering the effects of the bite. There may be some confusion between this and the 

previous species (see ganitawaâ΄skĭ usdí-ga), or perhaps both were considered 

efficacious for snakebites. 

ganitawaâ΄skĭ útana unega adsilû΄skĭ – ‘it unjoints itself, large, white-flowered’ –Silene 

ovata Pursh. – fringed campion 

This is the larger of the white-flowered species, as opposed to S. stellata (see 

above). Mooney only provided the name (Ms. 2235), no other information is available 

concerning this plant. 

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gátatsú‛lĭ – ‘it has dirt in it’ 

The name for this category stems from gáta (‘dirt’) and tsú‛lĭ (‘it has it inside’), 

which relates to the tendency of the roots to appear dirty after being thoroughly washed. 

Mooney indicated that some of his informants classified the components of gátatsú‛lĭ by 

habitat, while others classified them by size. But he did not record a large and small 

variety of gátatsú‛lĭ, even though he suggested in his notes that they did exist. All 

members of the intermediate category gátatsú‛lĭ are also members of the life form 

ganulû΄hĭ. 

gátatsú‛lĭ – ‘it has dirt in it’ – Phlox maculata ssp. pyramidalis (Smith) Wherry – sweet 

William 

Both Mooney and Banks (1953: 106) recorded this particular botanical species 

as identified by the folk generic gátatsú‛lĭ, but that does not necessarily make it the 

prototypical gátatsú‛lĭ. The following species deserves that distinction. Neither Mooney 

or Banks mentioned the subspecies status, but according to Radford et al. (1968: 873) 

the spp. pyramidalis is the only one in the area under consideration. Banks recorded the 

only medicinal used for P. maculata, finding that the Cherokee would bathe children in 

an infusion of the roots to make them grow larger and fatter. 

gátatsú‛lĭ-ya – ‘true it has dirt in it’ or gátatsú‛lĭ unega adsilû΄skĭ – ‘it has dirt in it, white 

flowers’ – Ageaitina altissima (L.) King & H.E. Robins var. altissima 

The suffix –ya or –yu indicates that this is the “true” or “real” type of gátatsú‛lĭ, or 

the species that is most prototypical of the category. The name gátatsú‛lĭ unega 

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adsilû΄skĭ is also appropriate as this is one of the white-flowered species of Eupatorium 

that is found in the mountains. Mooney indicated that there may be as many as four 

varieties of gátatsú‛lĭ unega adsilû΄skĭ; however, A. altissima is the most prolific of the 

white-flowered species I have encountered in the region. Olbrechts identified gátatsú‛lĭ 

unega adsilû΄skĭ as Eupatorium coelestinum L., but this is a blue-flowered species that 

is not particularly common in the mountains of North Carolina and was an obvious 

misidentification. No medicinal qualities were attributed to A. altissima by Mooney. 

Witthoft (1949), in a discussion of the Green Corn Ceremony, cites a 1818 article 

in the Raleigh Register that quotes then Cherokee Chief Charles Hicks as referring to 

the use of wild horehound as a medicine in the ceremony. While neither man identifies 

the botanical species associated with wild horehound, Mahoney (1847: 227) identifies it 

as Eupatorium pilosum Walter, a species that resembles A. altissima. This species is 

rare in the North Carolina mountains and is predominantly a lowland species (Radford 

et al. 1968: 1059), but it could well be that one of the several species of white-flowered 

Ageratina or Eupatorium that Mooney encountered is the wild horehound mentioned by 

Hicks. In his introduction to the plant, Mahoney states, “The wild horehound is too well 

known to need a description. The leaves are remarkably bitter to the taste. The leaves 

are the part used, and are a valuable laxative bitter tonic.” While Banks (1953: 136) 

discredits this work as inauthentic, Witthoft (n.d.: 215) praises it as, “the most genuine 

and sterling of Indian herbals, and has no parallel in the annals of herbal medicine.” 

Despite the differing opinions of previous researchers, I chose to include this reference 

because it is the only place I have encountered any mention of wild horehound. And if 

A. altissima was known as gátatsú‛lĭ-ya, its place in such an important function as the 

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Green Corn Ceremony would indicate a high degree of cultural salience and would have 

insured it was remembered long after its medicinal uses were forgotten. 

gátatsú‛lĭ agisti – ‘it has dirt in it, to be eaten’ – Prunella vulgaris L. – heal all or self heal 

Olbrechts indicated, as the name states, that this plant was used as a vegetable 

and not for medicine. Mooney, Banks (1953: 112), and Perry (1974: 44) also recorded 

this as an edible green, but Money and Banks also recorded several medicinal uses for 

P. vulgaris. These will be included under the synonym ínatû wasĭtsû΄ below. 

gátatsú‛lĭ aniskutataski (uwetige adsilû΄skĭ) – ‘it has dirt in it, ?, (? flowers)” – Mimulus 

ringens L. 

Mooney did not provide a gloss for aniskutataski or uwetige, but the latter may be 

a form of wâtigeĭ (‘brown’). However, this is difficult to reconcile because the flowers of 

M. ringens are lavender in color. Mooney also recorded uninâyúgi (‘rattles’ or ‘they 

make noise’) as a synonym for gátatsú‛lĭ aniskutataski, due to the rattling of the dried 

seed capsules. No medicinal properties were attributed to M. ringens. 

gátatsú‛lĭ egwa gatusĕ΄hĭ – ‘it has dirt in it, large, mountain dwelling’ – Ageratina 

aromatica (L.) Spach var. aromatica 

Mooney identified this biological species with a question mark, indicating that it 

could be one of several white-flowered species of Eupatorium (several of which are now 

part of the genus Ageratina) commonly found in the mountains of North Carolina. 

Ageratina aromatica is botanically very similar to A. altissima. However, he did discuss 

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another species, Eupatorium perfoliatum L., and recorded its name as gátatsú‛lĭ 

gatusĕ΄hĭ (see below). This would indicate more than one kind of gátatsú‛lĭ gatusĕ΄hĭ in 

the Cherokee classification system. Olbrechts identified gátatsú‛lĭ egwa as a synonym 

for Eupatorium coelestinum L., but this is most likely a misidentification (For a further 

discussion, see gátatsú‛lĭ-ya above). 

gátatsú‛lĭ elatĕ΄hĭ – ‘it has dirt in it, lowland dwelling’ – Diodia virginiana L. 

The lexical qualifier for this folk species stems from elatĭ (‘lowland’) and ĕ΄hĭ 

(‘dwelling’) and it does prefer low, marshy areas (Radford et al. 1968: 979). No 

medicinal qualities were attributed to this species. 

gátatsú‛lĭ geyöĕ΄hĭ – ‘it has dirt in it, grows along the river’ – species unknown 

Olbrechts did not provide the etymology for the specific qualifier for this species 

of gátatsú‛lĭ, but he did give the general gloss. However, he gave no indication of which 

biological species this might be and the qualifier geyöĕ΄hĭ (‘grows along the river’) could 

apply to a wide range of water loving species. But he did indicate that this was used for 

the condition dalânige tsandik‛öça (‘yellow urine’) and two species of Eupatorium, E. 

purpureum and E. coelestinum, are mentioned in one of the formulas. One of these may 

have been gátatsú‛lĭ geyöĕ΄hĭ. The other use Olbrechts recorded was for “dreaming of 

all sorts of things” but he did not elaborate on the condition. 

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gátatsú‛lĭ gatusĕ΄hĭ – ‘it has dirt in it, mountain dwelling’ or gátatsú‛lĭ gûtlûtĕ΄hĭ – ‘it has 

dirt in it, dwelling on the hillside’ – Eupatorium perfoliatum L. – boneset 

The lexical qualifiers for this folk species stem from gatúsi (‘mountain’) and 

gû΄tlûta (‘hillside’) combined with ĕ΄hĭ, a form of éhû (‘it dwells’). As stated above, 

differentiation of Cherokee folk species was often accomplished by a qualifier indicating 

the preferred habitat of the species. These names appear mismatched with E. 

perfoliatum, a species that prefers wetlands and river sides; however, Banks also 

recorded it as gátatsú‛lĭ gatusĕ΄hĭ (1953: 128). Mooney also recorded the synonyms 

tsusalĕtĭ útana, tsusalĕ΄skĭ útana, and kanatlántskĭ. No gloss was provided for 

kanatlántskĭ; however tsusalĕtĭ was glossed in two ways. The primary one that Mooney 

accepted was as ‘it lifts itself up’, the image raised being a person holding up their arms 

and resembling the joined leaves of boneset. The other gloss from Will West Long 

stemmed from tsisălûnyehŭ΄ (‘I am poking it’), as one might poke a stick into a hollow 

log to chase out an animal. A poking stick was known as gasalû΄ntátĭ, the plural of 

which was tsúsălĭ΄tĭ. This latter explanation makes sense in light of two other plants, 

Uvularia perfoliata L. and Triosteum perfoliatum L., that were both recorded as tsusalĕtĭ 

for at least one of their synonyms. As the specific epithet for each suggests, the leaves 

merge around the stem looking as if the leaves are pierced by it. 

Mooney found that the leaves or roots were pounded and made into a warm 

infusion. This was used as a wash for rheumatism and for erysipelas, an inflammatory 

disease of the skin. A decoction of the leaves was also drunk for intestinal worms. The 

plant was dried and stored for winter use. Olbrechts recorded no uses for E. 

perfoliatum, but Banks found that a decoction, steeped for several hours and taken by 

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spoonfuls every hour or two, was used for colds and sore throat. He also found that it 

was used for fevers, flu, and as an emetic. 

gátatsú‛lĭ tsunikwitayuwani – ‘it has dirt in it, no gloss’ – Phlox paniculata L. – summer 

phlox 

Mooney did not provide a gloss for the qualifier for this Cherokee species and it 

has no recorded medicinal uses. 

gáw’sûkĭ – ‘smeller’ or ‘it smells’ 

Mooney wrote the following description of gáw’sûkĭ in his notes, “The Cherokee 

make no distinction between good and bad odors. This is the generic term for all mints 

or spicy scented herbs and also for the muskmelon.” Olbrechts glossed gáw’sûkĭ as ‘the 

smelling (plant)’, but for consistency I will use ‘smeller’ in all glosses. Gáw’sûkĭ is one of 

the larger Cherokee intermediate categories. 

gáw’sûkĭ – ‘smeller’ – Cucumis melo L. – muskmelon 

The Cherokee quickly adopted watermelons from the Spanish (Goodwin 1977: 

58), but there is less information available about muskmelons. As early as 1715, Longe 

observed muskmelons served at “The Feasts of the First Fruits” (Longe 1969: 40). What 

is significant about Mooney’s observation is that muskmelon obtained such a high 

degree of cultural salience as to become the type-specific (Berlin 1972), the prototypical 

or ideal type, for the intermediate category gáw’sûkĭ. It was referred to solely by the 

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primary lexeme gáw’sûkĭ and it appears that the fragrant fruit was the embodiment of 

the qualities inherent in this category. 

gáw’sûkĭ amáy-utúhi – ‘smeller, standing in water’ or gáw’sûkĭ gûnagéĭ – ‘smeller, black’ 

– Mentha piperita L. – peppermint 

There is some confusion here as to which botanical species Mooney collected. It 

was identified by a botanist as Mentha canadensis L., but this species is not known to 

the North Carolina mountains. The species that is most similar to Mentha canadensis is 

Mentha arvensis L., our only native mint (Smith 1998: 143), but one that is rare in North 

Carolina (Radford et al. 1968: 922). I have used Mentha piperita here due to the 

similarity of the names collected by Olbrechts and the probable misidentification by 

Mooney. Olbrechts found M. piperita to be called gáw’sûkĭ amayiĕ΄hĭ (‘smeller, that 

grows near the water’) and gáw’sûkĭ amayi tsuduöi (‘smeller, that is standing near the 

water’), both of which are very similar to the name Mooney recorded. Mentha piperita 

was introduced and quickly established in cool, damp climates and thrives in marshy, 

wet soils. The other name Mooney collected, gáw’sûkĭ gûnagéĭ (‘smeller, black’), was 

due to the dark color of the leaves and stalk. However, even this identification was 

questioned in his notes. He probably provided a specimen without flowers, which would 

make it very difficult to identify the exact species. Banks (1953: 110) reported Mentha 

spicata L. as the species used by the Cherokee, but it is likely both were uses as it is 

quite similar to M. piperita in form and habitat preference. 

Olbrechts’ only recorded use for the mint plant was for a condition known as “the 

heat”, probably a form of fever, for which the leaves of the mint plant were boiled and 

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the decoction poured over the body by hand. Banks found that mint was taken as a cold 

infusion for an upset stomach, for colds, and as a flavoring for food and medicine. 

gáw’sûkĭ atûkiyústĭ – ‘smeller, like lamb’s-quarters’ – Chenopodium ambrosioides L. – 

wormseed 

The specific qualifier for this folk species stems from atûka (lamb’s-quarters, 

Chenopodium album L.) and –iyustĭ (‘like’), indicating both a physical resemblance and 

a botanical relationship at the genus level for the two plants. Olbrechts gathered several 

synonyms for C. ambrosioides, including gáw’sûkĭ adanelönaöĕ΄hĭ, dilaiyústĭ, and 

unidziya tsuni‛istoti (‘it is used to kill worm with’). The gloss for the last one, the only 

gloss he provided, suggests its use for intestinal parasites but he did not specify this 

use. Dila is the Cherokee word for skunk, so dilaiyústĭ, would be ‘skunk-like’, most likely 

referring to the plant’s smell. He did record that it was used for “the heat”, possibly a 

type of fever, by blowing a warm infusion of the leaves over the patient. Both of these 

uses were supported by the findings of Banks (1953: 41). 

Banks recorded three modes of application for C. ambrosioides for the treatment 

of intestinal worms. For hookworms, the stem and leaves were boiled down to a thick 

consistency and given to children in bite size blocks. No water was taken during the 

treatment. For general worm treatment, the tops and roots were pounded and made into 

a hot infusion. No breakfast was eaten, and this infusion was drunk at intervals all 

morning. Another general treatment consisted of the seeds made into a thick syrup and 

added to molasses. The warm root tea was also drunk in winter for fevers and a cold 

tea was used for colds and headaches, taken internally as well as applied to the head. 

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gáw’sûkĭ gígagéĭ adsilû΄skĭ – ‘smeller, red flowered’ – Monarda didyma L. – bee balm 

The name stems from the deep red color of the flowers. Olbrechts recorded two 

uses for M. didyma, both conditions pertaining to blood, which most likely relates to the 

color of the flower. It was used for gigö yandik‛öça (‘urinating blood’) and the root was 

made into an infusion and sniffed up the nose in case of a nosebleed. Banks (1953: 

111) also found it was used for nosebleeds, but also found that a hot infusion of the leaf 

brought out the measles rash when all else failed. 

gáw’sûkĭ gûnatláĭ – ‘tame or cultivated smeller’ – Salvia officinalis L. – sage 

This is the same garden sage so prevalent in Mediterranean cooking. It could not 

naturalize in the mountains of North Carolina, so it must have been propagated in 

Cherokee gardens. The Cherokee attributed no medicinal qualities to S. officinalis. 

gáw’sûkĭ sû΄tlĭ – ‘smeller, bridge’ – Pycnanthemum muticum (Michaux) Persoon – 

mountain mint 

Mooney glossed sû΄tlĭ as ‘bridge’, but stated, “there seems no reason for calling 

the species by such a name.” However, Olbrechts also collected the synonym gáw’sûkĭ 

sötłi tsanose‛öi (‘the smeller which is called “footlog”’) for Blephilia hirsuta (see gáw’sûkĭ 

wâtigéĭ adsilû΄skĭ below). Pycnanthemum muticum favors mesic habitats and could very 

well have been found growing by a bridge or “footlog” over a wet area. Perhaps the 

meaning in this case was associated with a specific location rather than a general 

habitat. 

159

Mooney also collected the synonyms gáw’sûkĭ útana (‘smeller, large’) due to its 

relative size and gáw’sûkĭ sa‛kánigeĭ (‘smeller, blue’) which he claims was due to the 

color of the flowers. But the specific qualifier sa‛kánigeĭ was more likely due to the blue 

cast of the leaves which have a covering of grayish hairs (Smith 1998: 141) than to the 

flowers, which are white with purple spots (Radford et al. 1968: 918). 

No medicinal uses were attributed to this species, but Banks (1953: 112) 

collected uses for the general Pycnanthemum species, and I will include these here as 

this is the first Pycnanthemum mentioned in this section. A poultice of the leaves, as 

with many other species of gáw’sûkĭ, was placed on the head for headaches. A tea of 

the leaves was used for fever and colds, as well as for heart trouble and to wash an 

inflamed penis. 

gáw’sûkĭ tĕlugéĭ (adsilû΄skĭ) – ‘smeller, purple(-flowered)’ – Monarda fistulosa L. – wild 

bergamot 

The name gáw’sûkĭ tĕlugéĭ (adsilû΄skĭ) was due to the head-like clusters of 

purple flowers. Mooney actually recorded it as gáw’sûkĭ tĕlugéĭ but Olbrechts added 

adsilû΄skĭ. Mooney voiced his frustration the number of synonyms for Monarda fistulosa, 

and the inherent variability in folk classification systems, in the following statement: 

As a sample of the worthlessness of Indian specific classification it may be 

stated that this species was designated, under different specimens, as gáw’sûkĭ 

tĕlugéĭ (‘purple smeller’), gáw’sûkĭ tĕlugiyústĭ (‘purplish smeller’), gáw’sûkĭ égwa 

(‘large smeller’), gáw’sûkĭ wâtigéĭ (‘brown smeller’), two or three of these 

160

designations being given by the same man, while another described the 

Pycnanthemum muticum as gáw’sûkĭ útana (‘large smeller’). 

Olbrechts said the medicinal application had been lost, but Banks found that a 

warm poultice of the plant was used as to relieve headaches (1953: 111). 

gáw’sûkĭ událkĭ – ‘smeller, ?’ or gáw’sûkĭ usdíga – ‘smeller, small’ – Hedeoma 

pulgioides (L.) Persoon – pennyroyal 

Mooney did not provide a gloss for událkĭ, but the small size of H. pulgioides 

would explain it being called gáw’sûkĭ usdíga. Banks (1953: 109) provided the only 

medicinal uses, and he found several. The pounded leaves were put in the mouth in 

case of a toothache or placed on the head in case of a headache. An infusion of the 

entire plant was drunk cold for flux and warm for colds, while an infusion of the leaves 

was drunk for fevers. The leaves were also rubbed on the body to repel insects. 

gáw’sûkĭ udûnsínidâ΄ită – ‘smeller, climbing vine on the ground’ or gáw’sûkĭ sökto‛iĕ΄hĭ 

– ‘smeller, growing in apple orchards’ – Glechoma hederacea L. – ground ivy 

Mooney claimed that the first qualifier, udûnsínidâ΄ită, was derived from gălégĭ 

(‘climber’) and ulû΄nta (‘vine’), providing a name very similar to the common name 

ground ivy. Olbrechts provided the second name and this introduced, weedy species 

would have thrived in Cherokee orchards. He also claimed that knowledge of its use 

had been forgotten by the time of his research. However, Banks (9153: 109) found that 

an infusion of it was still used for babies with hives and for measles. 

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gáw’sûkĭ unéga – ‘smeller, white’ – Pycnanthemum incanum (L.) Michaux – hoary 

mountain mint 

Mooney claimed that this species was known as unéga (‘white’) due to the color 

of the flowers, but the white hairs on the leaves give the plant a frosted appearance, 

hence the common name hoary mountain mint. Mooney also recorded the synonym 

gáw’sûkĭ sû΄tlĭ útana (‘smeller, bridge, large’), which is appropriate because P. incanum 

is the largest of the mountain mints that grow in the North Carolina mountains (Radford 

et al. 1968: 919). He also recorded it as simply sû΄tlĭ (‘bridge’), which is relevant to 

another species that was recorded as sûtliyústĭ (‘like sû΄tlĭ’, see below). No medicinal or 

other applications were recorded for P. incanum. 

gáw’sûkĭ usdíga – ‘smeller, small’ or utanita tsugwalagû΄nhi – (no gloss) – Trichostema 

dichotomum L. – blue curls 

Other species have been referred to as the ‘small’ smeller, but this may be a 

misidentification due to T. dichotomum lacking much of an odor. This is one of the non- 

aromatic members of the mint family, Lamiaceae. Without a gloss for utanita 

tsugwalagû΄nhi, it is difficult determining if this name has any correlation to T. 

dichotomum. However, both these names were recorded on a plant label and the 

botanical species identified by the botanist at the Smithsonian Institution, so it may very 

well have been a proper match. No medicinal applications were attributed to this 

species. 

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gáw’sûkĭ ustitláhĭ or gáw’sûkĭ ustitsáhĭ – ‘top-knot smeller’ – Pycnanthemum tenuifolium 

Schrader – narrowleaved mountain mint 

The specific qualifier stems from the resemblance of the flower heads to the 

topknot hairstyle worn by Cherokee men, ustitláhĭ from the upper Cherokee dialect and 

ustitsáhĭ from the middle dialect. Mooney also recorded the synonyms gáw’sûkĭ unéga 

usdí (‘smeller, white, small’) and na‛tsiyústĭ klayuĕ΄hĭ (‘like pine, growing in old fields’). 

The plant is called na‛tsiyústĭ klayuĕ΄hĭ because of the resemblance of the linear leaves 

to pine needles, stemming from nátsĭ (‘pine’) and –iyústĭ (‘like’) and from its preferred 

habitat stemming from klayu΄hĭ (‘an old field’) and ĕ΄hĭ (‘living’ or ‘dwelling’). Mooney 

included a vague reference to its medicinal properties, saying that it was, “used in 

preliminary medicine for general complaints and by others to vomit.” 

gáw’sûkĭ wâtigéĭ adsilû΄skĭ – ‘smeller, brown-flowered’ – Blephilia hirsuta (Prush) 

Bentham 

The flowers of B. hirsuta are white and speckled with purple, but they soon turn 

brown after blooming which may explain the name. Olbrechts recorded this and two 

other synonyms for B. hirsuta, gáw’sûkĭ sa‛kánigeĭ (‘smeller, blue’) and gáw’sûkĭ sötłi 

tsanose‛öi (‘the smeller which is called “footlog”’); however he gave no explanation for 

the names and they may have been due to misidentification or underdifferentiation (see 

gáw’sûkĭ sû΄tlĭ above). He identified the botanical species as Blephilia ciliata (L.) 

Bentham, but this is a piedmont species and not found in the mountains. Assuming it 

was identified correctly to the genus level, the species of Blephilia that does grow in the 

mountains is B. hirsuta. The only medicinal application he recorded was as a remedy for 

163

mumps. Banks (1953: 108) found that the leaves of Blephilia were used as a poultice for 

headaches. 

kâstúta – ‘simulating ashes’ 

Mooney attributes the name of this intermediate category to the ashy appearance 

of the leaves. The name stems from kastû΄ (‘ashes’) and utáhĭ or utĕ΄hĭ (‘pretending to 

be’). All members in this category are in the family Asteraceae. 

kâstúta gatłaski – ‘simulating ashes, ?’ – Antennaria solitaria Rydberg – solitary pussy- 

toes 

Olbrechts did not provide a gloss for the specific qualifier gatłaski and its gloss 

could not be found as a part of any other name. He also recorded the synonyms kâstúta 

tsaninöita and kâstúta unéga ałkodöski, also without glosses. He did; however, record 

several medicinal applications, including its use as part of the remedy for 

unak‛ano‛stisgöi (‘swollen testicles’), for kidney trouble, and for a type of diphtheria 

caused by insect ghosts known as aniyötseni ada‛nöwoti (‘to cure their throat’) (Mooney 

and Olbrechts 1932: 261). 

kâstúta selikwayûstĭ – ‘simulating ashes, like a green snake’ – Pityopsis graminifolia 

(Michx.) Nutt. var. graminifolia – narrowleaf silkgrass 

The specific qualifier selikwayûstĭ stems from selikwáya (‘green snake’) and – 

iyûstĭ, a suffix meaning ‘like’. This was due to the long, blade-like leaves that resembled 

a green snake. Mooney also collected the synonyms kâstúta sa‛kánigeĭ (‘simulating 

164

ashes, blue’), due to the overall appearance of the plant, and kâstúta gûnahita 

(‘simulating ashes, long’), due to the long, slender leaves. No medicinal uses were 

attributed to P. graminifolia. 

kâstúta tĕlugéĭ – ‘simulating ashes, purple’ – Symphyotrichum concolor (L.) Nesom 

The identity of the botanical species here is questionable, as S. concolor is rarely 

encountered in the North Carolina mountains. However, Smith names 29 species of 

Aster in his Wildflowers of the Southern Mountains and includes 

S. concolor (as Aster concolor) as a mountain species (1998: 211). It may be S. 

concolor is the species in question or it could be one of several other species of blue- to 

violet-colored asters that are more common in the region. Asters are a taxonomically 

difficult group and it would be impossible to speculate on this matter without a voucher 

specimen. Mooney also speculated that this could be the kâstúta tĕlugéĭ adsilû΄skĭ 

mentioned by one of his informants, but this could represent several botanical species 

(see kâstúta útana uyanéna below). 

Mooney attributed a fascinating application to kâstúta tĕlugéĭ adsilû΄skĭ and, 

while its identity is questionable, this would appear to be the most appropriate place to 

discuss it. When a warrior prepared for battle, he would place the dried root of kâstúta 

tĕlugéĭ adsilû΄skĭ in his pocket. He would chew the root before entering battle, which 

would cause the bullets of the enemy to hit the ground at his feet, and he would be 

unharmed (Ms 1894). 

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kâstúta usatû΄lătû΄ - ‘simulating ashes, having leaves twisted around the stalk’ – 

Chrysopsis mariana (L.) Ell. 

The specific qualifier usatû΄lătû΄ stems from gátalatû (‘arrow’) and might also be 

glossed as ‘it has itself (to be) an arrow’, as the leaves were considered to resemble 

feathers mounted on an arrow shaft. Mooney also recorded the synonym kâstúta 

dalânige adsilû΄skĭ (‘simulating ashes, yellow-flowered’), the same name he recorded 

for Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium (see kâstúta útana uyanéna below). 

A warm infusion of kâstúta usatû΄lătû΄ was used for what Mooney referred to as a 

“fit”, possibly an epileptic seizure, where the patient had a dark, black appearance and 

their tongue rolled back in their mouth. The patient was scratched all over and washed 

with the infusion. 

kâstúta usdí-ga díyatal tsugwalága – ‘simulating ashes, small, narrow-leaved’ – 

Gnaphalium spp. 

The varietal qualifier, díyatal tsugwalága, stems from díyatal (‘narrow’) and 

tsugwalága, the plural form of ugwalaga (‘leaf’). Mooney did not identify this to species, 

only to the genus level. However, there are only two species of Gnaphalium common to 

the western North Carolina region, and this appears to be the smaller species, 

Gnaphalium purpureum L. (now Gamochaeta purpurea (L.) Cabrera). In his notes, he 

mentioned that this plant was about the same size as Antennaria plantaginifolia, which 

correlates with G. purpureum when both species send up their flowering stalk. Mooney 

also recorded the name kâstúta tsusdí-ga tsugwalága (‘simulating ashes, small- 

leaved’), tsusdí-ga being the plural form of usdí-ga, also calling this Gnaphalium spp. 

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This may be the kâstúta tĕlugéĭ adsilû΄skĭ that Mooney speculated as being other, 

unlikely species (see kâstúta útana uyanéna and kâstúta usdí-ga tigásakwalû΄ 

tsugwalága), as this is a purple-flowered species, but Mooney did not make this 

association. 

kâstúta usdí-ga tigásakwalû΄ tsugwalága - ‘simulating ashes, small, round-leaved’ – 

Antennaria plantaginifolia (L.) Richardson – pussy-toes 

The varietal qualifier tigásakwalû΄ is the plural form of gásakwalû΄ (‘round’), 

which Mooney stresses is circular, not cylindrical, and tsugwalága, which is the plural 

form of ugwalaga (‘leaf’). Mooney said this may be the kâstúta tĕlugéĭ adsilû΄skĭ 

(‘simulating ashes, purple-flowered’) that one of his informants mentioned (see kâstúta 

útana uyanéna below), but this is a white flowered species and that association is highly 

unlikely. In one of his later trips he collected the name tsuyátûli tulawatéstĭ (roughly 

‘growing in patches or bunches, it grows around the white oak tree’). In his description 

he said it grew on wooded mountainsides in rich soil and resembled plantain, but with 

smaller leaves and not so stiff or glossy (Ms. 1894). This is an excellent description of 

the genus Antennaria, and the description of the small leaves would most likely apply to 

the species plantaginifolia. He also recorded the name kâstúta tsuyátûli, but he did not 

associate it with a botanical species. However, this appears to be a composite of other 

names he collected for A. plantaginifolia and he mentioned that the plant was 

evergreen, and the basal leaves of A. plantaginifolia persist for much of the year. 

As a medicinal plant, Mooney found that tsuyátûli tulawatéstĭ was used mainly for 

dental problems. An infusion made by pouring hot water over bruised leaves was drunk 

167

and rubbed on an area afflicted by neuralgia and similar swellings caused by a 

toothache. Another informant told him that the pounded root was rubbed on a sore 

tooth. It was considered a strong, bitter remedy (Ms 1894). As kâstúta tsuyátûli, 

Mooney found it was used for ga‛yedi (‘pain in the back’), the whole plant made into a 

decoction and drunk for 3 to 4 days. 

Banks mentioned different uses for A. plantaginifolia (1953: 126), citing its use as 

a decoction for the summer diarrhea of children and as an infusion to regulate 

excessive menstrual flow. 

kâstúta útana uyanéna – ‘simulating ashes, large, branching’ or kâstúta egwa – 

‘simulating ashes, large’ – Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium (L.) Hilliard & Burtt – rabbit 

tobacco 

There is a discrepancy over the gloss of uyanéna between this plant and 

gănigwalĭ΄skĭ tsustû΄nĭ (see above). Mooney originally glossed tsustû΄nĭ as ‘that 

branches out immediately upon the ground’ and uyanéna as ‘a bunch of’, signifying a 

bunching growth pattern. Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium is an erect plant that often 

branches as it matures, so it would definitely not be described as having a bunching 

growth pattern and the gloss for gănigwalĭ΄skĭ tsustû΄nĭ may be questionable. Other 

synonyms recorded by Mooney include kâstúta dalânige (‘simulating ashes, yellow’), 

kâstúta útana (‘simulating ashes, large’, no varietal qualifier), and tskĭlĭ΄ (‘witch’), due to 

its shining appearance at night. He speculated that this might be the kâstúta tĕlugéĭ 

adsilû΄skĭ (‘simulating ashes, purple-flowered’), but this is an unlikely match (see 

kâstúta tĕlugéĭ above) as the actual flowers are inconspicuous and the conspicuous 

168

papery bracts are whitish. Olbrechts recorded it simply as the folk generic kâstúta, and 

it may be that this was considered the most prototypical member of this category, and 

also as the synonym kâstúta dalânige adsilû΄skĭ (‘simulating ashes, yellow-flowered’). 

Mooney mentions P. obtusifolium (as G. decurrens) in The Sacred Formulas of 

the Cherokees as, “one of their most valuable medicinal plants” used for colds and in a 

medicinal sweat bath (1891: 325). However, he elaborated on the cold remedies in his 

notes and added other applications. For colds, they made a hot infusion of the tops of 

the plants and gave it to the patient. Another cold remedy involved pouring a tea of P. 

obtusifolium over hot stones while the patient covered themselves and the stones with a 

blanket, thereby keeping in the steam so it could be inhaled. The beaten tops were also 

soaked in cold water and used as a styptic. It was reputed to immediately stop blood 

flow and quickly seal the wound. As an aside note, Mooney said the whites down in 

Tennessee used the same plant for dysentery. 

Olbrechts also found that it was used for a condition related to colds known as 

either unisi‛kwaskö (‘when they are coughing’) or utłiyaktanöçi yiki nundiwsköna (‘when 

they have a bad cough’), as well as for a type of diphtheria caused by insect ghosts 

known as aniyötseni ada‛nöwoti (‘to cure their throat’) (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 

261). It was a component of a formula used to scratch patients for a condition known as 

dik‛anugosti nugötlö götoti (‘to be used with a briar to cause it to come out’). The 

medicine man would scratch the patient with a species of cat briar (Smilax glauca 

Walter) and rub a warm infusion of P. obtusifolium and Vicia caroliniana Walter into the 

scratches. This was repeated four times before noon, the patient fasting during the 

treatment, for four consecutive mornings (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 205). 

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na‛tsiyústĭ – ‘like a pine tree’ 

This is a small intermediate category, but it includes a wide variety or botanical 

species. The name stems from na‛tsĭ΄ (‘pine’) and –iyûstĭ (‘like’), usually in reference to 

a plant having linear leaves resembling pine needles. 

na‛tsiyústĭ – ‘like a pine tree’ – Hypericum gentianoides (L.) BSP – pineweed 

Mooney stated the following in his notes, “The English name, “pineweed”, 

conveys the same meaning as the Cherokee name.” Mooney’s comment and lack of a 

qualifier suggests that this is the most prototypical member of the category. No 

medicinal qualities were attributed to H. gentianoides. 

na‛tsiyústĭ gatusĕ΄hĭ – ‘like a pine tree, mountain dwelling’ – Ionactis linariifolius (L.) 

Greene – stiff aster 

The stiff, linear stem leaves resemble a pine branch. The specific qualifier stems 

from gatúsĭ (‘mountain’) and ĕ΄hĭ (‘dwelling’). Mooney recorded two uses for na‛tsiyústĭ 

gatusĕ΄hĭ (Ms. 1894). A decoction of the leaves was used to wash sores and it was 

combined with Hepatica acutiloba DC for diarrhea. Ionactis linariifolius was gathered 

and dried for future use. Banks (1953: 126) also found that the pounded roots were 

soaked in water and sniffed up the nose to eliminate excess mucus. 

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na‛tsiyústĭ klayuĕ΄hĭ – ‘like a pine tree, growing in old fields’- Pycnanthemum 

tenuifolium Schrader 

Klayuĕ΄hĭ is a combination of klayúhĭ (‘an old neglected field’) and ĕ΄hĭ (‘living’ or 

‘dwelling’). This is another species with linear leaves. The medicinal qualities were 

discussed under the synonym gáw’sûkĭ ustitláhĭ (see above). 

na‛tsiyústĭ útana – ‘like a pine tree, large’ – Solidago odora Aiton – sweet goldenrod 

Solidago odor reaches a height of up to 1.5 meters, making it the tallest of the 

na‛tsiyústĭ and deserving of the specific qualifier útana (‘large’). However, it is the least 

pine-like of the category, having leaves that are more lanceolate than linear (Radford et 

al. 1968: 1092). It may be that its anise-like odor reminded the Cherokee of the smell of 

pine and it was not named for solely for its appearance. Mooney did not record any 

uses for S. odora, but did say that it was found in old fields. 

tsâliyústĭ – ‘like tobacco’ 

Tsâliyústĭ is a combination of tsâ΄lâ΄, the Cherokee name for tobacco (Nicotiana 

tobacum L.) and –iyûstĭ (‘like’). Mooney wrote the following about this category of 

plants, “Several other plants – including the Lobelia, mullein, and cardinal flower are 

called tsâliyústĭ (‘like tobacco’), not on account of similar use or general appearance, 

but on account of having a similar flower and seed stalk.” 

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tsâliyústĭ élatígatĭ – ‘like tobacco, low growing’ – Lobelia puberula Michaux – downy 

lobelia 

The specific qualifier élatígatĭ (‘low’) was in reference to its height, not a favored 

habitat. Mooney also collected the synonyms tsâliyústĭ udayéluĕ΄hĭ (‘like tobacco’, no 

gloss) and tsâliyústĭ sa‛kánigeĭ gatusĕ΄hĭ (‘like tobacco, blue, mountain dwelling’). The 

varietal qualifier gatusĕ΄hĭ (‘mountain dwelling’) may have been due the ability of this 

species to survive in drier areas, such as on a mountainside. Some of the larger 

lobelias, such as Lobelia cardinalis and L. siphilitica, are restricted to wet habitats. 

Mooney provided the only medicinal uses for L. puberula. The root was bruised, 

wrapped in a rag, and made into a warm infusion. One drop of this was placed in the 

eye of a patient with cataracts or white scum over the eye. The process was repeated 

as necessary. The same preparation was sniffed up the nose in case of nasal 

congestion due to a cold. He also reported that local whites would place the seeds in 

whiskey and take it for dyspepsia. 

tsâliyústĭ gígagéĭ – ‘like tobacco, red’ – Lobelia cardinalis L. – cardinal flower 

The specific qualifier gígagéĭ (‘red’) is due to the color of the beautiful, blood-red 

flowers. Olbrechts recorded the majority of its medicinal applications, but only its use for 

the condition known either as adansiludoi yune‛istanelö (‘trailing along, if there is pain in 

different places’) or unestanelidoloçöi or uneistaneo gananugotsidoi (‘when they have 

pains all over their body’) was published (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 216). He 

recorded several uses of L. cardinalis for related conditions including aniskina 

göwani‛tsö istöi (‘when they have been made sick by dead persons’), aniskina 

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uniyaktanöçi (‘ghosts have changed (the condition of the patient)’), ayeligogi 

uniyelö‛nöçi (‘they have made it like it’), and gegane‛sagöçi (‘they have it caused by 

plotters’). It was also included in two formulas for gigö yandik‛öça (‘urinating blood’) and, 

combined with Galium lanceolatum, for bleeding from both nostrils. This association 

with conditions that that included the presence of blood was most likely due to a 

correlation of the red flowers to the red color of blood. Banks (1953: 123) also found that 

L. cardinalis was used to stop nose bleeds, but he found that a cold infusion of the roots 

and leaves were snorted up the nose, and that L. cardinalis was often combined with L. 

siphilitica for this purpose. He was also told that a decoction of the leaves was drunk to 

reduce fevers. 

tsâliyústĭ sa‛kánigeĭ – ‘like tobacco, blue’ – Lobelia amoena Michaux 

Mooney only provided the Cherokee and botanical names for L. amoena. The 

specific qualifier, sa‛kánigeĭ (‘blue’), was most likely due to the violet to blue color of the 

flowers (Radford et al. 1968: 1007) and not to the overall appearance of the plant (see 

tsâliyústĭ unĭktû΄tĭ below). No other information is available for this plant. 

tsâliyústĭ unĭktû΄tĭ – ‘like tobacco, downy’ or tsâliyústĭ sa‛kánigeĭ – ‘like tobacco, blue’ – 

Verbascum thapsus L. – mullein 

The qualifier unĭktû΄tĭ (‘downy’) is due to the dense covering of pubescence on 

the leaves, while sa‛kánigeĭ (‘blue’) is due to the overall appearance of the leaves, 

which the Cherokee considered to be a bluish color due to the pubescence. The latter 

was not due to flower color as with the lobelias. Mooney may have gathered as many 

173

synonyms as he had informants for V. thapsus. One called it tsâliyústĭ dalânige (‘like 

tobacco, yellow’) because of its yellow flowers. It was occasionally referred to as 

tsâliyústĭ egwa (‘like tobacco, large’) as it is the largest of the tsâliyústĭ, and 

tsúskwanû΄nĭ (‘blanket’) due to the fuzzy appearance of the leaves. Another name, 

referring specifically to the seeds, was tsâliyústĭ unikw‛téna or just unikw‛téna, which 

stems from unĭ΄ktûtĭ (‘having seeds or seedy’). This would relate to the massive spikes 

of seed heads that are prevalent in the fall, each plant producing an enormous amount 

of tiny seeds. 

Olbrechts added several more synonyms for V. thapsus. He found it was called 

tsâliyústĭ tsunikwtayuwani (‘like tobacco, it is hairy’), tsâliyústĭ unikwtali (‘like tobacco’, 

no gloss), and tsuskwanöwoti. Although he did not gloss tsuskwanöwoti, it appears to 

be formed by a combination of tsúskwanû΄nĭ (‘blanket’) and wâ΄ti, a shortened form of 

wâtigéĭ (‘brown’). This could easily be a descriptive term for the dried leaves. 

Mooney recorded two uses for mullein, the first involving a poultice of the bruised 

leaves, sometimes with the root added, used to bring down swelling. The poultice was 

placed on the swollen area at night and changed in the morning. This was repeated four 

times if necessary. Dried mullein was also stored for later use. A decoction of the roots 

was also drunk to aid with prolonged menses. The patient would fast all day on the first 

day, until dinner on the second, until mid-morning on the third, and not at all on the 

fourth day. The first year rosettes could be harvested through the winter as needed. 

Olbrechts found it was also used for swellings, especially swelling of the testicles 

(possibly unak‛onçö – no gloss) and of the neck. As mentioned under 

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tsâliyústĭ gígagéĭ, it was used for the condition adansiludoi yune‛istanelö (trailing along, 

if there is pain in different places’) (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 216) and also as a 

poultice for the condition aniyötseni ada‛nöwoti (‘to cure their throat’). For the latter, the 

leaves were pounded in warm water and the infusion placed on the patient’s throat by 

the medicine man (Money and Olbrechts 1932: 255). He also found mullein was applied 

to the rheumatic condition didölesgi (‘the crippler’). 

Banks found that an infusion of the roots was used for swollen glands, kidney 

problems, water retention in the legs, and for “female trouble”, while the leaves were 

rubbed on the armpits for prickly rash. A decoction of the roots was taken for coughs 

and the decocted leaves were mixed with brown sugar or honey and used as a cough 

syrup. Like Mooney, he found that a poultice of the dried leaves, shredded and soaked 

in warm water, would take the swelling out of a sore. And an infusion of the leaves was 

drunk after a miscarriage (Banks 1953: 117-118). 

tsâliyústĭ únistilû΄istĭ – ‘like tobacco, they stick flat to a hairy substance’ – Cynoglossum 

virginianum L. – wild comfrey 

The specific qualifier únistilû΄istĭ (‘they stick flat to a hairy substance’) is in 

reference to the seeds and, as Mooney pointed out, “is a generic term for all burs.” Most 

of the synonyms for this species are classified as a type of únistilû΄istĭ, which will be 

discussed as an intermediate category below, and it is only mentioned here to 

demonstrate the flexibility of the Cherokee system. This is one of the few examples of a 

plant that embodies the qualities inherent in two intermediate categories. The medicinal 

qualities will also be discussed in the section concerning the category únistilû΄istĭ. 

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tsâliyústĭ usdíga – ‘like tobacco, small’ – Lobelia inflata L. – Indian tobacco 

The etymology of the Cherokee name here is self-explanatory, this being one of 

the smaller species of Lobelia. Mooney mentioned it in The Sacred Formulas of the 

Cherokees and stated that it was used with old tobacco, Nicotiana rustica L., to counter 

sicknesses sent by friends or rival conjurers to test the knowledge of a medicine man 

(Mooney 1891: 369). The whole blossoms or an infusion of the blossoms of N. rustica, 

Cicuta maculata, and L. inflata were held in the mouth of the medicine man while he 

sucked the afflicted area. The fluid was spit into a bowl and an offending object, such 

as a stick, pebble, or insect, was located in the liquid. 

In his notes, Mooney mentioned two other uses for L. inflata, both from imbibing 

a decoction of the pounded leaves and roots for an emetic effect. Emesis was 

considered beneficial for fluid retention known as dropsy and for when the saliva was 

spoiled by a conjurer, the act of vomiting eliminating the spoiled saliva. This was one of 

several plants that Mooney found were dried and stored for future use (Ms. 1894). 

tsâliyústĭ usdíga gatusĕ΄hĭ – ‘like tobacco, small, mountain dwelling’ – Lobelia spicata 

Lam. 

Lobelia spicata is commonly found in mountain meadows and woodlands, so it 

was appropriately labeled with the varietal qualifier gatusĕ΄hĭ (‘mountain dwelling’). 

Olbrechts also collected the names tsâliyústĭ tĕlugéĭ adsilû΄skĭ (‘like tobacco, purple- 

flowered’) and tsâliyústĭ sa‛kánigeĭ adsilû΄skĭ (‘like tobacco, blue-flowered’). The flowers 

of L. spicata range from blue lavender or bluish-white (Radford et al. 1968: 178). 

176

Mooney made no mention of L. spicata in his publications or in his notes, so the 

only extant references come from Olbrechts. He found that this was one of the plants 

used to overcome conditions caused by ghosts such as aniskina göwani‛tsö istöi (‘when 

they have been made sick by dead persons’) and aniskina uniyaktanöçi (‘ghosts have 

changed (the condition of the patient)’). Similar conditions, caused by human agents, 

had L. spicata in their formulas such as ayeligogi uniyelö‛nöçi (‘they have made it like it’) 

and gegane‛sagöçi (‘they have it caused by plotters’). It was a component in one of the 

many formulas for unawasti egwa (‘big chill’) and pain in the stomach area known as 

uniyelo‛iselöi (‘pain about’). His only published report of its use was for a condition 

typified by temporary bouts of violent trembling and, in severe cases, paralysis. The 

patient was scratched over the seat of the pain and a cold infusion of L. spicata was 

prepared in a small gourd and is blown on the scratched area (Mooney and Olbrechts 

1932: 226). 

tsâliyústĭ útana – ‘like tobacco, large’ or tsâliyústĭ klawátuĕ΄hĭ –‘like tobacco, growing in 

mud’ – Lobelia siphilitica L. – great lobelia 

As the common name suggests, this is one of the largest species of Lobelia and 

indicates the source of the specific qualifier útana (‘large’). It also favors wet areas, 

indicating the incentive for the second name klawátuĕ΄hĭ, which stems from klawátu 

(‘mud’) and ĕ΄hĭ (‘dwelling or living’). Olbrechts makes little mention of L. siphilitica, 

misidentifying it in his notes as tsâliyústĭ gígagéĭ adsilû΄skĭ (‘like tobacco, red-flowered’), 

the name associated with and more appropriate for L. cardinalis. He also mentions it 

once in his notes, recording its use with L. cardinalis for the affliction by ghosts known 

177

as aniskina göwani‛tsö istöi (‘when they have been made sick by dead persons’), so he 

was obviously aware of the difference. This awareness did not translate into his notes. 

Mooney only recorded one use for L. siphilitica, finding that it was used in 

conjunction with L. inflata as an emetic. Banks found the greatest number and wide 

range of applications for L. siphilitica (1953: 123). A cold infusion of the roots of the 

great lobelia and L. cardinalis was sniffed into the nose to stop nosebleeds while a 

poultice of the roots was used to reduce swelling. A warm infusion of the leaves was 

drunk as a cold remedy and a poultice of the crushed leaves was used for headaches. 

únistilû΄istĭ – ‘they stick flat to a hairy substance’ 

Mooney stated that this was the, “generic name for all burs. The name implies 

that they attach themselves to hairy substances, such as cloth, wool, or hides of 

animals, flat, i.e. along the whole surface.” The name stems from askilû΄isti (‘it is 

sticking to me’). These plants developed a seed dispersal system that involved 

attachment to a member of the more motile animal kingdom. Walk through a field or the 

border of a woodland in the Southern Appalachians in the late summer or fall and you 

will find an assortment of these hitchhikers on your pant legs, socks, or shoe laces. This 

is easily the largest and most diverse of the Cherokee intermediate categories. 

As a group, the únistilû΄istĭ had a specific medicinal application. When a novitiate 

was preparing to become a medicine man, it was essential that he remember the 

knowledge that was being imparted to him. A decoction of the únistilû΄istĭ, used singly or 

in combination, was drunk to aid in the process of memory retention, memories sticking 

just as the burs stick to a hairy substance (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 101). 

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únistilû΄istĭ-yû΄ - ‘the true they stick flat to a hairy substance’ – Desmodium nudiflorum 

(L.) DC – tick trefoil 

The prolific, triangular, flat burs of D. nudiflorum, which inspired the common 

name tick trefoil, distinguish it as the “true” únistilû΄istĭ, or that species which best 

typifies the category. Mooney also collected the synonyms únistilû΄istĭ aniya‛téna (‘they 

stick flat to a hairy substance, flat’) and únistilû΄istĭ tuyayúnstĭ (‘they stick flat to a hairy 

substance, bean-like’). The specific qualifier aniya‛téna is the plural form of aya‛téna 

(‘broad’ or ‘flat’) and tuyayúnstĭ stems from túya (‘pea’ or ‘bean’) and iyúnsti, the plural 

form of the suffix –iyûstĭ (‘like’). This refers to the resemblance of the blossoms and 

pods of D. nudiflorum to those of beans and peas, and this is appropriate because all 

are members of the family Fabaceae. 

The medicinal qualities attributed to D. nudiflorum were provided by Banks 

(1953: 71), who found that bathing in a tea of the roots was believed to ease cramps. 

Also, a decoction of D. nudiflorum and any other únistilû΄istĭ that were encountered was 

drunk in large quantities and regurgitated to improve a bad memory. This was repeated 

every four days. The symbolism evident here would suggest that the sticky burs would 

help memories “stick” with the patient, much as the water from the pitcher plant 

(Sarracenia purpurea L.), a carnivorous plant that traps insects, helps the patient “trap” 

their memories (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 101). 

únistilû΄istĭ – ‘they stick flat to a hairy substance’ – Xanthium strumarium L. – cocklebur 

Olbrechts recorded the folk generic únistilû΄istĭ for the cocklebur. The impression 

here is that, even though Desmodium nudiflorum is the “true” únistilû΄istĭ, X. strumarium 

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embodied sufficient prototypical qualities to be referred to solely by the folk generic. 

However, Mooney might have disagreed, as he recorded the names únistilû΄istĭ 

uniyâ΄natĭ (‘they stick flat to a hairy substance, horned or prickly’), and únistilû΄istĭ 

tsunitsiyástĭ tsunsdí-ga (‘they stick flat to a hairy substance, piercing, small’). The first 

specific qualifier, uniyâ΄natĭ (‘having long branches or spikes’) is due to the hook-like 

spines surrounding the seeds. These are also the reason this is an efficient únistilû΄istĭ, 

the hooks making it difficult to remove the bur from animal fur. The specific qualifier 

tsunitsiyástĭ (‘they pierce or prick’) is a form of tsiyásayáû΄ (‘I prick or pierce’) and 

tsunsdí-ga is the plural form of usdíga (‘small’). 

Olbrechts’ only recorded application for X. strumarium was for itching, but he did 

not elaborate on the condition or the remedy. Banks, however, recorded several 

medicinal applications (1953: 133-134). A tea of the roots was used for cramps and a 

large swallow of the same tea would dislodge a fish bone or other object that was stuck 

in the throat. A tea of the roots was used as an emetic for those with an upset stomach 

and the chewed roots were used on rattlesnake bites. If a child was fearful when a 

person was in their presence, that person could take a bur from X. strumarium and 

touch their forehead, then that of the child. The child would then want to cling to the 

person just as the bur clings to things. Also, when the top bur matured, it was 

considered a sign that it was near the time of the first frost. 

únistilû΄istĭ andayalûgi – ‘they stick flat to a hairy substance, ?’ – Agrimonium spp. 

Mooney identified this species as Agrimonium incisa C&G (Ms 2235), but this 

species is not known to be found in or near the North Carolina mountains (Radford et al. 

180

1968: 547). It may be one of several species that are found in the mountains, but 

probably not A. parviflora, which is discussed below. He did not provide a gloss for 

andayalûgi. No medicinal properties were attributed to this species. 

únistilû΄istĭ ganidaáskiyústĭ tsúntana – ‘they stick flat to a hairy substance, like 

ganitawaâ΄skĭ, large’ – Galium pilosum Aiton - bedstraw 

The root of the specific qualifier ganidaáskiyústĭ (‘like it unjoints itself) is the 

name for the intermediate category ganitawaâ΄skĭ (‘it unjoints itself’). The combination of 

two perceptual qualities, bur-like seeds and disarticulating joints, resulted in this name 

which included two intermediate categories. The varietal qualifier tsúntana, the plural of 

úntana (‘large’), suggests that there was a small variety, and this is one of the 

synonyms recorded for únistilû΄istĭ tsunsdíga below. No medicinal qualities were 

attributed to G. pilosum. 

únistilû΄istĭ gûnagéĭ unastetsĭ – ‘they stick flat to a hairy substance, black root’ – Arctium 

spp. – burdock 

The identification of this biological species is purely speculative on my part. 

Mooney referred to the plant in his notes as being, “described as having large burs and 

large leaves like tobacco”, indicating that he did not see it and did not collect a 

specimen. But this description, along with the specific qualifier gûnagéĭ unastetsĭ (‘black 

root’), led me to believe that this could be a species of Arctium, which do have very dark 

roots. No mention of its use was recorded. 

181

únistilû΄istĭ gatusĕ΄hĭ – ‘they stick flat to a hairy substance, mountain dwelling’ – 

Sanicula canadensis L. – sanicle 

Mooney only provided the Cherokee and botanical name for this species ((Ms. 

2235). Banks (1953: 95) gave a general use for Sanicula spp., finding it was used for 

stomach troubles and colic. 

únistilû΄istĭ sa‛kanigiyústĭ ukwalága – ‘they stick flat to a hairy substance, bluish leaved’ 

– Desmodium canescens (L.) DC – hoary tick trefoil 

The specific qualifier stems from sa‛kánigeĭ (‘blue’) and –iyûstĭ (‘like’) modifying 

ukwalága (‘leaf’). The Cherokee name, the common name, and the botanical name are 

all descriptive of D. canescens, as the leaves have a covering of dense, grayish hairs. 

Plants with this feature are referred to as canescent, and this is what gives the plant a 

bluish or hoary appearance. No specific uses were attributed to D. canescens. 

únistilû΄istĭ tsundíwatlúgĭ – ‘they stick flat to a hairy substance, swallowtailed’ – Bidens 

frondosa L. – Spanish needles 

Mooney recorded two forms of the specific qualifier, tsundíwatlúgĭ from the Upper 

Cherokee dialect and tsundigwántsgĭ from the Middle Cherokee dialect. Both stem from 

the plural form of udígwantlgĭ (‘it is pronged or swallowtailed’), due to the forked barbs 

on the end of the seeds. 

Olbrechts recorded B. frondosa as únistilû΄istĭ tlâgesĕ΄hĭ (‘they stick flat to a hairy 

substance, growing in fields’). The specific qualifier tlâgesĕ΄hĭ (‘growing in fields’) stems 

from klagésĭ (‘field’), but the difference in spelling was not explained by Mooney or 

Olbrechts. No further information was available for B. frondosa. 

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únistilû΄istĭ tsunitsiyástĭ tsúntana - ‘they stick flat to a hairy substance, prickly, large’ – 

Datura stramonium L. – jimson weed 

This is the Cherokee “large” counterpart to Xanthium strumarium, known to the 

Cherokee as únistilû΄istĭ tsunitsiyástĭ tsunsdí-ga (‘they stick flat to a hairy substance, 

piercing, small’) (see únistilû΄istĭ above). The specific qualifier tsunitsiyástĭ (‘they pierce 

or prick’) is a form of tsiyásayáû΄ (‘I prick or pierce’) and the varietal qualifier, tsúntana, 

is the plural form of útana (‘large’). This is due to the size of the seedpods, the spiny 

capsules of D. stramonium being significantly larger than the heads of X. strumarium. 

Banks provided the only medicinal uses for D. stramonium, finding that the dried 

leaves were used for asthma and the wilted leaves were used as a poultice on boils. 

únistilû΄istĭ tsunsdíga – ‘they stick flat to a hairy substance, small’ or únistilû΄istĭ 

ganidaáskiyústĭ tsunsdíga – ‘they stick flat to a hairy substance, like ganitawaâ΄skĭ, 

small’ – Lespedeza repens (L.) Barton – bush clover 

Mooney simply stated that this was the ‘small u.’ or the ‘u. like ganitawaâ΄skĭ, 

small’. The second qualifier was already discussed under únistilû΄istĭ ganidaáskiyústĭ 

tsúntana above. No further information is available on the Cherokee relationship to this 

plant. 

únistilû΄istĭ tsunsdíga únatĭ – ‘they stick flat to a hairy substance, small, attached’ – 

Hackelia virginiana (L.) I. M. Johnson – beggar’s lice or Cynoglossum virginianum L. – 

wild comfrey 

Identification of the botanical species associated with únistilû΄istĭ tsunsdíga únatĭ 

is difficult due to lack of congruence between the notes of Mooney and Olbrechts and 

183

the number of synonyms that were collected. Mooney does not mention C. virginianum 

at all, only discussing H. virginiana, and Olbrechts only mentions H. virginiana in The 

Swimmer Manuscript (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 174). Mooney also collected the 

synonym kanatsístaga ugatsalagisti, but gave no gloss for this name. Both collected the 

name únistilû΄istĭ tsunsdíga únatĭ, but only Mooney discussed its etymology. The 

qualifier únatĭ glosses as ‘they are attached’ and tsunsdíga is the plural of usdíga 

(‘small’), the plural form indicating that this was in reference to the seeds. 

According to Mooney, the H. virginiana was used for cancer, the dry root burned 

and the ash mixed with bear grease to make an ointment. The ointment was spread on 

the cancerous lesion, followed by sprinkling some of the pulverized dry root on top of 

the ointment. The plant was harvested in the summer because it had to be harvested by 

being pulled up by the top. There was a taboo against digging the roots. It was then 

dried for future use. Mooney also found that the plant was used for kidney troubles that 

included whitish (or milky) urine. It was boiled down four times until it became a thick 

syrup and was drunk for four days while abstaining from salt. 

Olbrechts mentions both botanical species in his published work (Mooney and 

Olbrechts 1932: 174), identifying H. virginiana (cited as Lappula virginiana) as 

únistilû΄istĭ egwa (‘large u.’) and C. virginianum as únistilû΄istĭ usdíga (‘small u.’). 

However, he does not mention H. virginiana in his notes and describes C. virginianum in 

two places. His process of identification for botanical species is not as transparent as 

Mooney’s and it is impossible to discern if the inconsistencies for species reported in his 

notes were intentional or misidentifications. Besides the synonym tsâliyústĭ únistilû΄istĭ 

(‘like tobacco, they stick flat to a hairy substance’) that was discussed above, he found 

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that C. virginianum was called únistilû΄istĭ gûnagéĭ (‘u., black’), únistilû΄istĭ usdíga 

(‘small u.’), and únistilû΄istĭ gûnagéĭ unastetsĭ (‘u., black roots’). 

Olbrechts recorded several applications for Cherokee ethnomedical conditions 

for wild comfrey including duletsi (‘kernels’), gat‛esgeni u‛tsöya (‘his spine aches’), and 

unödi tsandik‛uça (‘they urinate all milk’). It was also used for tsuniyotogia (‘when they 

itch’), the only published account of an application for this plant by Olbrechts (Mooney 

and Olbrechts 1932: 174). Olbrechts also recorded that the ashes of the burned, 

pounded root spread over all kinds of sores, very much the same as Mooney’s finding. 

Banks recorded that C. virginianum was one of the alternate plants used by Will 

West Long in his version of the Green Corn Ceremony (1953:155). He also found that 

the root was used for cancer and it was one of the únistilû΄istĭ described above used to 

improve memory (1953: 107). 

únistilû΄istĭ tsuwatéstĭ – ‘they stick flat to a hairy substance, it grows around the stalk’ – 

Circaea lutetiana spp. canadensis (L.) Ascherson & Magnus – enchanter’s nightshade 

Mooney did not explain the specific qualifier tsuwatéstĭ (‘it grows around the 

stalk’), but it could possibly be due to the manner in which the flowers tend to open and 

mature in a spiral pattern on the stalk. No further information was available on the 

Cherokee association with this species. 

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únistilû΄istĭ unati usdi – ‘they stick flat to a hairy substance, attached, small’ – 

Lespedeza violacea (L.) Persoon 

The Cherokee name is a rearrangement of únistilû΄istĭ tsunsdíga únatĭ above and 

most likely has the same meaning, a reference to small, bur-like seeds. The species of 

Lespedeza identified here is questionable as this species is not found in the mountains 

of North Carolina (Radford et al. 1968: 615). It is probably another one of several 

species of Lespedeza that are common to the region. However, it was mentioned in a 

list of Cherokee names paired with biological species (Ms. 2235), therefore it warranted 

inclusion in this section. 

unistilû΄istĭ unatsû΄welĭ – ‘they stick flat to a hairy substance, they stand up along side 

the stalk’ or únistilû΄istĭ unadéhyată – ‘they stick flat to a hairy substance, they surround 

the stalk’ – Phaseolus vulgaris L. – kidney bean 

The specific qualifiers unatsû΄welĭ (‘they stand up along side the stalk’) and 

unadéhyată (‘they surround the stalk’) must refer to the bean pods, although I am not 

sure if the pods of kidney beans stick to clothing more so than the pods of other beans. 

However, the generic term for beans is túya, so beans in general will be discussed 

under that heading. Unatsû΄welĭ and unadéhyată are the plural forms of utsû΄welĭ (‘it 

stands up along side the stalk’) and uwadéhyată (‘it surrounds the stalk’), respectively. 

186

únistilû΄istĭ unilû΄tigwinû΄ - ‘they stick flat to a hairy substance, cylindrical’ – Bidens 

bipinnata L. – Spanish needles 

The specific qualifier unilû΄tigwinû΄ is the plural form of galû΄tigwinû΄ 

(‘cylindrical’). The seeds of B. bipinnata are slender and cylindrical, quite different from 

the double pronged, flattened seed of its sister species, B. frondosa (see únistilû΄istĭ 

tsundíwatlúgĭ – ‘they stick flat to a hairy substance, swallowtailed’). No Cherokee 

applications were attributed to B. bipinnata. 

únistilû΄istĭ uniwásgĭlĭ – ‘they stick flat to a hairy substance, velvety’ – Agrimonia 

parviflora Aiton – agrimony 

The specific qualifier uniwásgĭlĭ (‘velvety’) is the plural form of uwásgĭlĭ (‘it is soft, 

downy, or velvety’) and relates to the pubescent underside of the leaf. Mooney also 

collected the synonym únistilû΄istĭ igâ΄tenĕ΄hĭ (‘swamp growing u.’), stemming from 

igâ΄tĭ (‘swamp’) and anĕ΄hĭ, the plural of ĕ΄hĭ (‘living’ or ‘dwelling’). Agrimonia parviflora 

is known to favor river bottoms and marshy habitats (Radford et al. 1968: 547). 

Mooney and Olbrechts also collected the lexically unrelated synonym 

kanatsístaga (no gloss) for Agrimonia, Money calling A. parviflora kanatsístaga útana 

(‘k., large’) and Olbrechts calling it kanatsístaga gûtlûtĕ΄hĭ (‘k., dwelling on the hillside’). 

Mooney identified kanatsístaga usdíga as Agrimonia stricta Michx., but this is a northern 

species not found in the North Carolina mountains. This could possible be one of the 

smaller species of Agrimonia, such as Agrimonia gryposepala Wallroth or Agrimonia 

pubescens Wallroth, that are common to the region. Olbrechts also claimed that the 

roots of A. parviflora had a special name and were referred to as kanatsístaga usdíga 

187

gûtlûtĕ΄hĭ (‘k., small, dwelling on the hillside’). These roots were used specifically for 

diarrhea, but his notes indicate that this specificity only applied to the condition 

uniskowldisgöi uyönskilötiiyusti (‘when they have diarrhea and discharge light colored 

feces'). 

Medicinally, Olbrechts found that A. parviflora was used for diarrhea and to 

relieve coughs. Besides the diarrheal condition mentioned above, he also reported it 

used for general diarrhea known as uniskowldisgöi (‘whenever they have diarrhea’). As 

a cough remedy it was applied to utłiyaktanöçi yiki nundiwsköna (‘when they have a bad 

cough’) and unisi‛kwaskö (‘when they are coughing’). Banks also found it was used for 

bowel troubles, but he also found that it was given to children to alleviate hunger pangs 

in times of food shortage (1953: 60). 

ûnagéĭ – ‘black’ 

Mooney discussed the category ûnagéĭ in the following manner, “Ûnagéĭ (‘black’) 

is the name applied to a number of species on account of the black color of some part 

of the plant – root, bark, or leaf. Besides the balsam tree, informants gave 5 varieties of 

ûnagéĭ.” The balsam is a woody species and was discussed in the chapter on trees 

under the heading ûnagéĭ (Abies fraseri (Pursh) Poiret). The herbaceous species are 

discussed below. 

ûnagéĭ – ‘black’ – Agrimonia spp. 

The genus Agrimonia has been discussed above (see únistilû΄istĭ uniwásgĭlĭ), but 

is included here because Mooney found ûnagéĭ was a general term used for these 

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plants. The reference had to do with the color of the roots. Mooney also recorded 

Cassia marilandica L. as ûnagéĭ in The Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees (1891: 325), 

but identified it with modifiers in his notes (see ûnagéĭ kûlakwégtiyústĭ unastetsĭ below). 

ûnagéĭ ătă΄ kûlakwégtiyústĭ – ‘woody black , like black locust’ – no species identified 

The etymology of the name stems from ătă΄ (‘wood’) and kûlakwégtiyústĭ (‘like 

black locust’), a combination of kûlākwégti (‘black locust’, see chapter on trees) and 

iyústĭ (suffix glossing as ‘like’ or ‘as’). The qualifier kûlakwégtiyústĭ is due to the 

structure of the leaves, which closely resemble those of black locust. Mooney named 

two species in his notes as kûlakwégtiyústĭ, Cassia marilandica L. and Amorpha 

fruticosa L.; however, of the two, only A. fruticosa is woody. I have viewed Amorpha in 

the field and thought I was encountering a young black locust. Also, Mooney identified 

the following Cherokee species in this series as C. marilandica, suggesting that this is a 

different species. But in the description in his notes he said that ûnagéĭ ătă΄ 

kûlakwégtiyústĭ was around four feet tall with yellow flowers and was the tallest variety 

of ûnagéĭ. Amorpha fruticosa, while growing taller than C. marilandica, has purple 

flowers. Olbrechts identified C. marilandica as kûlakwégtiyústĭ among other names (see 

below) but does not mention Amorpha. Therefore, the botanical species here remains 

illusive. In a side note, Mooney said that the roots of kûlakwégtiyústĭ were pounded and 

soaked in cold water, and the resulting infusion drunk for sore eyes. 

189

ûnagéĭ kûlakwégtiyústĭ unastetsĭ – ‘black root, like black locust’ – Cassia marilandica L. 

– wild senna 

The name was due to the black roots of the plant, stemming from ûnagéĭ (‘black’) 

and unastetsĭ (‘root’), and the resemblance of the leaves to kûlākwégti (‘black locust’). 

Both Mooney and Olbrechts recorded this as simply kûlakwégtiyústĭ (see above), but 

Olbrechts also recorded the synonym ûnagéĭ útana or egwa (‘large’). Mooney also 

referred to C. marilandica as ûnagéĭ in The Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees (1891: 

325), but this is incongruent with his notes. 

Mooney recorded several uses for Cassia marilandica, the most specific from 

The Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees (1891: 325). The pounded root was made into 

an ointment and used as a wash for sores, as well as being steeped in hot water and 

drunk for fevers. A decoction of the pounded roots was used for a condition that, like the 

plant, was known as ûnagéĭ due to the patient having black circles around the eyes and 

a black coloration of the hands. It could also manifest as partial paralysis and black 

patches appearing on the arms, legs, and sides of the patient. The decoction was drunk 

several times throughout the day with no dietary restrictions. In a separate section of his 

notes, he also recorded that a tea of the whole plant of C. marilandica was used with 

Cassia nictitans (see below) for spasms in infants and in combination with other 

unnamed plants for scratching (Ms 1894). The plant was also dried for future use. 

Olbrechts recorded the use of C. marilandica for several Cherokee ethnomedical 

conditions including the scrofulous condition duletsi (‘kernels’), painful urination known 

as e‛isti andik‛ö‛öi (no gloss), and heart attacks known as usonuli unt‛ane‛ö (‘sudden 

attack’). 

190

Banks (1953: 70) found that a tea of the leaves was used as a laxative, while a 

tea of the roots alleviated high fevers in children. Unspecified parts of the plant were 

made into tea for fainting spells, cramps, and as part of a formula for pneumonia. To 

cure a sprained arm, the patient would attempt to pull the plant up by its roots with the 

sore arm. It was unlikely that the effort would be successful, but if it was, the arm would 

be cured. 

ûnagéĭ klayuĕ΄hĭ – ‘black, growing in old fields’ – Cassia nictitans L. – wild sensitive 

plant 

Klayuĕ΄hĭ is a combination of klayúhĭ (‘an old neglected field’) and ĕ΄hĭ (‘living’ or 

‘dwelling’). This is appropriate as Cassia nictitans favors roadsides, fields, and waste 

areas (Radford et al. 1968: 578). Mooney recorded that a tea of the whole plant was 

used in combination with Cassia marilandica for spasms in infants (Ms 1894). The plant 

was dried for future use. 

ûnagéĭ tsulátskí – ‘forked black’ – Anemone virginiana L. – thimbleweed 

The specific qualifier tsulátskí (forked) was due to the plant’s forked stalk. 

Mooney also recorded the synonyms aniyústĭ (‘like strawberry’), from ána (‘strawberry’) 

and –iyustĭ (‘like’), and tsístu akata (‘rabbit eye’). Both of these names were likely 

descriptive of the cylindrical fruiting head. The only medicinal use was recorded by 

Banks (1953: 44) who found that a tea of the roots was used for whooping cough. 

191

Part 2: Cherokee Herbaceous Plants 

The polytypic genera in the remainder of the herbaceous life form are not 

classified down to the varietal level as are those in the intermediate categories. While 

there are still a large number of polytypic genera, they tend to be limited to two 

members. The most common specific qualifiers indicate, as Mooney pointed out, a large 

and a small kind, with ecological niche and flower color also frequently indicated (see 

the discussion of specific and varietal categories in Chapter 2). Each of the polytypic 

genera tends to be associated with a single botanical genus (see Table 5.3). There are 

a few polytypic genera that include several folk species which are associated with 

polytypic botanical genera. For example, six of the seven members of the botanical 

genus Viola are associated with species of the folk genus dindáskwatéskĭ. Four of the 

five members of the botanical genus Aureolaria are associated with species of the folk 

genus dilastagístĭ. While these tend to be the exception, they reflect a close association 

of the classification of taxa in the herbaceous life form to the botanical classification 

system. 

Not all botanical genera are clearly linguistically related in the Cherokee system. 

Three members of the genus Asclepias are labeled with different names as monotypic 

genera. There is little indication that the members of this genus held any special cultural 

significance for the Cherokee, so it is unclear why they would not be labled as the same 

folk genera. But this exception is also uncommon. 

192

Table 5.3. Herbaceous Plant Index: Botanical Species and Folk Genera 


Acalypha gracilis 

Acorus calamus 

Actaea pachypoda 

Agastache 

scrophulariaefolia 

Amaranthus hybridus 

Amaranthus retroflexus 

Ambrosia artemisifolia 

Ambrosia trifida 

Amphicarpa bracteata 

Amsonia 

tabernaemontana 

Angelica venenosa 

Anthemis cotula 

Apios americana 

Apocynum cannabinum 

Aquilegia canadensis 

Aralia nudicaulis 

Aralia racemosa 

Arisaema triphyllum 

Aristolochia serpentaria 

Aruncus dioicus 

Asarum canadense 

Asclepias incarnata 

Asclepias syriaca 

Asclepias tuberosa 

Asclepias verticillata 

Astragalus canadensis 

Aureolaria flava 

Aureolaria laevigata 

Aureolaria pectinata 

Aureolaria pedicularia 

Aureolaria virginica 

Baptisia tinctoria 

Barbarea verna 

Cacalia atriplicifolia 

Campanulastrum 

americana 

Campanula divaricata 

Cardamine diphylla 

Cassia fasciculata 

Castilleja coccinea 

Caulophyllum 

thalictroides 

Cherokee Genus 

aniwaniskĭ 

uyátălû 

ulidástĭ 

diyĕ΄satískiyústĭ 

watskĭ΄ 

watskĭ΄ 

ugwau stalyato 

iyuga 

astĭ΄ 

ugatasigískĭ΄ 

ganélĭta & 

kanasâ΄liyústĭ 

sûtliyústĭ 

dunúnă΄ 

katû΄latû 

û΄tsatĭ uwadsĭ΄ska 

wanégitiyústĭ 

yâ΄na unígistĭ 

túyastĭ΄ 

unastétstiyă 

tiliyústĭ 

nuyagûlĭ΄ 

guhí 

andöladö 

gugŭ΄ 

uniskă΄-hĭ 

altsástĭ 

dilastagístĭ 


igû΄liyústĭ 



diliwátaheskĭ 

ulísĭ útana 

dayewû΄ 

gawâ΄gĭ 

diyĕsatískĭ 

anałskwalöski 

kûlsétsiyústĭ 

gotadawina 

kanástăgwâ΄lĭ΄ 

193 


Chamaesyce maculata 

Chenopodium album 

Chimaphila maculata 

Cicuta maculata 

Cimicifuga racemosa 

Cirsium altissimum 

Cirsium vulgare 

Clintonia umbellulata 

Clitoria mariana 

Collinsonia canadensis 

Coronilla varia 

Cuscuta spp. 

Cypripedium acaule 

Cypripedium calceolus 

Desmodium 

rotundifolium 

Diodia teres 

Dioscorea villosa 

Diphylleia cymosa 

Disporum lanuginosum 

Echium vulgare 

Elephantopus 

carolinianus 

Epigaea repens 

Epilobium coloratum 

Erechtites hieracifolium 

Erigeron annuus 

Erigeron canadense 

Erigeron pulchellus 

Erigeron strigosus 

Eryngium yuccafolium 

Erythronium 

americanum 

Eupatorium fistulosum 

Eupatorium maculatum 

Eupatorium purpureum 

Fragaria virginiana 

Frasera carolinensis 

Galactia mollis 

Galax aphylla 

Galium lanceolatum 

Gaultheria procumbens 

Gentiana villosa 

Geranium carolinianum 


ugatasigískĭ 

atûka 

ústăstĭ 

kanasâ΄la 

ulidástĭ 

tsítsĭ 

tsítsĭ 

wá‛ka gán‛ka 

tuyayústĭ 

digáyasû΄kĭ 

altsástĭ 

kwandisátĭ 

k‛kwĕ΄ ulasúla 

k‛kwĕ΄ ulasúla 

tuyayúst 

aniwaniskĭ 

anisgína-(ts)unâ΄ 

năsû΄ta 

uniskwetú‛gĭ 

walâ΄s-ĭ unû΄lsti 

uniskă΄-hĭ 

tsuyátû‛lĭ 

ată unéga adsilû΄skĭ 

kwaniyústĭ ganulû΄hĭ 

tsitsiyústĭ 

atsilsû΄tĭ 

atsilsû΄tĭ 

u‛iyat‛atłi 

atûkiyústĭ 

sĕlikwâ΄ya 

atátsû΄ 

amditátĭ 

amditátĭ 

amditátĭ 

ána 

gahû΄skĭ 

tuyayústĭ 

nuyagûlĭ΄ 

gíga tsanose‛öi 

atsû΄kĭ 

tsunihyû΄stĭ 

tsugwû΄nstătsâ΄lĭ

Table 5.3. Herbaceous Plant Index: Botanical Species and Folk Genera (continued) 


Geranium maculatum 

Helianthus tuberosus 

Hepatica acutiloba 

Heuchera americana 

Heuchera villosa 

Hexastylis arifolia 

Hieracium gronovii 

Hieracium paniculatum 

Hieracium venosum 

Impatiens capensis 

Impatiens pallida 

Ipomoea coccinea 

Ipomoea pandurata 

Iris cristata 

Iris verna 

Iris virginica 

Laportea canadensis 

Lecha racemulosa 

Lepidium virginicum 

Lespedeza capitata 

Lespedeza striata 

Lespedeza stuevei 

Liatris scariosa 

Ligusticum canadense 

Lilium canadense 

Lilium philadelphicum 

Lilium superbum 

Linum usitatissimum 

Ludwigia alternifolia 

Lycopus virginicus 

Lysimachia quadrifolia 

Malaxis unifolia 

Matelea spp. 

Medeola virginiana 

Melanthium hybridum 

Mitchella repens 

Monarda clinopodia 

Nepeta cataria 

Nicandra physalodes 

Oenothera biennis 

Oenothera fruticosa 

Osmorhiza longistylis 

Oxalis corniculata 

Oxalis stricta 

Panax quinquefolium 

Panax trifolium 

Pedicularis canadensis 

Perilla frutescens 

Phoradendron 

leucarpum 


andánkalagískĭ 

kûntsĭ΄ 

skwálĭ 

andánkalagískĭ 

tsuskwanû΄nĭ 

nuyagûlĭ΄ 


ugatasigískĭ 

áhăwĭ-gûlĕ΄ 

walélu unítsilăgístĭ 

walélu unítsilăgístĭ 

dikéwuskĭ 

nuniyústĭ 

tsuyátû‛lĭ & uyátălĭ 

tsuyátû‛lĭ & uyátălĭ 

uyátălĭ 

taléta 

takaya di‛nuwâ΄gĭ 

tûksûn ulísĭ 

tsuskwû΄tĭ 

nûnâ΄hĭ udetkĭ 

skwayeíû 

dunúnă΄ 

wanégită 

kanegutsötagi 

kûngútsatû΄ 

kûngútsatû΄ 

taléta 

úninayû΄gĭ 

aniwaniskĭ 

gigatsúya-hĭ 

tsulāgéta 

nuniyústĭ 

uganástĭ 

sĕlikwâ΄yaiyústĭ 

tlûtístĭ unígistĭ 

dilaiyústĭ 

wesu unígistĭ 

unû΄guhístiyustĭ 

atátsû΄ 

atátsû΄-iyústĭ 

salâ΄lĭ usuga 

tsuntsâ΄y’stĭ 

tsuntsâ΄y’stĭ 

â΄talĭ-gûlĭ΄ 

â΄talĭ-gûlĭ΄ 

ugukúskă΄ 

tciskwa dunotcilu‛gi 

udátlĭ 

194 


Phryma leptostachya 

Physalis angulata 

Physalis heterophylla 

Physalis pubescens 

Phytolacca americana 

Pilea pumila 

Plantago major 

Podophyllum peltatum 

Polygala curtissii 

Polygala senega 

Polygala verticillata 

Polygonatum biflorum 

Polygonum hydropiper 

Polygonum 

pensylvanicum 

Polygonum sagittatum 

Polygonum scandens 

Polymnia uvedalia 

Porteranthus trifoliatus 

Portulaca oleracea 

Potamogeton spp. 

Potentilla canadensis 

Prenanthes alba 

Rudbeckia fulgida 

Rudbeckia hirta 

Rudbeckia laciniata 

Rudbeckia spp. 

Rumex acetosella 

Sabatia angularis 

Sagittaria latifolia 

Sanguinaria 

canadensis 

Saponaria officinalis 

Sarracenia purpurea 

Saxifraga 

micranthidifolia 

Sedum ternatum 

Senecio aureus 

Silphium compositum 

Sisymbrium officinale 

Smilacina racemosa 

Solanum carolinense 

Solanum dulcamara 

Solanum ptycanthum 

Solidago caesia 

Solidago spp. 

Sonchus asper 

Spigelia marilandica 


uktanéga udâ΄ 

unû΄guhistĭ 



tsáyatihĭ΄ 

taléta 

nûnâ΄hĭ udetkĭ 

uniskwetú‛gĭ 

uyû΄gĭliyústĭ 

uyû΄gĭlĭ 

uyû΄gĭliyústĭ 

uganástĭ 

uhyû΄stĭ 

uhyû΄stĭ 

da‛núga 

âsigûniski 

gātâ΄yătĭ 

ûlĕ΄ ugĭltĭ΄ 

wáliwalĭ 

tsuswatúna 

aniyústĭ 

dayewû΄ 

áhăwĭ-ăkătă΄ 


satsû΄nnă 


sĭkw’ unígistĭ 

skáy’tĭ 

a‛ołi ye‛öski 

gílĭ wă΄ta 

uyu‛lĭ 

yúgwilû΄ 

áhăwĭ ganka 

wáliwalĭ 

tsugwalága 

tigásakwalû΄ 

tûlagw 

ulísĭ 

walâ΄s-ĭ unû΄lsti 

didáwahistískĭ 

unû΄guhístiyustĭ 

sel-ûnageĭ 

unástetsĭ gûnahíta 

tsgáû΄ digágwatăgĭ 

sélutsĭ΄ 

gígagéĭ adsilû΄skĭ

Table 5.3. Herbaceous Plant Index: Botanical Species and Folk Genera (continued) 


Spiranthes cernua 

Spiranthes gracilis 

Streptopus 

amplexifolius 

Tephrosia virginiana 

Thalictrum dioicum 

Thalictrum pubescens 

Thalictrum thalictroides 

Thermopsis villosa 

Tradescantia 

subaspera 

Tradescantia virginiana 

Trifolium pratense 

Trifolium repens 

Trillium grandiflorum 

Folk Genera 

únatlûnwéhitu 

unedâita 

uniskwalatisgu 

uganástĭ 

distaíyĭ 

a‛yû΄tawígi 

a‛yû΄tawígi 


unatlû΄taliyústĭ 

tagualŭ 

tagualŭ 

tuyayústĭ 

tsuwatúniyústĭ 

a‛yöda gwalogi 

Cherokee Herbaceous Plants 

195 


Triodanis perfoliata 

Triosteum perfoliatum 

Uvularia sessilifolia 

Veratrum viride 

Verbena urticifolia 

Vernonia 

novaboracensis 

Vicia caroliniana 

Viola cucullata 

Viola pubescens 

Viola pedata 

Viola rotundifolia 

Viola striata 

Viola sororia 

Yucca filamentosa 

Zizia aurea 

Folk Genera 

uskwayeluyi 

unâyû‛li 

uganástĭ 

askwaneta 

tsuntsâ΄y’stiyústĭ 

sûnna 

altsástĭ 

dindáskwatéskĭ 



tsuyátû‛lĭ 



sĕlikwâ΄ya 

ganélĭta 

a‛ołi ye‛öski – ‘mouth, it grows’ – Sagittaria latifolia Willd. – duck-potato, wapato 

When he described this plant, Olbrechts identified it with a question mark 

(Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 31-31). It appeared that he was unsure of the botanical 

species, and from his description of the scarcity of the plant he may very well be 

mistaken. The name was descriptive of the appearance of the plant, which was said to 

look somewhat like a beetle with the stalk coming out of its mouth. However, S. latifolia 

is common in the North Carolina mountains, so this may have been one of the less 

common species. 

The discussion of a‛ołi ye‛öski in The Swimmer Manuscript contends that it was 

the species used to impart supernatural powers on a child and make them into a witch.

If an infusion of the plant was drunk for four consecutive days, it would impart the power 

to metamorphose into another person or animal. If drunk for seven days, the drinker 

would gain the power to become an animal that flies through the air or burrows 

underground. These are the most powerful of the witches. The same infusion of the root 

of a‛ołi ye‛öski, if drunk for seven days while fasting until sunset, allowed a person to 

see a witch in their human form and shoot them. 

The only other medicinal use was attributed to Banks (1953:8), who found that 

bathing a child in the tea of the leaves of S. latifolia would reduce a persistent fever. The 

child would also take a sip of the tea. 

áhăwĭ-ăkătă΄ elatĕ΄hĭ – ‘lowland growing deer eye’ – Rudbeckia fulgida Aiton 

The folk generic áhăwĭ-ăkătă΄ is a combination of áhăwĭ (‘deer’) and ăkătă΄ 

(‘eye’). The specific qualifier elatĕ΄hĭ stems from elatĭ (‘lowland’) and ĕ΄hĭ (‘dwelling’), 

presumably due to the species preference for lower elevations. 

Mooney recorded the only Cherokee uses for R. fulgida, publishing some of his 

data in The Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees (Mooney 1891: 327), while augmenting 

the processing technique for a few of the uses in his notes. However, he just called it 

áhăwĭ-ăkătă΄ in his notes, and the application might apply to the next two species. He 

found that a decoction of the roots was used as a wash for snakebites and for swelling 

caused by worms sent by a conjurer. For dysentery, cold water was poured over the 

pounded roots and this was drunk until the symptoms dissipated. The root was dried 

and kept for “private” diseases. A strong tea was made by pouring hot water over the 

196

pounded roots and using a leaf to drop it into inflamed or weak eyes, presumably 

because of the resemblance of the flower to an eye. 

áhăwĭ-ăkătă΄ usdí-ga – ‘deer eye, small’ – Rudbeckia hirta L. – black-eyed Susan 

It is unclear why this is called the ‘small’ áhăwĭ-ăkătă΄, as R. hirta is about the 

same size as the other brown centered species. Mooney said nothing else about this 

species, but it may have been a suitable substitute for the R. fulgida as it is the most 

common species in the region. 

áhăwĭ-ăkătă΄ útana – ‘deer eye, large’ – Rudbeckia spp. 

Mooney did not identify the ‘large’ species in this series. It may have been 

Rudbeckia triloba L., the only other common brown centered Rudbeckia in the region, 

but this is speculation on my part. As stated above, the species of Rudbeckia might 

have been interchangeable. 

áhăwĭ ganka – ‘deer tongue’ – Saxifraga micranthidifolia (Haw.) Steudel 

The name áhăwĭ ganka is due to the shape and texture of the leaves, áhăwĭ 

glossing as ‘deer’ and ganka as ‘tongue’. The same name was used for a species of 

Plantanthera (see askwaneta below). The leaves were eaten in the early spring after 

being parboiled and topped with bacon grease, (Perry 1974: 54). 

197

áhăwĭ-gûlĕ΄ - ‘deer ear’ – Hieracium venosum L. – rattlesnake weed, hawkweed 

The name áhăwĭ-gûlĕ΄ stems from áhăwĭ (‘deer’) and gûlĕ΄ (‘ear’), an apt 

description of the elliptic shape of the leaves. The leaves also have a red coloration 

near the most prominent veins, suggesting the veins in the ear of an animal. Mooney 

also collected the synonyms áhăwĭ-gûlĕ΄ usdí (‘deer ear, small’) and tsístu gûlĕ΄ (‘rabbit 

ear’). 

Olbrechts recorded that H. venosum was part of the formula for the ethnomedical 

condition known as unegö unanugots‛eça (‘it is coming out white’) and a warm infusion 

of the leaves was dropped into sore eyes. Mixed with other unidentified plants, the roots 

were used for diarrhea. Banks also found that the roots, combined with the roots of 

Mitchella repens L., were used for bowel complaints. 

altsástĭ usdí-ga – ‘a wreath for the head, small’ – Vicia caroliniana Walter – wood vetch 

Mooney did not explain the etymology of altsástĭ, so I assume that the wreath 

had a ceremonial purpose or may have been used to acquire a medicinal effect through 

contact with the skin. According to Mooney (1891: 325), this was one of the most valued 

herbs of the Cherokee. He found it used for a wide range of applications including as a 

decoction for indigestion, back pain, and stomach cramps. It was used after scratching 

to make the muscles of ball players tough and for the condition known as ûnagéĭ 

(‘black’, see ûnagéĭ kûlakwégtiyústĭ unastetsĭ in intermediate categories). It could also 

be combined in a decoction with Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium for rheumatism. 

Olbrechts elaborated on this use under the condition known as dik‛anugosti nugötlö 

198

götoti (‘to be used with a briar to cause it to come out’) and in The Swimmer Manuscript 


Olbrechts found V. caroliniana used for several other conditions including the 

scrofulous condition duletsi (‘kernels’) and for gakweoski (‘wrapped up’, ‘coiled up’, 

‘contracted’, ‘heart attack’). It was also part of the emetic formula for inadö danskitsöi 

(‘when they dream of snakes’), a condition that often resulted in spoiled saliva (Mooney 

and Olbrechts 1932: 198). Banks (1953: 74) added that the stem of V. caroliniana and 

the needles of Pinus virginiana were placed in apple juice and drunk by ball players to 

increase stamina. 

altsástĭ útana – ‘a wreath for the head, large’ – Astragalus canadensis L. – milk vetch or 

Coronilla varia L. – crown vetch 

This is the ‘large’ variety of altsástĭ, and both species here tend to be more 

robust than altsástĭ usdí-ga (Vicia caroliniana). Mooney recorded A. canadensis as 

altsástĭ útana, while Olbrechts found it referred to C. varia. However, C. varia is an 

introduced species and without knowledge of the time of its introduction to the region or 

a voucher specimen, it is difficult to discern if this is the species Olbrechts encountered 

or if he misidentified the botanical species. The two are very different in habit and flower 

color. 

Mooney also collected the synonym distaiyústĭ (‘like distaíyĭ’), referring to the 

similarity of altsástĭ útana to Tephrosia virginiana (see distaíyĭ below). These two also 

shared a common use, the bruised leaves being combined and made into a decoction 

which was used as a wash to toughen the limbs of ball players. Olbrechts found that 

199

altsástĭ útana was prepared and used in much the same manner as altsástĭ usdí-ga and 

was often used with it. 

amditátĭ usdíga – ‘thing to drink water with, small’ – Eupatorium purpureum L. – Joe- 

Pye-weed, gravel weed 

The generic term amditátĭ stems from ămă΄ (‘water’) and ditátĭ (‘something to 

drink with’), from gatitáskû (‘I am drinking’). Mooney also glossed amditátĭ as ‘water 

spoon’ or ‘water dipper’, because the hollow stalk was used like a straw to suck up 

water instead of using a dipper. This was the ‘small’ species as opposed to E. 

maculatum, the large species (see below). Olbrechts recorded two names for E. 

purpureum, amditátĭ usdi gûtlûtĕ΄hĭ (‘thing to drink water with, small, hillside dwelling’) 

and amditátĭ usdíga gigage u‛yöducwita (‘thing to drink water with, small, red stem’). 

Another unidentified plant was simply called gigage u‛yöducwita (‘red stem’) and could 

very well be E. purpureum due to the reddish-purple color of the stems and the uses 

discussed below. 

Mooney found that an infusion of E. purpureum combined with E. maculatum, 

made by pouring hot water over the pounded roots, was used for kidney problems and 

difficult urination. Olbrechts also found it was used for conditions of the urinary tract 

including dalânige tsandik‛öça (‘yellow urine’), unegö tsandiköça (‘if they water out 

white’), and unegö unanugots‛eça (‘it is coming out white’). As gigage u‛yöducwita, 

Olbrechts found it was used for gigö yandik‛öça (‘urinating blood’) and göwanigistöi 

(‘when they are eaten by them’). These two conditions, blood in the urine and lower 

back pain, are typical symptoms of kidney stones. This would suggest that gigage 

200

u‛yöducwita is E. purpureum, the common name “gravel weed” indicating its efficacy as 

a remedy for eliminating the painful stones. Olbrechts also found that E. purpureum was 

used as one of the components in formulas to stimulate love attraction. The stalk of E. 

purpureum was a medical implement used to blow medicine into the throat to treat the 

condition known as aniyötseni ada‛nöwoti (‘to cure their throat’) (Mooney and Olbrechts 

1932: 261). 

Banks (1953: 129) found that a tea of the root, alone or combined with the roots 

of Vernonia noveboracensis (L.) Michaux, was drunk for kidney problems and used by 

itself for women’s health issues such as menstrual irregularities and to strengthen 

women during pregnancy. 

amditátĭ útana – ‘thing to drink water with, large’ – Eupatorium maculatum L. or 

Eupatorium fistulosum Barratt – queen-of-the-meadow 

This species was identified from Mooney’s collections. Olbrechts recorded the 

Cherokee name, but did not collect a sample. Mooney collected E. maculatum, but it is 

so similar to E. fistulosum, I am assuming that the species are interchangeable. Also, 

one of the differentiating characteristics between E. maculatum and E. fistulosum is the 

latter’s hollow stem, a feature that is necessary to draw liquid through it. Both are also 

extremely large, reaching heights of up to 2.5 meters and justifying the specific qualifier 

útana. 

The use as a kidney medicine recorded by Mooney was discussed in the 

previous section. Olbrechts identified both the large and small Cherokee species as E. 

purpureum, but treated them as different species in his notes, stating that the ‘large’ 

201

species was also used for unödi tsandik‛uça (‘they urinate all milk’) as well as for 

patient’s who were feverish and thirsty. 

ána – ‘strawberry’ – Fragaria virginiana Duchesne 

The name ána is a proper, opaque name for the delicious and nutritious wild 

strawberry. These were considered superior to the “tame” strawberries (Perry 1974: 56) 

and, as one of the first available fruits in spring, were a welcomed addition to corn 

bread. Mooney also stressed their importance in maintaining marital harmony in 

Cherokee households through the myth of the origin of strawberries (Mooney 1900: 

259). 

aniyústĭ – ‘like strawberry’ – Potentilla canadensis L. – five fingers 

The name aniyústĭ stems from ána (‘strawberry’) and -iyústĭ (‘like’), referring to 

the resemblance of the plant to the wild strawberry. Mooney found it was used in 

combination with Tephrosia virginiana and Heuchera americana, the roots of all three 

alternately boiled and cooled for four consecutive days until it became a thick syrup. 

This was drunk on the fourth day as a morning emetic to treat the dry cough associated 

with tuberculosis. The roots were dried for future use. 

Olbrechts found that a cold infusion of P. canadensis, used in conjunction with 

Rhododendron maximum L. and Kalmia latifolia L., was rubbed on ball players on their 

way to the ball field to ward off the medicine of the other team’s medicine man. Banks 

(1953: 62) found similar uses, finding that ball players would chew the root the night 

before the game to improve their stamina and would eat the root or bath in a tea of the 

202

oot to prevent injury. He also found that a tea of the pounded roots was drunk to cure 

thrush. Witthoft (1947) reported that the root was once used by the Cherokee to treat 

fevers. 

anałskwalöski – ‘they cut themselves’ – Cardamine diphylla (Michaux) Wood – 

toothwort 

Olbrechts indicated that the name anałskwalöski (‘they cut themselves’) is 

especially in reference to long objects and the name refers to the brittle roots. He also 

found that the pounded roots were placed on the scratched forehead of a patient to treat 

a headache and a tea of the steeped roots was drunk for a cough remedy. Banks (1953: 

55) also recorded the same uses as Olbrechts, along with drinking the root tea for sore 

throats and eating the greens in the early spring. The roots were considered to be 

strong and have an inherent peppery heat. 

andánkalagískĭ – ‘it takes things from around the teeth and tongue’ – Geranium 

maculatum L. – wild geranium or Heuchera americana L. – alumroot 

The name andánkalagískĭ was one of the few examples of Cherokee names 

representing utilitarian functions. It originated from the application of these plants to 

treat conditions like thrush and scurvy and stems from tstlâskû΄ or tstlâskĭ (‘the fire, or 

light, has gone out’), a form of ktlâskû (‘the fire is going out’). The name symbolized the 

alleviation of pain from the mouth and gums. Mooney referred to both G. maculatum 

and H. americana as simply andánkalagískĭ, while Olbrechts differentiated them into 

two species, andánkalagískĭ usdí-ga and andánkalagískĭ útana respectively. Mooney 

203

also recorded the synonym ditanélawáskĭ ganulû΄hĭ (‘it peels them off, herbaceous’) for 

H. americana. The name refers to the tendency for the bark to easily peel off and 

distinguishes it as a non-woody species (see the chapter on shrubs for a discussion of 

ditanélawáskĭ). 

Mooney found that the chewed root of G. maculatum was blown into the mouth of 

a child suffering from thrush (1891: 326). Olbrechts found a similar application, but in his 

version the roots were steeped and blown into the mouth through a tube. This was 

repeated four times while the patient faced east. He also found that it was used for the 

conditions unisi‛kwaskö (‘when they are coughing’) and that either species of 

andánkalagískĭ were used for unit‛adesgiskö (‘thirsty’). 

According to Olbrechts, H. americana was used in obstinate cases of thrush 

when G. maculatum failed to alleviate the condition. Mooney recorded a similar 

application for a case of thrush with sores in the throat known as unitstălâskû΄. The 

roots of H. americana, combined with either Tephrosia virginiana or a combination of 

Potentilla canadensis and a species of únistilû΄istĭ, were boiled in two separate 

containers, one decoction made stronger than the other one. The weaker portion was 

drunk to vomit, and then the stronger one was drunk throughout the day. This was done 

for four days with meals taken after vomiting. No salt, hot food, or vegetables that ooze 

water after picking were taken while under treatment. A tea of the bark was also used to 

stop vomiting. The plant was dried for future use. 

Banks had nothing to add for G. maculatum, but found several more uses for H. 

americana. A tea of the roots was drunk for dysentery and rumbling in the bowels and 

the chewed root would remove a coating on the tongue. Finely pounded roots were 

204

soaked in cold water for several hours and the resulting infusion was used for thrush. 

Sores that appeared in late summer were cured with a tea of H. americana. The tea 

was sprinkled on the sore and the scab would fall off revealing new, healthy skin. 

andöladö – no gloss – Asclepias syriaca L. – common milkweed 

Olbrechts recorded this name, but did not provide a gloss. He found that 

bowstrings were once made from the stem fibers, but that medicinal applications were 

forgotten. 

anisgína-(ts)unâ΄năsû΄ta – ‘ghosts’ terrapin rattles’ – Dioscorea villosa L. – wild yam 

The name stems from anisgína (‘ghosts’), the plural form of asgina (‘a ghost’), 

and tsunásû΄ta, the name of the rattles worn on the ankles of by women in the 

ceremonial dances. The dried seedpods of D. villosa made a noise that was reminiscent 

of the sound made by the pebbles in the tortoise shell rattles. Olbrechts also recorded 

the synonyms uninayugi (‘rattles’ or ‘makes noise') and gitsitsi (‘fowl’s breast bone’), the 

latter due to the resemblance of the dried capsule to the breastbone of a large bird. 

Mooney found that a decoction of the roots was used as an emetic to remove 

saliva that had been spoiled by ghosts. It was used in a similar fashion for dreams about 

snakes or when snake poison was put in food, both of which caused spoiled the saliva. 

The plant was not dried and stored, but could be found in winter by the dried tops (Ms. 

1894). 

Olbrechts found it was used in formulas for such conditions as göwanigistöi 

(‘when they are eaten by them’) and unawasti (‘he gets cold’ or ‘that which chills one’). 

205

It was also used for the condition with the colorful name, “when a person’s guts have 

come alive.” This was not a form of diarrhea, but another form of gastric distress typified 

by bloat from overeating. The patient drank a decoction of the roots of D. villosa, 

Carduus altissimus, Collinsonia canadensis, Impatiens pallida, and other unidentified 

plants. 

aniwaniskĭ usdí-ga – ‘talkers’ or ‘they talk’ – Lycopus virginicus L. – bugleweed or 

Diodia teres Walter – buttonweed 

The folk genus aniwaniskĭ is the plural form of awanískĭ (‘he talks’). Mooney said 

that both these plants were, “given to children as a charm to make them eloquent 

speakers.” Mooney also recorded that there was a large variety, aniwaniskĭ útana, but 

he did not provide the botanical species. He found that L. virginicus was used for 

snakebite and Banks added that the plant was boiled in milk for five minutes and given 

to a dog that had been bitten by a snake (1953: 110). 

aniwaniskĭ gûtlûtĕ΄hĭ – ‘talkers or they talk, dwelling on the hillside’ – Acalypha virginica 

L. – three-seeded mercury 

The specific qualifier gûtlûtĕ΄hĭ stems from gû΄tlûta (‘hillside’) combined with ĕ΄hĭ 

(‘living’ or ‘dwelling’). No further information was available about the medicinal qualities 

of this species. 

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âsigûniski – ‘it covers it’ – Polygonum scandens L. – climbing buckwheat 

The name âsigûniski (‘it covers it’) stems from gûnnishi (‘I cover it’ or ‘I roof it’). Mooney 

did not explain the name; however this is a climbing vine that can cover a large area. 

Mooney also collected the names uwedâ΄ita (‘it is going about’) or unedâ΄ita (‘they are 

going about’) for a plant he identified simply as wild buckwheat. But he did say that the 

plant “sends out runners like the strawberry”, so he may have been referring to P. 

scandens. A decoction of P. scandens was used as a wash to make hair grow longer. 

askwaneta – ‘it made curly’ – Plantanthera spp. or Veratrum viride Aiton – Indian poke, 

American hellebore 

Mooney recorded this name, but Olbrechts provided the gloss, applying to the 

second species, Veratrum viride. Olbrechts attributed the name to a part of the plant 

that was curly, and Mooney wrote that this plant did have a “mass of cord-like roots.” 

This species of Plantanthera was one of the purple varieties that flowers in late summer. 

Mooney also collected the name áhăwĭ ganka (‘deer tongue’) for the genus 

Plantanthera, presumably describing the shape of the leaves. The only medicinal 

applications were attributed to the orange-flowered species, Plantanthera ciliaris (L.) 

Lindl., in Banks (1953: 23). A cold infusion of the rhizome was used for headaches and 

a warm infusion for dysentery. A piece of the root was also used to stimulate fish to bite 

the hook. 

Olbrechts collected the names askwaneta and dusu‛ga askwaneta (‘they are 

claws, it made curly’) for V. viride. Dusu‛ga (‘they are claws’) is a folk generic usually 

reserved for plants associated with the scratching ritual, and V. viride was used in 

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conditions that required scratching. Scratching was often done to treat such conditions 

as rheumatism, listlessness, and preparing for the ball game. Veratrum viride was 

considered a harsh remedy and could only be used externally (Mooney and Olbrechts 

1932: 204). Olbrechts specifically mentioned it for conditions that required scratching 

such as unestanelidoloçöi (when they have pains all over their body’), usonuli unt‛ane‛ö 

(‘sudden attack’), and for muscle cramps. For muscle cramps, the roots were steeped in 

water and sprinkled on the scratched area. 

astĭ΄ or ûstĭ΄ - ‘string’ or ‘thread’ – Amphicarpa bracteata (L.) Fernald – hog peanut 

The name astĭ΄ (‘string’ or ‘thread’ ) was most likely due to the thin, twining vines 

produced by A. bracteata. Olbrechts found that it was used for snakebite, a tea of the 

plant steeped and blown around the bite in a clockwise direction. Banks also found that 

it was useful for snakebite, identifying the root as the medicinal part of the plant. The 

root was brewed into a tea and blown on the bite while reciting a prayer. He also found 

that a tea of the roots was used for diarrhea (1953: 67-68). 

ată unéga adsilû΄skĭ – ‘white-flowered wood’ – Epigaea repens L. – trailing arbutus 

The name stems from ată (‘wood’), unéga (‘white’), and adsilû΄skĭ (‘flower’), due 

to its woody stem and white flowers. Mooney also recorded the synonym tigû΄nahíta 

tsuskwalága (‘long prongs of the young deer’), from tigû΄nahíta, the plural of gûnhita 

(‘long’), and tsuskwalága, the plural of uskwálaga (‘the prong or incipient antler of the 

young deer’). Olbrechts recorded the name ogano agöntage (‘groundhog’s forehead’) 

for E. repens, as well as the synonyms tuksi mooyi and tuksi usu‛ga, for which he did 

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not provide a gloss. But Mooney recorded an unidentified plant as tûksĭ usú‛ga 

(‘terrapin’s claw’) or tûksĭ uwáyĭ (‘terrapin’s hand or paw’), a reference to the shape of 

the leaves. 

Mooney found that E. repens was used with another unidentified evergreen 

species for gonorrhea (Ms. 1894). Olbrechts published two uses for E. repens, for 

anatłoyçi ustiga (‘if the children cry constantly’) (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 193) and 

aninedzi ada‛nöwoti tuksinigöwayö nategsöi (‘their breast, to cure anyone with, terrapin 

does it to them, as they go about’) (1932: 251). Banks (1953: 98) added other uses 

including a root tea drunk for kidney trouble and combined with Gaultheria procumbens 

L. for chronic indigestion. For chest ailments, a tea of the leaves and roots is used in the 

summer month, just the roots in the winter. 

â΄talĭ-gûlĭ΄ - ‘it climbs the mountain’ – Panax quinquefolium L. – ginseng or Panax 

trifolium L. – dwarf ginseng 

The name â΄talĭ-gûlĭ΄ was a composite of the words â΄talĭ (‘a high mountain’) and 

gûlĭ΄ (‘it climbs’), from the root tsĭlăhĭ΄ or tsĭlĭ΄ (‘I am climbing’). There is some confusion 

concerning the botanical species associated with â΄talĭ-gûlĭ΄. Mooney makes no mention 

of P. trifolium in his published materials or his notes, while Olbrechts only refers to it and 

never to P. quinquefolium. However, Olbrechts does refer to a small variety of known as 

â΄talĭ-gûlĭ΄ tsunsti (‘it climbs the mountain, small’) and he recorded special uses for this 

kind of â΄talĭ-gûlĭ΄. Panax trifolium is much smaller and more gracile than P. 

quinquefolium, and it is quite likely that he misidentified the larger species. He claimed 

in his notes that the small kind was not a different species, but Banks (1953: 93) found 

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that the uses and names for the two species were the same, with the exception of a few 

informants who identified a large and small kind. At this time, P. trifolium is quite rare in 

the North Carolina mountains (Radford et al. 1968:760), but it is not known how 

prevalent it was in the late 19 th and early 20 th century. It is unlikely that it was over- 

harvested like its more robust cousin, P. quinquefolium, as the ginseng traders were not 

interested in the small, round roots of P. trifolium (Harding 1972: 53). I believe it is safe 

to assume that it was never as common to the region as the larger species and not as 

well known as a distinct species to many Cherokee. For the purposes of this work, I will 

treat Olbrechts’ record of use for â΄talĭ-gûlĭ΄ to mean P. quinquefolium and for â΄talĭ-gûlĭ΄ 

tsunsti to mean P. trifolium. 

Timberlake may have been the first to mention a medicinal application by the 

Cherokee for ginseng, stating that it, “never fails curing the most inveterate venereal 

disease, which, however, they never had occasion for, for that distemper, before the 

arrival of the Europeans among them (Williams 1927: 71).” According to Mooney, the 

dried root of P. quinquefolium, which he claimed was bitter like licorice, was beaten into 

a powder and an infusion was made by pouring hot water over the pulverized root. This 

was used for headaches, cramps, and female troubles as well as by conjurers for 

unspecified diseases. In his published materials he also added that the chewed root 

was blown on the area when pain was present in the patient’s side (Mooney 1891: 326). 

The root was gathered in the fall and sold to white traders, increasing its value to the 

Cherokee as it was one of the few sources of income in the region. 

Olbrechts made the following observation about ginseng: 

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This is one of the most important plants in the Cherokee medical botany. It 

is not only used in curing but also plays a part in love medicine. There is no other 

plant that is treated with so much respect by the laity as well as by the medicine 

men. When collecting the roots, the medicine man would often recite a prayer to 

Unetłanö‛i (‘Great Man’ or ‘The Apportioner’), in which permission was humbly 

begged to gather the plant. 

Olbrechts claimed that ginseng, along with Nicotiana rustica and some of the 

birthing plants were the only ones dried by the Cherokee for future use (Mooney and 

Olbrechts 1932: 91). However, it is obvious from Mooney’s notes that this was not an 

accurate observation and that many species were dried for future use or were 

recognized by the dried tops for collection when not in season. 

Olbrechts recorded several applications for P. quinquefolium, including for such 

conditions as aninedzi digöwalosöçi yune‛istaneça (‘to cure anyone with a piercing pain 

in their breast’), aniskoli ada‛nöwoti (‘to cure headache’), ayeligogi uniyelö‛nöçi (‘they 

have made it like it’), and uyo‛usö tsunineliçq (‘disgusted by the sight of a corpse’). It 

was used alone or with Aristolochia serpentaria for aniskina uniyaktanöçi (‘ghosts have 

changed (the condition of the patient)’) and for dalâni (‘yellow’), unawasti egwa (‘big 

chill’), and a condition simply referred to as “heat”. The small variety, P. trifolium, was 

specifically noted for use against the condition göwanigistöi (‘when they are eaten by 

them’) and to prevent attacks by witches. It was used as a love medicine and to “gain 

the goodwill with whoever one comes in contact with.” 

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Banks found that ginseng was used for “bold hives”, a rash that babies develop 

soon after birth. If the rash did not develop, it was believed that the baby might die 

(Cavender 1996). The root could be chewed or sometimes made into a tea for pain in 

the side, colic, and shortness of breath or coughing. A cold infusion of the pounded 

roots of ginseng and Erythronium americanum was given to a person who was feeling 

faint. The pounded roots also made a good poultice for bringing boils to a head. 

atátsû΄ – ‘trout’ – Oenothera fruticosa L. – sundrops 

Mooney provided no other information than the botanical and Cherokee names 

for O. fruticosa. Olbrechts glossed atátsû΄ as ‘trout’, due to the speckled leaves. 

atátsû΄-iyústĭ – ‘like atátsû΄’ – Oenothera biennis L. – evening primrose 

The name atátsû΄-iyústĭ has to do with the resemblance of O. biennis to O. 

fruticosa. The latter is the native species and would be considered the original while the 

former was introduced from Europe and would be ‘like’ the original. Mooney also 

recorded the name sĭ΄kw unígistĭ (‘hog food’), a name applied to several edible species 

that were enjoyed by or fed to the hogs. The name stems from sĭ΄kw (‘hog’) and unígistĭ, 

the plural of agístĭ (‘food’). 

Olbrechts found that O. biennis had several medicinal applications. It was used 

for kidney problems and the pounded roots were steeped in water and used to relive the 

pain of hemorrhoids. It was used for stomachaches and with a species of Rosa for 

unisi‛kwaskö (‘when they are coughing’). Witthoft found that the leaves of O. biennis 

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were parboiled and cooked in grease and that the juice extracted from the roots was 

used as a poultice on hemorrhoids. 

atátsû΄ amayułtehi – ‘trout, water edge growing’ – Erythronium americanum Ker – trout 

lily 

The Cherokee name and the common name for E. americanum are both 

indicative of the resemblance or its mottled leaves to a trout, with the Cherokee name 

indicating the plants favored location in rich soil along mountain streams. Olbrechts also 

was provided with a specimen of Thalictrum dioicum L. as an example of atátsû΄ 

amayułtehi, which may have been due to the resemblance of the leaves to fish scales, 

but this species will be dealt with under another heading (see a‛yû΄tawígi below). 

Medicinal applications were attributed to Banks, who found that a tea of the root 

tea was used to break a fever. The roots were also combined with those of Panax 

trifolium, pounded together, and made into a cold infusion that was given to a person 

who was feeling feint. The warm juice of the leaves, heated over a fire, was extracted 

and placed on a slow healing wound. The plant was also an ecological indicator of 

fishing season, the bloom of the plant signifying that it was time to start fishing. Spit 

from the chewed root was believed to enhance the fisherman’s chance of catching a 

fish (1953: 14), 

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atiyústĭ – ‘like wood’ – Symphyotrichum pilosum (Willd.) Nesom var. pilosum 

– frost aster 

The name atiyústĭ, a combination of ătă΄ (‘wood’) and iyústĭ (‘like’), was due to 

the woody stalk. No medicinal applications were attributed to S. pilosum. 

atsilsû΄tĭ – ‘fire, to make with’ – Erigeron canadensis L. – horseweed or Erigeron annuus 

(L.) Persoon – daisy fleabane 

The name us composed of atsíla (‘fire’) and sû΄tĭ (‘to make with’). Olbrechts best 

explained the reason for this name: 

(It) was never extensively used in medicine proper, but was important in 

ceremonies because it was used by the Cherokees to make fire: the stalk was 

dried and pulverized, and then the powder was used in drilling fire. Its general 

use has become extinct in everyday life many generations ago, but it continued 

to be used to kindle the ceremonial fires.” 

Two botanical species are named above due to a discrepancy in identification 

between Mooney and Olbrechts. Mooney said that atsilsû΄tĭ, the name in the Middle 

Cherokee dialect, was E. canadensis. He recorded a shortened version of it, tsilsû΄tĭ, 

and a version in the Upper Cherokee dialect, atsilsû΄tû, as well as the synonym i‛yágû 

or i‛yágĭ (no gloss). Olbrechts identified the botanical species as E. annuus, and in 

addition to atsilsû΄tĭ, recorded the synonyms tsiso‛ti usdíga (no gloss) and tcisti (no 

gloss). 

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Although he said that it had little medicinal use, Olbrechts did record that the 

leaves of E. annuus were taken out of an infusion and held against the jaw in case of a 

toothache. He also found it was used with an unidentified species of fern for 

rheumatism. Mooney also found that the leaves if E. canadensis were used for 

toothache, but he did not explain the procedure. 

atsû΄kĭ ganulû΄hĭ – ‘smelling wood, herbaceous’ – Gaultheria procumbens L. – 

wintergreen, teaberry 

The name atsû΄kĭ is the same as the folk genus for the birches, stemming from 

ă΄tă or ‘wood’ and sû΄kĭ’ or ‘smelling’ due to the fragrance of the essential oils. The 

qualifier ganulû΄hĭ designates that as the ‘herbaceous’ kind of atsû΄kĭ. Mooney said that 

this plant had a smell like birches, grew under pines, was a woody creeper with red 

berries, and was used by manufacturers to flavor candy. He did not attribute any 

medicinal applications for G. procumbens to the Cherokee, but Banks found that the 

roots of it and Epigaea repens were used for chronic indigestion and the leaves were 

chewed like tobacco (1953: 98). 

atûka – ‘it unravels’ – Chenopodium album L. – lamb’s-quarters 

Mooney did not explain the etymology of atûka, and though I am familiar with the 

plant, I can not speculate on the reason for this name. In his notes, Mooney recorded 

that C. album was as an edible green, but he also found that ball players were 

encouraged to avoid eating this plant because the stalk was easily broken and they 

would not want to become fragile through consumption of the plant (Mooney 1890a). 

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atûkiyústĭ – ‘like lamb’s-quarters’ – Erigeron strigosus Muhl. ex Willd. – daisy fleabane 

The name atûkiyústĭ is from the name for lamb’s-quarters, atûka (‘it unravels’), 

and the suffix –iyústĭ (‘like’) due to the resemblance of the plant to Chenopodium album. 

No other information is available on the Cherokee relationship to this plant. 

a‛yöda gwalogi – ‘it thunders (habitually)’ – Trillium grandiflorum (Michaux) Salisbury – 

large flowered trillium 

This name and gloss came from Olbrechts who did not provide an explanation for 

the gloss. Banks collected several names, which he claimed were collective names for 

all the trilliums, the most common of which was ayadigwaloskí. All of them he glossed 

as ‘thunder and lightening’ in reference to the mythical little red men whose 

conversations from the Darkening land cause the rumble of thunder from the west 

(Mooney 1900: 248). 

Mooney collected the name nigûtagualaski for a plant he questioningly identified 

as Trillium grandiflorum and the similar name andagûntagwalaski for Trillium cernuum 

L., again with a question mark (Ms. 2235). In his notes he included the name 

unigûntagwaliáskĭ, which he glossed as ‘they butt the ground’, but he was unable to 

identify the plant. He did record that there were two varieties differentiated by leaf color, 

one with dirty brown leaves and the other with spotted leaves. He did say that the plant 

grew in rich coves, came up in March, and had red flowers, all characteristics of the red- 

flowered trilliums, including T. cernuum. 

Banks and Olbrechts both claimed that the Cherokee did not use trilliums for 

medicine. Olbrechts said that the uses had been forgotten, but T. grandiflorum was 

216

collected and sold to the herb traders. But Mooney found that the roots of both varieties 

of unigûntagwaliáskĭ were steeped in cold water and drunk for four days for a condition 

known as gaktûta. The main symptom of this condition was the spitting of blood, so the 

symbolism inherent in the red-flowered species of Trillium may have indicated that they 

were preferred remedies. 

a‛yû΄tawígi – ‘it bursts’ – Thalictrum dioicum L. – early meadow rue 

The name a‛yû΄tawígi is due to the tendency of the hollow stalk to burst under 

pressure. This may have been the ‘small’ (usdí-ga) species, as the following is the 

‘large’ species. Mooney recorded the synonym dalâni ûtsûtuwadsiska (‘yellow fish 

scales’), due to the resemblance of the leaves to fish scales, and Olbrechts recorded it 

as atátsû΄ amayułtehi (‘trout, water edge growing’), possibly for the same reason. 

Olbrechts also said that it was once used for medicine, but the use was forgotten. 

Banks (1953: 47) found that a tea of the roots was used for diarrhea. 

a‛yû΄tawígi útana – ‘it bursts, large’ – Thalictrum pubescens Pursh. – tall meadow rue 

This is the large folk species of a‛yû΄tawígi. No other information is available 

concerning T. pubescens. 

da‛núga – ‘scratcher’ – Polygonum sagittatum L. – gander’s teeth, tearthumb 

Mooney gave four meanings for da‛núga: 1) as the fork generic for P. sagittatum, 

because of its rasping stalks, 2) a professional scratcher used to scratch the ball 

players, 3) a large yellow grasshopper with roughly serrated legs, and 4) a garfish with a 

217

long snout and small, serrated teeth. He also recorded the synonym ditáwaskĭ (‘it 

causes festering’), from gawáskû (‘it is festering’), but he did not explain the etymology 

of this name. Olbrechts recorded P. sagittatum as da‛núga ganösge (‘grasshopper, his 

leg’), due to the appearance and texture of the stem. 

Mooney wrote that a cold decoction of the pounded, upper portion of the plant 

was used for colic. The patient was scratched over the most painful areas and the 

decoction was rubbed on the scratched area. Olbrechts found P. sagittatum was used 

for the scrofulous condition duletsi (‘kernels’) and as a love attractant. The barbs along 

the stem were symbolic of grasping the attention of the object of ones affection. 

dayewû΄ - ‘it sews itself up’ – Cacalia atriplicifolia L. – pale Indian-plantain 

Mooney wrote that the name stemmed from the observation that, “when the 

leaves are torn they grow together again where injured.” He also recorded it as dayewû΄ 

egwa (‘it sews itself up, large’) to distinguish it from the ‘small’ species (see dayewû΄ 

usdíga below). 

Mooney said the following of C. atriplicifolia, 

Held in great repute as a poultice for cuts, bruises, and cancer, to draw 

out blood or poisonous matter. The bruised leaf is bound over the spot and 

frequently removed. The dry powdered leaf was formerly sprinkled over like salt 

(1891: 326). 

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In his notes he added that a warm decoction of the pounded roots of dayewû΄, 

combined with those of Ceanothus americana L., Polymnia uvedalia L., and Cimicifuga 

racemosa L., was used for fevers. Olbrechts found three applications for C. atriplicifolia; 

a warm infusion of the roots was applied to inflamed wounds, a warm infusion was 

drunk by a woman immediately after giving birth, and the hollow stalks were used to 

blow medicine on a patient. 

dayewû΄ usdíga – ‘it sews itself up, small’ – Prenanthes alba L. – white lettuce 

The name dayewû΄ usdíga is a synonym for this species, which is included here 

as a counterpart to the previously discussed ‘large species’. Its medicinal qualities will 

be discussed under the heading tsugâ΄skĭ útana below. 

dâ΄yĭ uwâ΄yĭ – ‘beaver’s paw’ – no botanical identification 

The name dâ΄yĭ uwâ΄yĭ is a composite of dâ΄yĭ (‘beaver’) and uwâ΄yĭ (‘paw’), but 

Mooney gave no further information about the etymology of the name. It was included 

as part of a formula for the rheumatic condition known as didölesgi (‘the crippler’ or 

‘when it breaks them’) (Mooney 1891: 350). As all the other components of this formula 

are ferns, this may be Lygodium palmatum (Bernh.) Swartz, the American climbing fern, 

which has a leaf resembling the fingers of a hand that could be said to resemble the 

paws of a beaver. However, this is purely speculation on my part. 

219

didáwahistískĭ – ‘it makes fetid sores’ – Solanum carolinense L. – horse nettle 

The wound from scratches caused by the sharp prickles of S. carolinense tends 

to become infected, hence the name didáwahistískĭ. Banks provided the only Cherokee 

medicinal applications for S. carolinense, finding that the berries, fried in grease, were 

used to cure dogs with mange and a necklace made from pieces of the root were 

placed around a baby’s neck to check excessive saliva flow (1953: 115). The Creek 

used the roots in the same way to ease the pain from teething, the most likely cause for 

excessive saliva flow with infants (Alexander and Paredes 1998). 

dilaiyústĭ – ‘skunk-like’ – Monarda clinopodia L. – basil balm 

Olbrechts did not provide a gloss for didlaiyústĭ, but Alexander (1971: 146) 

recorded dila as the Cherokee name for skunk. The addition of the suffix –iyústĭ (‘like) 

indicates that the plant was known for its strong odor which resembles the skunk’s best 

defense. It was combined with Solidago caesia L. for the condition known as gigö 

yandik‛öça (‘urinating blood’). 

digáyasû΄kĭ – ‘it smells like armpits’ – Collinsonia canadensis L. – stone root, horse 

balm 

Mooney claimed the source of digáyasû΄kĭ was asûgû΄ (‘it smells’) and 

digáĭskénĭ, the plural form of gáĭskénĭ (‘his arm pit’). Olbrechts provided a similar gloss 

for digáyasû΄kĭ, changing it to ‘his armpits smell’. Mooney claimed that this was due to 

the bad odor of the plant. I propose that both of these may have been a 

misinterpretation of the Cherokee intent. The leaves and flowers of C. canadensis have 

220

a lemony smell, which is not at all offensive, and this was also the portion that was used 

as a deodorant for smelly armpits (Banks 1953: 108). 

If the Cherokee perceived this plant as smelling bad, it is highly unlikely they would use 

it to remedy a bad odor. Therefore, I conclude that the name is due to the application of 

the plant and not its organoleptic qualities. Olbrechts also collected it as digáyasû΄kĭ 

gatusĕ΄hĭ (‘his armpits smell, mountain dwelling’). 

Mooney found that a tea of the root of C. canadensis, combined with either the 

root or top of Carduus altissimum or the roots of Smilax herbacea, was taken for bloat 

from overeating. The chopped root, used alone, was also made into a decoction and 

used for diarrhea. The roots could be gathered through the winter as needed. Olbrechts 

found it was a component in the formula for aninedzi gotiski (‘their breast swells’) and 

dalânige tsandik‛öça (‘yellow urine’). 

digáyasû΄kĭ sa‛kánigeĭ adsilû΄skĭ – ‘it smells like armpits, blue-flowered’ – Trichostema 

dichotomum L. – blue curls 

Trichostema dichotomum has already been discussed as gáw’sûk usdíga 

(‘smeller, small’), but was included here as a species of digáyasû΄kĭ. The blue flowers 

are the source of the specific qualifier. 

dikéwuskĭ – ‘it is going blind’ – Ipomoea coccinea L. – red morning glory 

Mooney found two glosses for dikéwuskĭ, ‘it is going blind’ and ‘it has sore eyes’. 

Mooney may have misidentified the botanical species here as he stated that this was 

known as wild potato and that it was, “like morning glory with a tuber.” This sounds 

221

more like Ipomoea pandurata (L.) G. F. W. Meyer, commonly known as “man-root”. 

Ipomoea coccinea is an introduced annual and does not have a tuberous root. Mooney 

claimed that one of his informants said that there were two varieties of dikéwuskĭ, the 

large (útana) species and the small (usdíga) species, but these were not identified. 

Mooney recorded that a tea of the roots was used for “spinal fever” (meningitis?), the 

tea drunk at intervals for four days while avoiding salt for seven days. It was reported to 

be a good remedy. 

dilastagístĭ egwa – ‘it is tramped upon (constantly), large’ – Aureolaria virginica (L.) 

Pennell – false foxglove 

Dilastagístĭ was the form from the Middle Cherokee dialect, that from the Upper 

dialect being dilastéstĭ. It stems from gûlastûgû΄ (‘I am tramping upon it’). I will use the 

Middle dialect form for the remainder of this section as it was the only one extant at the 

time of Olbrechts’ research and he recorded all his species as kinds of dilastagístĭ. 

Mooney did not know the rationale behind the name, but my observations of the genus 

Aureolaria is that they often fall over at the fruiting stage, suggesting a plant that has 

been “tramped upon”. All members of dilastagístĭ are also members of the botanical 

genus Aureolaria. Aureolaria virginica was considered the ‘large’ kind, but the botanical 

accounts on maximum heights do not agree with this assessment (Radford et al. 1968: 

956-958). 

The medicinal qualities for the dilastagístĭ were exclusively recorded by 

Olbrechts, who found that all species of dilastagístĭ were used for a condition known as 

“this is to treat (them) with if the raccoon has made them to be ill”. The symptoms for 

222

this condition included fainting and gasping for breath, much like the sound made by a 

cornered raccoon. The roots of the different species were combined and made into an 

infusion or a decoction. The patient drank this for four consecutive mornings while 

abstaining from food. Applications attributed specifically to A. virginicus included 

unak‛ewagöi (‘if they lost their voice’), at‛awini e‛i (‘the forest dwellers’), and unegö 

tsandiköça (‘if they water out white’). 

dilastagístĭ usdí-ga – ‘it is tramped upon (constantly), small’ – Aureolaria flava (L.) 

Farwell – false foxglove and Aureolaria laevigata (Raf.) Raf. 

Both A. flava and A. laevigata were identified as the ‘small’ kinds of dilastagístĭ, 

but A. flava tends to be the largest species in the region, so this may have been a case 

of misidentification (Radford et al. 1968: 958). Olbrechts also recorded the synonym 

dilastagístĭ usdí-ga usöndone nigesöna (‘it is tramped upon (constantly), small, stalk of 

which is not hollow’) for A. flava. This would be significant in light of the following 

species, A. pedicularia, the hollow stalk of which was used as an implement to blow 

liquid medicines on a patient. 

Besides its combination with all kinds of dilastagístĭ for the disease caused by 

raccoons mentioned above, A. flava was identified specifically for use to treat the 

conditions at‛awini e‛i (‘the forest dwellers’) and unegö tsandiköça (‘if they water out 

white’). 

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dilastagístĭ usdí-ga uwásgilĭ – ‘it is tramped upon (constantly), small, soft’ or dilastagístĭ 

ugatsalagisti – ‘it is tramped upon (constantly), it is sticky’ – Aureolaria pedicularia (L.) 

Raf. – false foxglove 

The specific qualifier ugatsalagisti (“it is sticky’) is due to the sticky glandular 

hairs that characterize this particular species (Smith 1998: 153). Field observation will 

be necessary to determine if it is typically ‘small’ or ‘soft’, or at least smaller and softer 

than other kinds of dilastagístĭ. 

Besides its combination with all kinds of dilastagístĭ for the disease caused by 

raccoons mentioned above, A. pedicularia appears to be the most widely used of the 

dilastagístĭ. It was used for the ethnomedical condition dawzni e‛i unitłöyö (no gloss), as 

well as for burns, profuse urination, to relieve the thirst that accompanies fevers, and in 

combination with Eupatorium purpureum for unegö tsandiköça (‘if they water out white’). 

The hollow stalks were used to blow liquid medicine on a patient who had been 

wounded, bruised, or shot by a gun or a bow. It was combined with Silene antirrhina L. 

as a medicine to attract the attentions of a love interest. Both species have a sticky 

quality, so this was probably due to the belief that the object of affection would be 

“stuck” on the user of this combination. 

dindáskwatéskĭ dalânige adsilû΄skĭ – ‘they pull each other’s heads off, yellow-flowered’ 

– Viola pubescens Ait. var. leiocarpon (Fern. & Weig.) Seimore –smooth yellow violet 

Dindáskwatéskĭ was the folk generic for several species of violet, stemming from 

tsíswate‛skû (‘I am pulling his head off’) and dastadaskwtĕskû΄ (‘we two are pulling each 

other’s heads off’), but Mooney did not explain the reason for this name. It is most likely 

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due to the way the flower appears to dangle on the stalk. This is one of the yellow- 

flowered species, hence the specific qualifier dalânige adsilû΄skĭ (‘yellow-flowered’). 

Olbrechts claimed that violets were once used, but that the use was forgotten. But in his 

notes he states that several species, including V. pubescens var. leiocarpon, were used 

as part of the remedy for the type of cancerous sores known as ada‛yeski (‘eating 

itself’). This was the only application attributed to this species. 

dindáskwatéskĭ tsuligwántagalû΄ita – ‘they pull each other’s heads off, its leaves are 

split’ – Viola pedata L. – bird-foot violet 

The specific qualifier tsuligwántagalû΄ita (‘its leaves are split’) stems from 

tsigwánutagalû΄iskû΄ (‘I am splitting a leaf’) and relates to the dissected leaves that 

resemble a bird’s foot, hence the common name. No medicinal applications were 

attributed specifically to this species. 

dindáskwatéskĭ tsundí-ga – ‘they pull each other’s heads off, small’ – Viola cucullata 

Aiton – marsh blue violet or Viola sororia Willd. – common blue violet 

The botanical species is unclear for dindáskwatéskĭ tsundí-ga. Mooney identified 

it as V. cucullata, but then described it as the common blue violet, which is V. sororia. It 

may be that the Cherokee did not differentiate between the two species as they are 

quite similar, but this is purely speculation on my part. The specific qualifier tsundí-ga is 

the plural form of usdíga (‘small’). Mooney also collected the synonym dindáskwatéskĭ 

tsukwalaga tigasakwalû΄ (‘they pull each other’s heads off, round leafed’), tsukwalaga 

being the plural of ukwalága (‘leaf’) and tigasakwalû΄ the plural of gasakwalû΄ (‘circular’ 

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or ‘round’). There was also a white and yellow flowered variety of dindáskwatéskĭ 

tsukwalaga tigasakwalû΄. Olbrechts referred to V. sororia as dindáskwatéskĭ tĕlugéĭ 

adsilû΄skĭ (‘they pull each other’s heads off, purple-flowered’). 

Mooney found that a poultice of the pounded roots, leaves, or both was used as 

a poultice to draw a boil to a head. Olbrechts claimed that violets were once used, but 

that the use was forgotten. But in his notes he states that several species, including V. 

sororia, were used as part of the remedy for the type of cancerous sores known as 

ada‛yeski (‘eating itself’). 

dindáskwatéskĭ unega adsilû΄skĭ – ‘they pull each other’s heads off, white flowered’ – 

Viola striata Aiton – white violet 

The specific qualifier unega adsilû΄skĭ (‘white-flowered’) reflects the salient 

feature of V. striata and the source of its common name. This was the third species, 

along with V. sororia and Viola pubescens Ait. var. leiocarpon, that were specifically 

mentions as part of the remedy for ada‛yeski (‘eating itself’). 

diliwátaheskĭ – ‘its ears shake’ – Baptisia tinctoria (L.) R. Brown – wild indigo 

The generic name diliwátaheskĭ stems from gûlénĭ (‘its ears’) and talíwată΄heskĭ 

(‘it is shaking’) due to the way the wind shakes the leaves. Mooney wrote that there was 

a similar term, aliwă΄tahehû (plural form: daliwă΄tahehû) that glosses as ‘the leaf or ear 

is shaking’, but he did not indicate that it was a synonym for B. tinctoria. 

Mooney found that the pounded root was held against an aching tooth. Will West 

Long told Money that it would make the bad tooth fall out. Banks (1953: 68) found that a 

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cold tea was used to stop vomiting and that the roots imparted a blue dye to fabrics, but 

Witthoft (n.d.: 67) claimed that no one actually still used the plant. 

distaíyĭ – ‘(they are) tough’ – Tephrosia virginiana (L.) Persoon – goat’s rue 

Distaíyĭ stems from astaíyĭ (‘it is strong, hard, or tough’) and refers to the long, 

tough roots of T. virginiana. This perceived toughness is reflected in the primary uses 

for T. virginiana. The roots were made into a decoction in which women would wash 

their hair to make it strong and prevent it from falling out, and ball players would use a 

preparation of the leaves to make their limbs tougher (Mooney 1900: 425). In his notes, 

Mooney elaborated on this procedure to add that the ball players would use a cold 

infusion of the bruised leaves of T. virginiana combined with Astragalus canadensis, 

sometimes with the addition of the leaves of Leucothoe axillaris or other plants. He also 

added that the plant was used for a tired, languid feeling and that it was combined with 

Heuchera americana and Potentilla canadensis for the dry cough associated with 

tuberculosis (see aniyústĭ above). 

Olbrechts recorded the synonym andánkalagískĭ astaíyĭ unastetsi (‘it takes things 

from around the teeth and tongue, strong roots’), but claimed that his informants had 

forgotten the use of the plant. However, he did publish that a decoction of the roots was 

given to a child to make them, “strong and muscular” (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 

128). Banks added that the roots were used with other ingredients for kidney troubles 

and that a tea of the roots, applied after scratching, was good for muscle cramps. 

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distaiyústĭ – ‘like distaíyĭ’ – Astragalus canadensis L. – milk vetch 

This plant was named distaiyústĭ (‘like distaíyĭ’) for its resemblance to Tephrosia 

virginiana. It has already been discussed above as altsástĭ útana. 

diyĕsatískĭ usdí-ga – ‘it gets dew on it, small’ – Campanula divericata Michaux – 

harebell 

Diyĕsatískĭ was the Middle Cherokee dialect form, diyisatískĭ being the Upper 

Cherokee dialect form. Plants in this folk genus can also be called by the singular form, 

ayesatískĭ. It stems from yesatû΄ĭ (‘dew’), because dew or rain is slow to evaporate from 

the leaves of these plants. 

Mooney found that a cold infusion of the beaten roots was used for diarrhea. 

Water was added to the infusion and drunk until the root lost its strength. A decoction of 

the unbeaten roots was drunk hourly for bloody flux. This was repeated until relief was 

attained. For whooping cough, a decoction of the root was drunk at short intervals for 

four days. Salt was avoided during this treatment. The root was not dried and stored for 

future use. 

diyĕsatískĭ útana – ‘it gets dew on it, large’ – Scrophularia marilandica L. – figwort 

This is the ‘large’ kind of diyĕsatískĭ, and S. marilandica can be up to 3 three 

times as tall as Campanula divericata. Mooney found that it was used in combination 

with or in the same manner as diyĕsatískĭ usdí-ga. 

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diyĕ΄satískiyústĭ – ‘like diyĕsatískĭ’ – Agastache scrophulariaefolia (Willd.) Kuntze – 

hedge hyssop 

The specific epithet scrophulariaefolia explains the Cherokee perception that the 

foliage this plant was ‘like’ that of the previous species, Scrophularia marilandica. 

Mooney also collected the synonym sû΄gĭ gatága (‘mink’s tail’) due to the resemblance 

of the inflorescence to the downy tail of the mink. No further information was available 

for this species. 

dunúnă΄ – ‘tubers’ or ‘potatoes’ – Liatris scariosa (L.) Willd. – blazing star 

The folk generic dunúnă΄ is due to the globular tuberous rootstock. Mooney 

recorded potato as núnă΄, and Olbrechts glossed dunúnă΄ as ‘potatoes’, so I am 

assuming that this is a plural form. No further information was available concerning this 

species. 

dunúnă΄ gatusĕ΄hĭ – ‘tubers, mountain dwelling’ – Liatris squarrosa (L.) Michaux – scaly 

blazing star 

Liatris squarrosa is not a common plant in the North Carolina mountains, but 

Mooney appears to have collected it and identified it as a plant known to the Cherokee. 

His informant said that it was not eaten, but was used as medicine. He did not 

elaborate. Olbrechts recorded a folk species of dunúnă΄ he identified as dunúnă΄ 

gûtlûtĕ΄hĭ (‘tubers, dwelling on the hillside’), but he did not identify it to botanical 

species. It may well have been this species or another species of Liatris. He found that 

the tubers were pounded, either alone or with Apios americana and Antennaria solitaria, 

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and made into an infusion that was blown onto swollen testicles. The remnants of the 

tubers were later applied to the area as a poultice. 

dunúnă΄ igâ΄tenĕ΄hĭ – ‘swamp growing potatoes’ – Apios americana Medicus – 

groundnut 

The specific qualifier igâ΄tenĕ΄hĭ (‘swamp growing’) is quite appropriate as this is 

one of the few edible tubers that thrives in waterlogged soils (Blackmon and Reynolds 

1986). Mooney wrote that the tubers were eaten in the spring when provisions were 

scarce. They were common along the creeks and the tubers could be found by locating 

the dead vines. The Cherokee prepared the tubers by boiling them, some of them as 

large as potatoes. Mooney also called A. americana núnă΄ igâ΄tenĕ΄hĭ (‘swamp growing 

tuber’). As mentioned above, Olbrechts found that this was one of the species used to 

treat swollen testicles. He also found that it was given to those who were suffering from 

having looked at a corpse or unöłstay‛ti tsuniyotc‛eça (‘when their appetite gets 

spoiled’). 

gahû΄skĭ – ‘it moves over, sitting’ or ‘it quits its sitting place and moves over’ – Frasera 

carolinensis Walter – columbo 

The folk generic gahû΄skĭ stems from gahû΄nû (‘he is moving over while sitting’) 

due to the tendency of F. carolinensis to avoid growing in the same place for two 

consecutive years. This is an odd observation for a perennial species. No further 

information was available concerning this species. 

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ganélĭta – ‘pregnant’ – Angelica venenosa (Greenway) Fernald – hairy angelica; 

Zizia aurea (L.) W. D. J. Koch –golden alexander 

The folk generic ganélĭta (‘pregnant’) is due to the swollen leaf nodes, a feature 

typical to the genus Angelica. Mooney also recorded A. venenosa as kanasâ΄liyústĭ 

(‘like kanasâ΄la’), referring to its resemblance to Cicuta maculata L. He found that a 

decoction of the roots was drunk and used to bathe a patient with a fever. 

Banks (1953: 93) referred to A. venenosa as “water parsnip”, a common name 

usually reserved for Cicuta maculata. He recorded that an infusion of the leaves was 

used to wash the hands of someone that had handled the dead, which would suggest 

that it was C. maculata, a highly toxic plant often associated with death. However, he 

also said the plant was drunk by pregnant women, suggesting that in this instance he 

was referring to A. venenosa. 

Olbrechts identified ganélĭta as Zizia aurea, commonly known as golden 

alexander, but this may have been a misidentification on his part and the young leaves 

are quite similar. He found that the root was used as a prophylactic against the negative 

consequences from coming into contact with a pregnant or menstruating woman, 

especially for aspiring medicine men (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 102). He elaborated 

on this in his notes: 

When a person is made ill by the look or presence of a pregnant or 

menstrual woman, or eating food prepared by such, the root is chewed and the 

juice rubbed all over, especially where the soul is (heart). Others can do it if the 

patient is too ill. 

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gātâ΄yătĭ – ‘it has gone round’ – Polymnia uvedalia L. – leaf cup, bear’s foot 

Mooney did not provide a gloss for gātâ΄yătĭ, but Olbrechts glossed it as ‘it has 

gone round’. This was most likely due to the bases of the opposite leaves meeting 

around the stem, hence the common name leaf cup. Olbrechts glossed this species as 

gātâ΄yătĭ usdí-ga (‘it has gone round, small’), but this is highly unlikely as the species 

that it is paired with, Polymnia canadensis L. is generally much smaller (Radford et al. 

1968: 1102). Olbrechts referred to P. canadensis by the folk generic gātâ΄yătĭ, but said 

its use had been forgotten. 

Mooney found that the pounded roots of gātâ΄yătĭ, combined with those of 

Ceanothus americana L., Cacalia atriplicifolia L., and Cimicifuga racemosa L., was used 

for fevers. Olbrechts found that gātâ΄yătĭ was used with Scutellaria lateriflora L. for 

ut‛igadö (‘to drive out afterbirth’) (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 126) and for andkt‛egö 

(‘they are under restriction’). 

gawâ΄gĭ – ‘it oozes’ – Campanulastrum americanum (L.) Small – tall bellflower 

The generic name gawâ΄gĭ stems from gawâ΄gû (‘it is oozing’). Mooney wrote 

that this was said of thick liquids, but not water. This is due to the milky latex that is 

apparent when the plant is injured. No medicinal qualities were attributed to C. 

americana, but Olbrechts did find that the young leaves were eaten as a vegetable. 

gígagéĭ adsilû΄skĭ – ‘red flower’ – Spigelia marilandica L. – Indian pink 

The name gígagéĭ adsilû΄skĭ is due to the red flowers that form at the top of this 

plant. Mooney wrote that the roots, combined with those of Pilea pumila (L.) Gray or 

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another unidentified plant, were made into a decoction and drunk for treating intestinal 

worm. Olbrechts also found that S. marilandica was used as a worm remedy. A tea of it 

was mixed with honey and taken day and night for four days until the worm were 

expelled (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 214). Another formula consisted of a decoction 

of the roots of S. marilandica, combined with Cypripedium calceolus (L.) var. parviflorum 

and the bark of Aesculus octandra Marsh, take in the same manner as the previous 

formula. It was sweetened with honey or the pods of Gleditsia triacanthos (Mooney and 


gigatsúya-hĭ – ‘it has blood in it’ – Lysimachia quadrifolia L. – whorled loosestrife 

The name of the folk genus gigatsúya-hĭ stems from gíga (‘blood’) and truyáhĭ, 

the 3 rd person form of dágiyaû΄ (‘I have them in me’). Mooney pointed out that this is a 

plural form because the names of liquids are always in the plural form. He did not 

explain the reason for this name; however, the flowers are yellow with a red center, 

suggesting that they appear to have blood in them. Olbrechts found that L. quadrifolia 

was used for three conditions associated with the urinary tract: unegö tsandiköça (‘if 

they water out white’) and gigö yandik‛öça (‘urinating blood’) were from his notes and 

dalânige tsandik‛öça (‘yellow urine’) from The Swimmer Manuscript (Mooney and 


gigatsuyá iyústĭ – ‘like gigatsúya-hĭ – no species identified 

The implication for gigatsuyá iyústĭ is that there was a plant in the Cherokee 

classification system that was known to resemble Lysimachia quadrifolia and was 

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named due to this resemblance. Although Mooney did not obtain a botanical 

identification for the plant, he did record that it was used for snakebites. The roots, 

combined with those of Scirpus validus Vahl., were pounded and made into a poultice 

for the bite and were made into a decoction to be drunk by the patient. He also pointed 

out the obvious in that the plant was not stored for winter use, as there was no need for 

snakebite medicine in cold weather. 

gíga tsanose‛öi – ‘it is called blood’ – Galium lanceolatum Torrey 

Olbrechts did not explain the etymology of the name gíga tsanose‛öi, but gíga 

(‘blood’) appears to stem from the maroon color of the mature flowers. The qualifier 

tsanose‛öi (‘it is called ’) appears in several of the names collected by Olbrechts, but it is 

not clear if it is truly a part of a name, or just part of the response of the informant. The 

botanical species named here, Galium lanceolatum, may have been a misidentification 

as it is not common in the mountains of North Carolina (Radford et al. 1968: 986). It 

would more than likely have been a similar, more common species of maroon-flowered 

Galium such as Galium latifolium Michaux. Gíga tsanose‛öi was combined with Lobelia 

cardinalis and used for gigö danayöskoi‛öi (‘when they bleed from both nostrils’). 

gílĭ wă΄ta – ‘dog’s penis’ – Sanguinaria canadensis L. – bloodroot 

The Cherokee generic gílĭ wă΄ta (‘dog’s penis’) was due to the reddish color and 

tubular shape of the rhizome, reminiscent of the penis of a dog. Mooney found that the 

pounded root was used to relieve the pain from an aching tooth. Olbrechts found no 

medicinal uses, but said it was used as a dye plant to impart a red dye to masks, bows, 

234

askets, ball sticks, etc. Witthoft claimed it was a favored dye of basket makers, 

imparting a, “rich, fast color not matched by any other dyes (n.d.: 64).” He also said that 

the roots were best when harvested in late summer, the plants having little dye value in 

early spring. Banks (1953: 54) added that the roots soaked in cold water were used as a 

cough medicine and that the powdered dried root was used as a snuff for mucus 

congestion. 

gotadawina – no gloss – Castilleja coccinea (L.) Sprengel – Indian paint brush 

Olbrechts provided no gloss for gotadawina, and he also found that the plant was 

once used for medicine, but that the use had been forgotten. 

gugŭ΄ - ‘chigger’ or ‘jigger’ – Asclepias tuberosa L. – butterfly-weed, pleurisy root 

The name gugŭ΄ (‘chigger’) is in reference to the tiny red mite that frequents 

fields throughout the Southeastern United States and causes itching welts when it feeds 

on human hosts. The mite was thought to frequent the reddish-orange blossoms of A. 

tuberosa, which was often referred to by the common names chigger weed or jigger 

weed. Mooney also collected the synonym uniskáhĭ tsúntana (‘it has heads, large’), 

having to do with the shape of the flower heads. This will be discussed under the folk 

generic uniskáhĭ. 

Mooney found that A. tuberosa was used for flux, but he did not elaborate. 

Banks, however, found that a tea of the roots was used for diarrhea and flux, and that 

the ideal time to harvest the root was when the butterflies were visiting the flowers. The 

235

utterflies needed to be the same reddish-orange color as the flowers. He also found 

that it was used for pleurisy, heart trouble, and fever (Banks 1953: 105). 

guhí – ‘it stays green in the water’ – Asclepias incarnata L. – swamp milkweed 

The folk generic guhí stems from guhû΄ (‘it is in the water or liquid’) due to the 

habit of A. incarnata to grow in wet places. No further information was available 

concerning this species. 

igû΄liyústĭ – ‘fern-like’ – Aureolaria pectinata (Nuttall) Pennell – false foxglove 

The name igû΄liyústĭ stems from igû΄lĭ (‘fern’) and the suffix –iyústĭ (‘like’), due to 

the similar morphology of the leaf to that of a fern. The genus Aureolaria was discussed 

under the folk genus dilastagístĭ, A. pectinata being the only species found in the 

mountains that was not discussed in that section. Two species actually have fern-like 

leaves, A. pectinata and A. pedicularia, and both tend to intergrade with each other. 

Matching the botanical species to the name may be more flexible here than is indicated 

by Mooney’s identification. 

iyuga egwa – no gloss, ‘large’ – Ambrosia trifida L. – ragweed 

Mooney provided no gloss for the folk genus iyuga and the large variety is the 

only species he recorded, so it is not clear if there was a small variety and, if there was, 

if was a species of Ambrosia. The name for the smaller species of Ambrosia found in 

the mountains, Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., was recorded by Olbrechts as uwagu 

staluyato (‘the leaves have split themselves’), which was very different from iyuga. 

236

Banks provided the only specific use for A. trifida as an ingredient in the medicine 

for the Green Corn Ceremony (1953: 155). Generic uses for species of Ambrosia 

included the leaf used as a tea for fever and the crushed leaf was rubbed on hives, 

infected toes, or poison ivy. 

ínatû tsunigatogi tsanose‛öi – ‘the (plant) which is called: snake’s odor’ – no species 

Olbrechts was not able to identify this species, but the distinctive name and the 

hope that someone may still know which plant has the odor of a snake warrants its 

inclusion. It was combined with a species of Salix and used for uyo‛usö tsunineliçq 

(‘disgusted by the sight of a corpse’). 

ínatû wasĭtsû΄ – ‘snake rattle’ or ínatû gatága – ‘snake tail’ – Prunella vulgaris L. – heal 

all or self heal 

The snake references in the two names recorded by Mooney are indicative of the 

resemblance of the seed heads to the erect tail of a rattlesnake. Olbrechts recorded it 

as gátatsú‛lĭ agisti (‘it has dirt in it, to be eaten’ – discussed above) due to the edibility of 

the leaves. 

Olbrechts claimed that P. vulgaris was just used for its edible greens and not for 

medicine, but Mooney, along with concurring on its edibility, recorded a medicinal use 

for it. For dreams of snakes or mud turtles, the root was boiled and the decoction drunk 

as an emetic for four mornings while abstaining from salt. This clears the patient of too 

much saliva, possibly caused by conjurers, but he did not elaborate on this. The plant 

can be located in winter by the dried stalks or the few green leaves that survive in colder 

237

weather (Ms. 1894). Banks found that a root tea was used to treat bruises and a cold 

water infusion to treat burns (1953: 112). 

kanasâ΄la – ‘water hemlock’ – Cicuta maculata L. 

Kanasâ΄la appears to be an opaque, proper name for C. maculata. This plant is 

often identified as “wild parsnip”, but it is always noted for being poisonous and the 

escaped cultivated parsnip is not toxic. Mooney said it was so poisonous that the smell 

was enough to produce dizziness, but that the Cherokee medicine men had a way to 

“conjure” the poison out of it. 

The primary applications for C. maculata were for conjuring and as a prophylactic 

against disease. A small piece of the root was chewed and blown on the body of a 

person who was preparing to travel as a way to ward off disease, but the smell was 

thought to aggravate snakes and cause them to bite the traveler. It could also be used 

as a soothsaying device by placing seven pieces of root put in one hand and gently 

rubbed with the other. The final position of the roots determined the outcome of the 

situation. It was taken for suicides and poisoning a victim. If the victim fell asleep after 

taking the root, they must be kept in motion until the effects wore off or they would not 

wake up (Mooney 1900: 424-425). A decoction of the roots was also used in sweat 

baths for a wide range of diseases (Mooney 1891: 333). In his notes, Mooney stressed 

that the stones used in the sweat bath for healing purposes must be white. Kanasâ΄la 

was also used for conjuring that was intended to take the life of a victim. The conjurer 

would take the spittle of his intended victim and mix it with several crushed earthworms 

and some splinters from some lightening struck wood. He would then put the paste in a 

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joint of the stem of C. maculata and ceremonially buries it. If all goes to plan, the victim 

dies within seven days (Mooney 1891: 392-393). Kanasâ΄la was also used with other 

remedies to counter sicknesses sent by friends or rival conjurers to test the knowledge 

of a medicine man (Mooney 1891: 369) (see tsâliyústĭ usdíga above). 

Olbrechts found similar powers associated with kanasâ΄la. If a medicine man had 

a patient die under his care, one option was to wash himself in a decoction of C. 

maculata (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 104). It was also reported to be a contraceptive, 

a woman chewing a piece of the root for four consecutive days becoming permanently 

infertile (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 117). However, Witthoft disputed this claim, 

stating that Will West Long only told Olbrechts about this use after he “questioned too 

closely about abortion-producing herbs (n.d.: 59).” The highly toxic nature of the root 

would cause mortality and insure that a woman taking the herb would “bear no more 

children”. Olbrechts recorded another use for kanasâ΄la as a divining tool. A person 

would chew up to seven pieces of the plant, approximately one-inch in length, to 

determine the duration of their life. If all seven were consumed without effect, the 

person would live for at least seven more years. But if they became “drowsy or 

intoxicated” before that point, their life would only be as long in years as the number of 

pieces of the plant they had consumed (Olbrechts 1930: 550). 

kanasâ΄liyústĭ – ‘like kanasâ΄la’ – Angelica venenosa (Greenway) Fernald – hairy 

angelica 

Angelica venenosa has already been discussed under the folk generic ganélĭta. 

However, the synonym kanasâ΄liyústĭ is highlighted here to reiterate that the name 

239

eflects the Cherokee perception of the resemblance of A. venenosa to Cicuta 

maculata. 

kanástăgwâ΄lĭ΄ – no gloss – Caulophyllum thalictroides (L.) Michaux 

No gloss was provided by either Mooney or Olbrechts for kanástăgwâ΄lĭ΄. 

Mooney also collected the synonym wanegitiyústĭ sa‛kánigeĭ (‘like angelica, blue’) due 

to the resemblance of C. thalictroides to members of the genera Angelica and 

Ligusticum. Olbrechts wrote that it was once used as medicine, but that the use had 

been forgotten. Banks recorded that the boiled root was held against the tooth in case 

of a toothache and that a tea of the roots was used for pain after giving birth. The leaves 

were also rubbed on poison ivy (1953: 48). 

kanegutsötagi – ‘the skin has been taken away from where it was hanging’ – Lilium 

canadense L. – Canada lily 

Olbrechts did not explain the association with the gloss for kanegutsötagi and I 

can not speculate on its meaning. He was presented with two specimens for this folk 

genus, Lilium canadense and Erythronium americanum (see atátsû΄ amayułtehi above), 

so the identification of kanegutsötagi is questionable. He also found a large folk species, 

kanegutsötagi útana, but he only identified it as a species of Lilium. He did identify it in 

The Swimmer Manuscript as the species that was made into a decoction and given to a 

child to drink, as well as bath in, to make them “fleshy and fat” (Mooney and Olbrechts 

1932: 128). Banks found that L. canadense was combined with an orange red lily 

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(possibly Lilium philadelphicum L.) and made into a decoction for the pain of 

rheumatism (1953: 15). 

katû΄latû útana – ‘my leg is broken, large’ – Apocynum cannabinum L. – dogbane, 

Indian hemp 

Mooney was not certain of the root of the folk generic katû΄latû, but he 

speculated that it might have stemmed from katû΄lagû (‘my leg is broken’) or gatû΄líta (‘I 

am holding my breath’). Will West Long later interpreted it as ‘broke my leg’ (Banks 

1953: 104), while Witthoft glossed it as simply ‘broken leg’. Witthoft also said the name 

had to do with the way the inner portion of the stalk could be broken into short lengths 

while the outer fibers remained intact (n.d.: 70). Besides being known as the ‘large’ 

species of katû΄latû, A. cannabinum was also known by the synonym katû΄latû inígatĭ 

(‘my leg is broken, tall’). Two other plants were described by an informant but samples 

were not collected. Mooney speculated that these were also A. cannabinum, but that 

they were named by their immediate condition and not because they were distinct 

species of katû΄latû. They were called katû΄latû ústakalû΄ útana (‘my leg is broken, 

leaning against, large) and katû΄latû ústakalû΄ usdí-ga (‘my leg is broken, leaning 

against, small) because they were supported by nearby plants. 

Mooney claimed that the fibers from the stalk of A. cannabinum were once used 

to make bow strings. Banks added that a decoction of the roots was used for kidney 

problems and that the pounded plant was used as a poultice for rheumatic pains (1953: 

104-105). 

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katû΄latû usdí-ga – ‘my leg is broken, small’ – Euphorbia corollata L. – flowering spurge 

Besides being the ‘small’ species of katû΄latû, Mooney recorded several 

synonyms for E. corollata form the same informant and incorporating rearrangements of 

the same qualifiers. These included, katû΄latû élatĭ iyû΄natĭ (‘k., low growing’), katû΄latû 

tsúntana uniyâ΄natĭ (‘k., large, branching’), katû΄latû tsusdí-ga élatĭ iyû΄natĭ (‘k., small, 

low growing’), katû΄latû unega adsilû΄skĭ (‘k., white flowered’), and katû΄latû uniyâ΄natĭ 

élatĭ iyû΄natĭ (‘k., branching, low growing’). Other informants called it ugatasigískĭ (‘pus 

oozes out’), ugatasigískĭ gigage ulû΄tinû΄ta (‘pus oozes out, red stalked’) and unátĭ 

(‘milk’), all due to the profuse milky latex. Olbrechts also recorded it as a species of 

ugatasigískĭ, calling it ugatasigískĭ gû΄tlûta tsu‛iyegsi (‘pus oozes out, hillside, ?’). He 

also found it to be called ust‛agali, but gave no gloss for this name. 

The fibers of E. corollata were used for bow strings in much the same way as 

those from Apocynum cannabinum. Mooney also found that E. corollata was used for 

milky urine. About one pint of the beaten roots were soaked in warm water and drunk at 

intervals throughout the day. No food was taken except for once at night. The treatment 

lasted for about 2 days. 

Olbrechts also found that E. corollata was used for urinary conditions such as 

unegö tsandiköça (‘if they water out white’) and ga‛yedi (‘pain in the back’) as well as 

the related condition göwanigistöi (‘when they are eaten by them’). For this last 

condition, Olbrechts noted the symbolic correlation between a milky discharge, the latex 

from the plant, and the avoidance of milk (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 180). Banks 

added that the bark of the roots was placed in a hollow tooth to ease a toothache and 

242

the latex from the leaves and stem was used to heal sores and remove warts (1953: 77- 

78). 

k‛kwĕ΄ ulasúla – ‘partridge shoe’ – Cypripedium calceolus (L.) var. pubescens (Willld.) 

Correll – large yellow lady’s-slipper; Cypripedium calceolus (L.) var. parviflorum (Salisb.) 

Fern – small yellow lady’s-slipper; Cypripedium acaule Aiton – pink lady’s-slipper 

The Cherokee name, k‛kwĕ΄ (‘partridge’) ulasúla (‘shoe’ or ‘moccasin’), has the 

same basis as the common name lady’s-slipper. The lower lip of the flower is united into 

a pouch-like sac that resembles a shoe, moccasin, or slipper. Mooney claimed that 

there was only one variety, which was identified as a yellow variety, but in other notes 

he mentions the pink species using the same Cherokee name (Ms. 1894). Olbrechts 

used the same name for the smaller yellow variety. It may well be that the Cherokee did 

not differentiate between the two yellow varieties, but I think it is highly unlikely that the 

pink species would be placed in the same category. 

Mooney, apparently referring to the pink lady’s-slipper, found that the roots were 

boiled into a thick decoction and given to children for worms; however, Olbrechts wrote 

that it was the small yellow lady’s-slipper that was used for the same purpose (Mooney 

and Olbrechts: 1932: 249). He also said that this was the variety that was gathered by 

the Cherokee and sold to white traders. 

Banks (1953: 20-22) differentiated between the three species, finding that the 

pink species was combined with a species of Sanicula for stomach cramps. The roots of 

the same were made into a tea for nervous conditions, kidney problems (either alone or 

combined with Comandra umbellata (L.) Nuttall), and “female problems” such as 

243

menstrual irregularities and menopausal changes. A hot tea of four whole plants was 

said to relieve the pain of a hernia in both men and women. A root tea of the large 

yellow variety was used for a wide range of applications including colds and flu, kidney 

problems, nervous conditions, high fevers, and stomachaches. The roots of all three 

kinds of lady’s-slipper were made into a decoction and drunk for diabetes. 

kûlsétsiyústĭ – ‘like honey locust’ – Cassia fasciculata Michaux – partridge pea 

The folk generic kûlsétsiyústĭ stems from kûlsétsĭ (honey locust – Gleditsia 

triacanthos L.) and –iyústĭ (‘like’), the suffix representing a resemblance to something 

else. In this case, the leaves of C. fasciculata are similar to those of G. triacanthos. 

Banks provided the only medicinal applications for C. fasciculata (1953: 68). The 

roots were used by ball players to ward off fatigue. It was mixed with Cassia marilandica 

and given to those experiencing feinting spells. It was also considered a sexual aid for 

older men. A woman would gather the plant and rub the scraped root on her vulva, 

thereby easing entry for a man who was at less than full potency. A man was not 

allowed to handle the plant, or it was believed that his penis would “die”. 

kûngútsatû΄ or kûngútsatĭ – ‘mean’ – Lilium superbum L. – Turk’s-cap lily or Lilium 

philadelphicum L. – wood lily 

Mooney’s explanation of the etymology of kûngútsatû΄ is dubious, but he 

identified the botanical species related to the names and his explanation warranted 

inclusion in this text. He speculated that kûngútsatû΄ was from unegútsatû (‘it is mean’), 

based on the difficulty of removing the root intact from the soil. The root was often dug 

244

and used as an ingredient in bread. However, Will West Long did not agree with this 

explanation, and told Mooney that he thought the name was kûngútsatû΄kĭ, from the 

root gútsănăkiû΄ (‘I am lifting up the skin, or cloth’). This is much closer to Olbrechts’ 

observations (see kanegutsötagi above), which may also have come from West Long. 

Banks observed that his informants often confused the names and identification of the 

species of Lilium (1953: 15). This may have been in part due to the plants becoming 

scarce due to the roots being a favored food of free-ranging hogs on the reservation 


Banks found that the roots of L. superbum were made into a decoction and 

rubbed on rheumatic joints and that a warm or cold infusion of the roots was used for 

flux (1953: 15). 

kûntsĭ΄ – Jerusalem artichoke – Helianthus tuberosus L. 

Kûntsĭ΄ appears to be an opaque, proper name for the Jerusalem artichoke. 

Mooney said that this name had been replaced by núnă΄, the folk generic for potato, but 

Witthoft still found a form of kûntsĭ΄ in use when he did his research decades later. 

Witthoft also found that the tubers were eaten raw in the field or were baked or boiled as 

a vegetable. It was also semi-domesticated, being moved to more convenient locations 

for an easier harvest. 

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kwandisátĭ (Middle) or kwánditlá‛tĭ (Upper) – ‘they put peaches upon it’ – Cuscuta spp. – 

dodder 

Kwandisátĭ stems from kwána (‘peach’ or ‘wild plum’) and tsitlă΄hûskû΄ or 

tsisă΄hûskû΄ (‘I am putting it upon it’). It is related to the string-like quality of this 

parasitic, leafless, twining vine, which was used as the webbing for drying racks for 

peaches and fish. Witthoft claimed that peaches were at one time the most important 

fruit available to the Cherokee, and that large quantities of a variety known as the 

“winter peach” were dried for storage (n. d.: 205). Mooney also found that a decoction of 

the roots was drunk by a woman four days after she had given birth, but he did not 

explain the purpose of the treatment. Olbrechts recorded Cuscuta as uduyoçí (‘it has 

formed itself’), because the plant appears to have no roots and its growth was 

mysterious. 

kwaniyústĭ ganulû΄hĭ – ‘peach-like herb’ – Epilobium coloratum Biehler – purple-leaved 

willow herb 

The name kwaniyústĭ ganulû΄hĭ stems from kwána (‘peach’) and –iyústĭ (‘like’) 

coupled with ganulû΄hĭ (‘herb’ or ‘herbaceous’). This was due to the shape of the leaves, 

which were observed to be similar to those of a peach tree. The common name willow 

herb is due to the same observation. No further information is available concerning the 

Cherokee relationship with E. coloratum. 

nûnâ΄hĭ udetkĭ – ‘it stands in the road’ – Plantago major L. – broad-leafed plantain 

The name stems from nûnâ΄hĭ (‘road’ or ‘trail’) and udetkĭ (Middle dialect) or udétĭ 

(Upper dialect) (‘it stands habitually in the road’) and is due to the erect seed stalks. 

246

Both Mooney and Olbrechts collected several synonyms for nûnâ΄hĭ udetkĭ. Some were 

descriptive of the leaves such as tsugwûténa nûnâ΄hĭ udetkĭ (‘broad leaved it stands in 

the road’) and nûnâ΄hĭ udetkĭ ugwalaga gasakwalû΄ (‘it stands in the road, round 

leaved’). Others described the seed stalk such as tlûtû΄tsĭ gatá‛ga tsusdí-ga (‘small 

panther tail’) and kaw’stû΄nĭstĭ (‘whip lash’). Olbrechts, besides reiterating the names 

nûnâ΄hĭ udetkĭ and kaw’stû΄nĭstĭ, recorded P. major as a type of diyĕsatískĭ (‘it gets dew 

on it’) and as tcistedzi gatá‛ga (‘rat tail’ or ‘mouse tail’). 

Olbrechts found that P. major was used alone or with Agrimonia parviflora for 

diarrhea and that the root, cut in half lengthwise, was made into an infusion and drunk 

for gigö dunikstisgöi (‘when they vomit blood’). The root was used for the condition 

known as ‘their feet get hot’, but Olbrechts did not explain how it was used. 

Banks recorded Cherokee uses for the genus Plantago (1953: 119), but it will be 

assumed here that they apply to P. major, as it is the most common species in the 

region. The wilted leaves were used as a poultice for bee stings, headaches, infected 

sores, and rheumatism. An infusion of the leaves of plantain and Juncus tenuis was 

given to a toddler who was learning to walk. This may have been due to the erect habit 

of both plants, symbolizing the ability to stand up straight. If the child failed to walk, he 

or she was considered to be afflicted with rheumatism. 

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nûnâ΄hĭ udetkĭ útanŭ – ‘it stands in the road, large’ – Lespedeza striata (Thunberg) H. & 

A. – Japanese clover 

Mooney said that this species was unknown in the region until a few years before 

he did his research among the Cherokee (Ms. 2235). No further information about it was 

available. 

nuniyústĭ – ‘like potato’ – Matelea spp. – climbing milkweed 

The folk generic nuniyústĭ stems from núnă΄ (‘potato’) and –iyústĭ (‘like’), which is 

due to the tuberous roots. Mooney discussed nuniyústĭ in Myths of the Cherokees 

(1900: 426), but does not identify the botanical species associated with the name. 

Olbrechts collected and identified it as a species of Matalea, and claimed that this is the 

species that Mooney was referring to, but in his description Mooney said that nuniyústĭ 

was a flowering vine that grew in old fields. Species of Matalea tend to favor wooded 

areas and the flowers tend to be small, reaching only around 2 cm across (Radford et 

al. 1968: 858-860). While Olbrechts may have collected and identified a species of 

Matalea, it is more likely that Mooney was discussing Ipomoea pandurata, which will be 

discussed below. Both species have tuberous roots, cordate leaves, and twining vines 

that are reminiscent of sweet potatoes, Ipomoea batatas, but I. pandurata has large, 

showy flowers. 

Olbrechts found that nuniyústĭ was used with Podophyllum peltatum for 

stomachaches and that it was used as a purgative for dalâni (‘yellow’). 

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nuniyústĭ klayuĕ΄hĭ útanŭ – ‘like potato, growing in old fields, large’ - Ipomoea pandurata 

(L.) G. F. W. Meyer – man-root 

As the common name suggests, the tuberous root can be very large. Mooney 

found a specimen were the root was 3 feet long. This is the only nuniyústĭ that he 

identified in his notes and is most likely the species discussed in his published 

materials. Mooney found that the milky latex of nuniyústĭ was rubbed on an object that 

emulated the bleat of a young deer, which would attract its mother to the vicinity of the 

hunter (Mooney 1900: 426). Banks found that a root tea was used medicinally for bowel 

complaints and the root bark was made into a poultice for rheumatic pains (1953: 106). 

He also wrote that a tea of the roots was used to soak sweet potato plants as a 

deterrent to moles and insect pests. Although this was called “Indian potato” by 

local whites, Witthoft could find no evidence that the Cherokee ever used the root as a 

food product. He claimed that many wild roots were called “Indian potato” (n.d.: 33), and 

that use of “Indian” in the name was a disparaging term referring to a false or counterfeit 

type (n.d.: 36). 

nuyagûlĭ΄ – ‘it climbs the rocks’ – Hexastylis arifolia (Michaux) Small – heartleaf or 

Asarum canadense L. – wild ginger 

The folk generic nuyagûlĭ΄ stems from nû΄ya (‘rock’ or ‘stone’) and gûlĭ΄ (‘it 

climbs’), from tsĭlahĭ or tsĭlĭ (‘I am climbing’). The name refers to the plant’s ability to 

grow on moss covered rocks. Mooney identified nuyagûlĭ΄ as Hexastylis arifolia, while 

Olbrechts said it was Asarum canadense. Both men also recorded the synonym skwál-ĭ 

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utana (‘liverleaf, large’) for the respective species mentioned. The folk genus skwál-ĭ will 

be discussed below. 

Mooney found that a hot infusion of the bruised roots was used for coughs, or the 

root could simply be chewed for the same purpose. The root was also dried for future 

use. The leaves were used in a formula with Alnus serrulata, Carpinus caroliniana, and 

Sassafras albidum for old sores and cancers. Olbrechts found that nuyagûlĭ΄ was used 

for the ethnomedical conditions aninedzi ada‛nöwoti tuksinigöwayö nategsöi (‘their 

breast, to cure anyone with, terrapin does it to them, as they go about’), aninedzi gotiski 

(‘their breast swells’), and yöwi tsunstia göwani skastane‛öi (‘when the little people 

frighten them’). He found that it was used for milky urine and sores in the abdominal 

region. For the latter condition, the roots are made into a decoction and this was blown 

over the afflicted region with a tube. This was also an herb of commerce that was sold 

to the white herb buyers. 

Banks added that a tea of the roots of A. canadense was drunk for heart trouble, 

menstrual irregularity, and colds, while a decoction of heartleaf combined with 

Goodyera pubescens, Alnus serrulata, Prunus serotina, and Xanthorhiza simplicissima 

was taken as a blood tonic and to improve the appetite (1953: 38). Witthoft (1947) 

added that the dried leaves were used as a snuff and the fresh leaves for healing 

wounds. 

nuyagûlĭ΄ usdí-ga – ‘it climbs the rocks, small’ – Galax aphylla L. – galax 

This is the ‘small’ species of the previous folk genus. Mooney also recorded the 

synonym tsugwalága tigásakwalû΄ (‘round leaves’), due to the appearance of the ovate 

250

leaves. Olbrechts reported that it was once used, but that the use had been forgotten. 

However, Banks found that a tea of the roots was used for kidney problems (1953: 102). 

salâ΄lĭ usuga – ‘squirrel’s claw’ – Osmorhiza longistylis (Torrey) DC. or O. claytonii 

(Michaux) Clarke – sweet cicely 

The name salâ΄lĭ usuga stems from salâ΄lĭ (‘squirrel ‘) and usuga (‘claw’), which 

is due to the long, curved, black fruits. Olbrechts recorded it as uniwoti tsunosut‛oh (no 

gloss) and said that the stalks were rolled in the hand while praying. Witthoft said the 

greens were eaten in the spring and the roots were either pounded and added to bread 

or were boiled or baked and eaten as a vegetable (n.d.: 28). 

satsû΄nnă – Rudbeckia laciniata L. – green coneflower 

Satsû΄nnă appears to be an opaque, proper name for the green coneflower. It 

was also one of the Middle dialect forms, the other being katsûnnĭ, while the Upper 

dialect form was katsû΄na. Olbrechts identified it as Hydrophyllum canadense L., but I 

believe this is a misidentification on his part. Its main use was as a spring green, and 

Witthoft claimed that it was likely to be the more conservative individuals who consumed 

the greens (n.d.: 25). They would be picked early in the spring, parboiled in three or four 

changes of water, and cooked in grease (Witthoft 1977). Mooney also recorded a 

medicinal use, finding that the roots were boiled down into a thick syrup and this would 

be put in the ear in case of an earache. The plant was often transplanted into gardens 

for easy access (Banks 1953: 132). Witthoft (1977) claimed that R. laciniata was a very 

251

toxic plant, but other references suggest that any poisoning attributed to it may have 

been due to other plants (Muenscher 1975:233). 

sĕlikwâ΄ya – ‘green snake’ – Eryngium yuccifolium Michaux – button snake root, 

rattlesnake master; Yucca filamentosa L. – bear-grass 

The folk generic sĕlikwâ΄ya (‘green snake’) was used to refer to the resemblance 

of the leaves of E. yuccifolium and Y. filamentosa to the rough green snake, Opheodrys 

aestivus L. (Fradkin 1990: 145). There is some confusion as to the designation of folk 

species in this genus as Mooney identified E. yuccifolium as sĕlikwâ΄ya útana and Y. 

filamentosa as sĕlikwâ΄ya usdí-ga, while Olbrechts reversed them, identifying Y. 

filamentosa as sĕlikwâ΄ya útana and E. yuccifolium as sĕlikwâ΄ya usdí-ga. Banks 

referred to both simply as sĕlikwâ΄ya (1953: 19, 94). 

The confusion with species identification makes it difficult to relate the synonyms 

to a botanical species, but I will include them here to provide a more complete record. 

Mooney recorded the synonym sĕlikwâ΄ya tlâgesĕ΄hĭ (‘green snake, growing in old 

fields’) for E. yuccifolium and sĕlikwâ΄ya igâ΄tenĕ΄hĭ (‘swamp growing green snake’) for 

Y. filamentosa. One informant also called Y. filamentosa gigage ulĭ (‘red tuber’). 

Olbrechts recorded uwe‛ti (‘it grows straight down’, referring to the root) and sötłi (no 

gloss) for E. yuccifolium and sĕlikwâ΄ya tlâgesĕ΄hĭ (‘green snake, growing in old fields’) 

and a‛yelsti (no gloss) for Y. filamentosa. Again, his identification of sĕlikwâ΄ya 

tlâgesĕ΄hĭ as Y. filamentosa is counter to Mooney’s record. 

Olbrechts recorded the bulk of the uses for E. yuccifolium, finding it was used for 

the ethnomedical conditions amayiutsistano utsya (he is sick by the water’), 

252

göwanigistöi (‘when they are eaten by them’), (an‛t‛asgiski tskoya – ‘insects are 

breaking out’), useski (‘whooping cough’), uwanu‛söçiça dalânige (‘gonorrhea’), and 

uyoi ani‛ayölöçi (‘when they have inhaled bad odors’). He wrote that a decoction was 

given to children as a prophylactic against whooping cough (Mooney and Olbrechts 

1932: 76), but in his notes he elaborated and said it was a prophylactic against all 

contagious diseases. 

Informant Will West Long reported that Y. filamentosa was one of the ingredients 

used in a sacramental drink in the Cherokee version of the Green Corn Ceremony. He 

included it in his list of the plants used in the Ceremony and identified it as one of the 

three obligatory plants included in the drink (Banks 1953: 155). He also said that the 

roots and leaves were soaked in water and drunk by those afflicted with diabetes 

(Witthoft 1946). An early 19 th century account reported that the pounded roots were 

used to wash blankets and as a fish poison (Witthoft 1947), indicating a high saponin 

content in the roots. White (1975) claimed that the young shoots of Y. filamentosa were 

parboiled or fried in grease and eaten by the Cherokee. But Witthoft disputed this and 

claimed that this was a misidentification on White’s part, and that he was actually 

referring to a species of Tradescantia, which also goes by the common name “bear 

grass”. 

sĕlikwâ΄yaiyústĭ – ‘like green snake’ – Melanthium hybridum Walter – bunch-flower 

The name sĕlikwâ΄yaiyústĭ suggests that the Cherokee considered this to be 

‘like’ sĕlikwâ΄ya. Olbrechts did not elaborate on the etymology of the name, but he did 

record the synonym sĕlikwâ΄ya gûtlûtĕ΄hĭ (‘green snake, dwelling on the hillside’. He 

253

also said it was used for dalânige tsandik‛öça (‘yellow urine’). No further information is 

available for this species. 

sel-ûnageĭ – ‘black greens’ – Solanum ptycanthum Dunal – black nightshade 

The folk generic sel-ûnageĭ stems from séla (‘greens’) and ûnageĭ (‘black’), due 

to the dark color of the cooked greens. Mooney also found the Catawba name yăhá 

iwoktcĭ΄ (‘greens, black’) used by one of his informants. He claimed that the greens 

were much esteemed by both the Cherokee and the Catawba, and that they were often 

gathered and sold. The leaves were also used medicinally for cuts, lesions, and skin 

poisoning. The leaves were crushed, strained through a cloth, and the juice made into a 

salve for topical application. Banks added that a large quantity of a tea of the leaves and 

stems was drunk every four days and used as an emetic to clear the saliva and relieve 

the sense of loss of those mourning the death of a loved one (1953: 115). 

sélutsĭ΄ - ‘corn’s mother’ – Sonchus asper (L.) Hill – spiny sowthistle 

The name stems from sélu (‘corn’) and ustĭ (‘his mother’). Mooney attributed this 

name to tall grass, possibly Tripsicum dactlyoides L., but this will be investigated in the 

chapter on grasses. But Olbrechts association of Sonchus asper with the corn plant 

warranted its inclusion in this section. He said that it was a common plant in cornfields 

and that the old people never touched it when they hoed the corn, “as the corn would be 

sorry if the pulled it out.” It is not at all clear why this was the case. Species of Sonchus 

are considered detrimental to certain field crops and can reduce yields in grain fields 

(Peschken 1982). However, they also contain a group of phytochemicals known as 

254

sesquiterpene lactones (Shimizu et al. 1989, Helal et al. 2000), of which one has been 

shown to promote root growth in cuttings from bean plants (Shibaoka et al. 1967). Until 

more is known about the chemical ecology of the genus Sonchus, we will not know how 

the growth of S. asper affects corn production or if this effect would be altered by the 

integrated style of gardening used by the Cherokee. Mooney also recorded S. asper as 

atsitsagûniski tsitsiyústĭ útana (no gloss, ‘like thistle, large’), tsitsiyústĭ útana (‘like thistle, 

large’) referring to the similar growth pattern as thistles and the spines on the leaves. 

sĭkw’ unígistĭ – ‘hog food’ – Rumex spp. – dock 

The name stems from sĭkw’ (‘hog’) and unígistĭ (‘food’). Mooney and Olbrechts 

also used this name for Oenothera biennis (see atátsû΄-iyústĭ above) and both are 

weedy, edible species that would provide nutritious fodder for the hogs. Mooney did not 

provide an exact botanical identification but simply called the plant “speckled dock”, a 

common name that could apply to one of several species. 

Mooney claimed that pregnant women drank an infusion of the whole root to 

ease the pains of childbirth. Banks (1953: 40), in his discussion of Rumex crispus L., 

found that the tea was given to women in labor and a strong infusion was given to 

pregnant women to reduce the loss of blood when giving birth. The root was also made 

into a tea to relieve constipation and to build blood in the spring when sores were slow 

to heal. Beaten roots were also fed to horses with stomach ailments. 

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skâti-nûwa – no gloss – Sericocarpus linifolius (L.) B.S.P. – white-topped aster 

Mooney did not provide a gloss for this folk generic, but it may be a form of the 

following entry (Ms. 2235). No further information is available concerning the Cherokee 

relationship to this species. 

skáy’tĭ – ‘worm killer’ – Sabatia angularis (L.) Pursh – rose pink, rose gentian 

The folk generic skáy’tĭ stems from tsgâ΄ya (‘worm’ or ‘insect’) and tíhĭ, a 

contracted form of tíhihĭ΄ (‘killer’). Mooney did not provide an explanation for the source 

of the name and I know of no application of S. angularis as a vermifuge. Mooney also 

recorded the synonyms usaléta (no gloss) and û΄tsatĭ uskwâ΄liyústĭ (‘like fish bladder’). 

A tea of the plant was used to treat diarrhea. 

skwálĭ usdí-ga – ‘small liverleaf’ – Hepatica acutiloba DC – liverleaf 

Mooney speculated on the gloss for skwáiĭ, suggesting that it may have stemmed 

from uskwâ΄lĭ (‘stomach’). It is sometimes referred to as simply skwálĭ, but is often 

accompanied by the modifier usdí-ga to distinguish it from nuyagûlĭ΄ (see above), which 

could also be recognized with the synonym skwálĭ utana. Olbrechts added the synonym 

uniskwaslü usdí-ga, but did not provide a gloss or name a large variety. 

Mooney mentioned in his notes that H. acutiloba had several uses, but only two 

appear in his published materials (Mooney 1891: 326). The leaves or roots were 

chewed or made into a tea and drunk by a person with a cough. It was also combined 

with Asplenium rhyzophyllum as an emetic to treat a person who had dreams of snakes. 

In his notes he elaborated on the treatment, saying that the roots or leaves of both 

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plants were used and the decoction boiled to ½ or its original volume. Liverleaf plants 

were also harvested and sold to white traders. Mooney was of the opinion that the 

Cherokee esteem for the plant grew with market demand for the leaves. 

Olbrechts found it was used for several ethnomedical conditions including 

aninedzi ada‛nöwoti tuksinigöwayö nategsöi (‘their breast, to cure anyone with, terrapin 

does it to them, as they go about’), aninedzi gotiski (‘their breast swells’), and yöwi 

tsunstia göwani skastane‛öi (‘when the little people frighten them’). Banks found that the 

roots were used hot in tea for bowel complaints and in a decoction drunk on the new 

moon as a prophylactic against whooping cough. The dried leaves were smoked for 

heart troubles, as well as crushed and made into a tea for toothaches (1953: 46). 

skwálĭ utana – ‘large liverleaf’ – Hexastylis arifolia (Michaux) Small – heartleaf or 

Asarum canadense L. – wild ginger 

Both botanical species here were discussed above (see nuyagûlĭ΄) but are 

included here to associate the botanical species with the Cherokee folk species. 

skwayeíû – no gloss – Lespedeza stuevei Nutall 

This was another species on Mooney’s list of botanical species and Cherokee 

names (Ms. 2235). No other information is available about this species. 

257

sûnna dalânige adsilû΄skĭ – ‘?, yellow flowered’ – Helenium autumnale L. – sneeze- 

weed 

Mooney did not provide a gloss for sûnna, but it appears to be a shortened form 

of satsû΄nnă (see above). Helenium autumnale was discussed in the intermediate 

categories (see dalâni ganulûhi). 

sûnna tĕlugéĭ adsilû΄skĭ – ‘?, purple flowered’ – Vernonia noveboracensis (L.) Michaux 

This is a purple flowered species of sûnna, but it also identified by the synonyms 

tsisáti útana (‘it smothers large’) and i‛yágĭ útana (no gloss, ‘large’) (see atsilsû΄tĭ 

above). This same name was used for a species of fern, Osmunda cinnamomea, and 

referred to its use as an agent to smoke animals out of logs and yellow jackets out of 

the hive so the larvae could be harvested for consumption (see egû΄lĭ uwásgilĭ usdí in 

the chapter on ferns). 

sûtliyústĭ – ‘like sû΄tlĭ’ – Anthemis cotula L. – dog fennel 

The name sûtliyústĭ stems from the resemblance of A. cotula to Pycanthemum 

incanum (see gáw’sûkĭ unéga in Herbaceous Plants, Part 1), which has the name sû΄tlĭ 

as one of its synonyms. No other information is available concerning the Cherokee 

relationship with this plant. 

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tagualŭ – no gloss – T. subaspera Ker. or Tradescantia virginiana L. – bear grass, 

spiderwort 

Tagualŭ appears to be an opaque, proper name for these larger members of the 

genus Tradescantia. Tradescantia virginiana (often recorded as virginica) was 

mentioned by several researchers (Mooney, Witthoft 1947, Banks 1953:12, Perry 1974: 

33), but this is a rare species found in the lower Piedmont and not a species that is 

found in the mountains of North Carolina (Radford et al. 1968: 271). But all did agree 

that the young shoots of Tradescantia were one of the favorite spring greens of the 

Cherokee. 

Olbrechts found that the plant was used for swollen testicles and for the condition 

involving a prolapsed rectum known as göskanugoga (‘arse bowel falls out’). Banks 

added that a tea of the whole plant was prepared with six other plants and drunk for 

female complaints and rupture. It was also used as an ingredient in a kidney medicine, 

the roots were made into a tea for overeating, and the roots were pounded and used as 

a poultice for cancerous growths (Banks 1953: 12-13). 

takaya di‛nuwâ΄gĭ – no gloss – Lecha racemulosa Michaux - pinweed 

Mooney provided little information about this plant other than the Cherokee name 

and botanical name, along with the synonym wâ΄tige uktû΄tĭ (‘brown seeds’). 

taléta – no gloss – Linum usitatissimum L. - flax 

Taléta appears to be a proper, opaque folk generic for plants that have usable 

fibers. Mooney speculated that this name was once originally applied to Pilea pumila 

259

(see below), but that it was transferred to flax as it gained cultural prominence. The 

name might also have been applied to hemp. Witthoft called the name, “a very 

interesting linguistic fossil” because it was the same name used for a tote sack, which 

was a burlap bag or feed sack to haul objects (n.d.: 69). The only medicinal application 

was from Olbrechts, who found that a decoction of the plant is used as a wash for 

patients with an attack of the fever (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 243). 

taléta usdíga – ‘small t.’ – Pilea pumila (L.) Gray – richweed, clearweed 

This is the ‘small’ folk species of taléta, also known by the synonyms taléta 

unitsistaligiski (no gloss) and úyalugískĭ (‘it gets cut, as by a blade of grass’), possibly 

having to do with the toughness of the fibers. This is a member of the nettle family, 

Urticaceae, a family whose members are known as a source of vegetable fibers. 

A hot infusion of the whole plant or just the roots was made from the pounded 

plant and used for intestinal worms. The patient would skip breakfast and drink the tea 

continuously from early in the morning until dinner. It was also combined with Spigelia 

marilandica (see gígagéĭ adsilû΄skĭ above) and another unidentified plant and used for 

the same purpose. The tea was drunk three times in a day with no special dietary 

restrictions. Banks added that an infusion of the plant was given to children to quell 

excessive hunger and the stem was rubbed between itching toes (1953: 34-35). 

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taléta tsunsdi andatsû΄skĭ – ‘small, stinging t.’ – Laportea canadensis (L.) Weddell – 

wood nettle 

Laportea canadensis is the only native stinging nettle found in the North Carolina 

mountains. The European stinging nettle , Urtica dioica L. (as U. gracilis), was 

reportedly used by the Cherokee (Banks 1953: 35, Witthoft n.d.: 69), but it is not 

commonly found near the Cherokee reservation (Radford et al. 1968: 393). Due to this 

ambiguity, I will include the uses for Urtica under this heading. Mooney did not explain 

the name, but it appears that the qualifier tsunsdi (the plural form of usdíga or ‘small’) is 

used to modify andatsû΄skĭ (‘stinging’ or ‘smarting’) and is in reference to the stinging 

hairs on all parts of the plant. These hairs would be much smaller than the thorns 

usually associated with plants that cause mechanical discomfort. Mooney also recorded 

the synonym taléta uniyalugiski (no gloss). 

Witthoft found that the fibers of Urtica were used to make the bowstrings for 

children’s bows. The plant was harvested immediately after it had been killed by a frost 

(n.d.: 69). In the same reference, he referred to L. canadensis as talétaiyústĭ (‘like 

taléta’). Banks found that Urtica was rubbed on a patient after the stinging hairs had 

been burned off to relieve an upset stomach. He also found that the whole plant was 

pounded and made into a warm infusion for intermittent fevers (1953: 35). 

tciskwa dunotcilu‛gi – ‘the bird with the protruding chest’ – Perilla frutescens (L.) Britton 

– beefsteak plant 

Olbrechts did not explain the meaning of this name, but it appears to be due to 

the appearance of the purple leaves. He also recorded the synonym anitciskwa (‘they 

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irds’). He found the roots were used as a love attraction medicine, but he did not 

elaborate on this. However, Bank described a similar plant, Phryma leptostachya, which 

was used in the same manner and considered efficacious due to the symbolism of the 

intended union inherent in the pairing of the flowers (see uktanéga udâ΄ĭ below). The 

introduced P. frutescens has similar paired flowers and grows prolifically once its 

established, so it may have replaced the native Phryma leptostachya as a love 

attraction medicine. 

tiliyústĭ – ‘like chestnut’ – Aruncus dioicus (Walter) Fernald – goat’s-beard 

The folk generic tiliyústĭ stems from tilĭ΄ (‘chestnut’) and –iyustĭ (‘like’), due to the 

resemblance of the inflorescence of A. dioicus to that of the chestnut tree. Olbrechts 

identified tiliyústĭ as a synonym for Cicuta maculata, but this is an obvious 

misidentification as not part of the plant has a distinct resemblance to the chestnut tree. 

Banks provided the only medicinal uses for A. dioicus, finding that a decoction of 

the pounded root was used for excessive urination. The pounded root was also used as 

a poultice for bee stings of the face and eyes. An infusion of the roots was used to soak 

swollen feet and pregnant women drank a hot tea of the roots to prevent blood loss and 

pain due to childbirth (1953: 60). 

tlûtístĭ unígistĭ – ‘pheasant food’ – Mitchella repens L. – partridge berry 

The folk generic tlûtístĭ unígistĭ stems from tlûtístĭ (‘pheasant’) and unígistĭ 

(‘food’), due to the berries that persist on the plant through the winter. It is also the 

source of the common name partridge berry. 

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Mooney found that the whole plant was made into a decoction and given to 

children who had diarrhea that was caused by spoiled mother’s milk. It was drunk for 

three to four days. Banks found that a tea of the roots was given prophylactically to 

newborns to prevent the same condition, as well as combined with Hieracium venosum 

for diarrhea and for menstrual pains. He also found the belief that a pregnant cat would 

abort if it ate the internal organs of a pheasant. A tea of the leaves prevented the cat 

from aborting (1953: 120). 

tlûtû΄tsĭ gatá‛ga utana – ‘large panther tail’ – no species 

The folk species tlûtû΄tsĭ gatá‛ga utana was recorded as the counterpart for 

tlûtû΄tsĭ gatá‛ga tsusdí-ga (‘small panther tail’), a synonym for Plantago major (see 

nûnâ΄hĭ udetkĭ above). No further information is available concerning this plant. 

tsáyatihĭ΄ – pokeweed – Phytolacca americana L. 

Tsáyatihĭ΄ appears to be an opaque, common name. Mooney found four 

variations, two from the Middle dialect (tsáyatihĭ΄ or tsáyătăgĭ΄) and two from Upper 

dialect (tláyatĭ or tláyagĭ΄). Olbrechts found it was used medicinally for such conditions 

as cancer (combined with Chamaesyce maculata), swelling of the body, and ga‛yedi 

(‘pain in the back’). Banks added that the dried roots were powdered and sprinkled on 

old sores, the fresh roots were pounded and made into a cold infusion to increase urine 

flow, and the berries were made into wine and drunk for rheumatism (1953: 42). 

Pokeweed was considered a healthful spring green by the Cherokee. The young 

shoots were picked, boiled in a couple of changes of water, and then fried in grease 

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(Witthoft 1977). The Cherokee believed that the greens were a good blood builder 

(Banks 1953: 43). The berries, generally considered toxic, were also used to add color 

to canned fruit and were made into a beverage with sour grapes, sugar, and cornmeal 

(Perry 1974: 52). 

tsgáû΄ digágwatăgĭ dalânige – ‘things to put yellow jackets on, yellow’ – Solidago spp. – 

goldenrod 

The name stems from tsgáû΄ (‘yellow jacket’) and digágwatăgĭ (‘we put them on 

it’), from tsígwată΄sku (‘I am putting it on it’) due the utility of its stem as a skewer to 

string yellow jackets combs. The pupae of yellow jackets was a favored food of the 

Cherokee and was made into soup stock or were roasted and eaten out of hand 

(Witthoft n.d.: 162). After the insects were smoked away from the nest (see egû΄lĭ 

uwásgilĭ usdí in chapter on ferns), the brood combs were strung on the stem of a plant. 

One to several species of goldenrod was apparently used for this purpose, the qualifier 

dalânige (‘yellow’) referring to the color of the flowers of goldenrod. 

tsgáû΄ digágwatăgĭ gigage uyödu‛witö – ‘things to put yellow jackets on, red stem’ – 

Symphyotrichum laeve (L.) A.& D. Löve var. laeve – smooth aster 

Olbrechts did not explain the various components of the Cherokee name for S. 

laevis, but this appears to be the red stemmed variety of plants used to string the brood 

combs of hornet’s nest. Olbrechts found that S. laevis was used medicinally for dalâni 

(‘yellow’), ga‛yedi (‘pain in the back’), and for unak‛ano‛stisgöi (‘swollen testicles’). 

264

tsítsĭ – no gloss – Cirsium altissimum (L.) Sprengel – tall thistle 

This is, to my knowledge, the only example of onomatopoeia in the Cherokee 

ethnobotanical classification system. The down from this thistle was used for the 

fletching on blowgun darts and the name tsítsĭ represents the sound the darts make as 

they are blown from the gun, as well as being the name for the dart. Mooney and 

Olbrechts both recorded the synonym tsítsĭ tsuntanû (‘large thistle’) for C. altissimum. 

Mooney recognized tsítsĭ unigátsalagístĭ (‘sticky or resinous thistle’) as being like C. 

altissimum, but having sticky heads. It is not clear if this was another distinct species or 

an indication of species diversity for C. altissimum. Olbrechts mentions tsítsĭ 

unigátsalagístĭ, but does not provide a botanical identification. 

Mooney found that the root roots of tsítsĭ were used to treat swelling and pain in 

the abdomen from adding new foods to the diet. This could happen on a seasonal basis 

and Mooney claimed that the Green Corn Ceremony was an attempt to avoid this 

condition. The roots of tsítsĭ were mixed with those of Erechtites hieracifolium and the 

whole plant of Impatiens pallida and made into a tea. It was also used for similar 

conditions such as dalâni (‘yellow’) and overeating. For overeating, an infusion was 

made by pouring hot water over the bruised roots and/or leaves and drunk by the 

patient. 

tsítsĭ tsunsdia – ‘small tsítsĭ’ – Cirsium vulgare (Savi) Tenore – bull thistle 

While this is referred to as the ‘small’ tsítsĭ, the bull thistle is a robust field pest 

naturalized from Europe. Although it can reach a height of 2 meters, it is still smaller by 

comparison to C. altissimus, which can reach up to 3 meters in height (Radford et al. 

265

1968: 1043). This may have been the same species Olbrechts identified as tsítsĭ 

usdíga, which he found was used with C. altissimum for dalâni accompanied by 

swelling. 

tsitsiyústĭ – ‘like tsítsĭ’ – Erechtites hieracifolia (L.) Raf. - fireweed 

The folk generic tsitsiyústĭ stems from tsítsĭ (see above) and the suffix -iyústĭ 

(‘like’), due to the sharply pointed teeth on the lanceolate leaves, resembling those of 

the thistles. Mooney also recorded it as atsitsagûniski tsitsiyústĭ usdíga (no gloss, ‘like 

thistle, small’), this being labeled as the ‘small’ variety to distinguish it from the ‘large’ 

variety, Sonchus asper (see sélutsĭ΄ above). Mooney may have reversed these 

Cherokee names, as E. hieracifolia is generally much larger than S. asper. Olbrechts 

recorded E. hieracifolia as kwandi‛so‛ti and söna, but did not provide a gloss for either. 

Mooney found that it was used like the thistles to treat swelling and pain in the 

abdomen from adding new foods to the diet (see tsítsĭ above). Olbrechts wrote that the 

use was secret and the plant is not mentioned in the sacred formulas, but an informant 

told him that it was used, “to prevent menses from appearing after the birth of a child.” A 

cold infusion of the outer layer was drunk immediately after the child was delivered and 

it was believed that this would prevent menstruation until the next birth. It was also used 

for the condition akt‛oli yutłöya (‘when their eyes hurt’). 

tskâ΄yayĭ΄ – ‘there is a worm in it’ – Coreopsis spp. 

Tskâ΄yayĭ΄ stems from tskâ΄ya (‘worm’ or ‘small insect’) and ayĭ΄ (‘a particle’), 

implying that the object is on the inside. This was due to insect larvae that burrow into 

266

the stalks. Little else is known about this plant, other than Mooney’s note that it was 

yellow, around 5 feet tall, and grew in river bottoms. 

tsugâ΄skĭ útanŭ or ugâ΄skĭ útanŭ – ‘rottener, large’ – Prenanthes alba L. – white lettuce, 

rattlesnake root 

The botanical identification may be questionable here, as P. alba is only locally 

common in the North Carolina mountains (Radford et al. 1968: 1020), but this could be 

another large species of Prenanthes. Tsugâ΄skĭ is the plural form of ugâ΄skĭ, stemming 

from aktihû΄ (‘it is rotting it’). This was because the root was chewed when one had an 

aching tooth, but this caused the tooth to rot, which would aid in its removal. The 

bruised leaves were used as a poultice to bring a boil to a head. A warm infusion of the 

root or leaves was used to relieve piles or children’s discomfort from straining with a bad 

case of diarrhea. The tea was applied to the anus while warm. Prenanthes alba could 

be used alone or with the small variety of tsugâ΄skĭ (see below). 

Olbrechts associated the folk generic tsugâ΄skĭ with Taraxicum officinale 

Wiggers, the common dandelion. It is not clear if this is a misidentification on his part or 

if T. officinale was considered a type of tsugâ΄skĭ. However, he did not record it as used 

for toothaches, which would establish it as a ‘rottener’, just a remedy for diarrhea. 

tsugâ΄skĭ usdíga or ugâ΄skĭ usdíga – ‘rottener, small’ – Prenanthes spp. 

This is the ‘small’ small species of the folk genus tsugâ΄skĭ (‘rottener’). It was 

used in place of or in conjunction with tsugâ΄skĭ útanŭ. 

267

tsugwalága tigásakwalû΄ – ‘round leaves’ – Senecio aureus L. – golden ragwort 

This name was a composite of tsugwalága, the plural form of ugwalaga (‘leaf’), 

and tigásakwalû΄, the plural form of gásakwalû΄ (‘round’). This was due to the shape of 

the basal leaves. Mooney was also given a specimen of Galax aphylla, and told it was 

also tsugwalága tigásakwalû΄ (see nuyagûlĭ΄ usdí-ga above), indicating that some 

specimens were named on the spot due to outstanding morphological features. Mooney 

also labeled his voucher specimen of S. aureus as dalâni adsilû΄skĭ (‘yellow flower’), 

one of several referred to above (see dalâni ganulûhi gadusí-ehi). A warm infusion of 

the crushed, whole plant of tsugwalága tigásakwalû΄ was drunk for four days, all day 

long, to treat yellow urine. No salt, lye, or hot food was taken during this treatment. 

tsugwû΄nstătsâ΄lĭ – ‘the leaves taper’ – Geranium carolinianum L. – Carolina cranesbill 

The name tsugwû΄nstătsâ΄lĭ, recorded by Olbrechts, is the same name Mooney 

recorded for Quercus rubra (see chapter on trees). It was not explained in either man’s 

notes, but in reference to G. carolinianum it appears to refer to the deeply cut lobes of 

the leaves, which taper towards the point where they are palmately attached. Olbrechts 

also recorded the synonym aniyústĭ (‘like strawberry’), presumably due to the 

resemblance of some part of the plant to wild strawberries. He found it was used to treat 

the condition uyoi ani‛ayölöçi (‘when they have inhaled bad odors’). 

268

tsulāgéta usdíga – ‘it has fields, small’ – Malaxis unifolia Michaux – green adder’s 

mouth 

The folk genus tsulāgéta is the plural form of klagésĭ (‘field’), but Mooney could 

find no evident reason for this name because he found the plant in the mountains, not 

near garden areas. He recorded the name of a large counterpart, tsulāgéta útanŭ, but 

did not provide a botanical name with it. No further information is available concerning 

the Cherokee relationship to either species of tsulāgéta. 

tsunátlû-hĭ or unātlûhĭ – ‘it presses against something’ – no botanical species 

Tsunátlû-hĭ is the plural form of unātlûhĭ. The name was due to the leaves, which 

grow pressed against the stem. The root of tsunátlû-hĭ was boiled with the root of 

another unidentified plant and used for gonorrhea and diarrhea. For gonorrhea, known 

to the Cherokee as kayetĭ΄ (‘whites’), the sliced roots were boiled into a red tea. This 

was drunk all day on the first day while fasting, and continued for three more days while 

skipping breakfast. For diarrhea, the decoction of the roots was drunk for 1 to 2 days, 

but fasting was not required. The plant was not dried for storage, but could be found in 

winter by its upright stalks. 

tsunihyû΄stĭ – ‘they are bitter’ – Gentiana villosa L. – Sampson’s snakeroot, striped 

gentian 

Tsunihyû΄stĭ was the plural form of uhyû΄stĭ (‘bitter’) and is due to the intensely 

bitter quality inherent in the gentians. Mooney recorded the name tsunihyû΄stĭ tsuntana 

(‘bitter, large’), indicating that there was more than one species of tsunihyû΄stĭ, but he 

269

only identified it to the genus Gentiana (Ms. 2235). There are several species of 

Gentiana found in the North Carolina mountains, and there is no reason to believe that 

the Cherokee only used one of these. 

Gentiana villosa was the only Cherokee plant mentioned for abortion, yet, while it 

was recorded in Mooney’s notes on Cherokee botany, it was ignored by Olbrechts when 

he penned The Swimmer Manuscript. In fact, he said that abortion was totally unknown 

among the Cherokee and his informants were horrified at the thought when he 

explained the concept. This is one example of how the work, though attributed to the 

works of Mooney, was predominantly based on Olbrechts’ field work and little of 

Mooney’s data on the use of plants were included in the finished product. Mahoney 

(1857: 217) said that this plant, which he recorded as oo-har-stee (similar to the singular 

form uhyû΄stĭ), was in all Cherokee formulas for “obstructed menstruation”, a reference 

that usually indicates abortion. Mooney also found that a warm decoction of the bruised 

root, weaker than that used for abortion, was drunk for “crampy colic” and heart 

palpitations. 

tsuntsâ΄y’stĭ usdí-ga – ‘it is sour, small’ – Oxalis corniculata L. – creeping lady’s sorrel 

Mooney wrote that tsuntsâ΄y’stĭ (‘it is sour’) is the same word used to indicate 

vinegar. The yellow flowered members of the genus Oxalis are taxonomically difficult 

(Smith 1999: 88) so this and the following Cherokee species may represent a 

recognition of only two kinds, a large and a small folk species of tsuntsâ΄y’stĭ. Mooney 

found that a decoction of the bruised plant was used as a mordant to fix dye colors to 

270

thread and fabric. Olbrechts also identified tsuntsâ΄y’stĭ usdí-ga as O. corniculata and 

found that the root was chewed for spoiled saliva. 

Banks discussed the genus Oxalis, avoiding the separate species all together. 

He found wide, varied applications for the genus (1953: 75). The leaves of two separate 

species were chewed as a remedy for conditions of the saliva, one to cure spoiled 

saliva and another for “disordered saliva”, a condition where the saliva “tastes bitter and 

dry”. His informant, Will West Long, was clear that the two conditions were not the 

same. A salve made of sheep grease and a decoction made from the leaves of Oxalis 

was used on sores and the extracted juice from the leaves was used in the early stages 

of skin cancer. A cold tea of the leaves was drunk as an anti-emetic and a tea the whole 

plant was given to children for hookworm. The child would drink the tea and was also be 

bathed in it. 

tsuntsâ΄y’stĭ útana – ‘it is sour, large’ – Oxalis stricta L. – yellow wood sorrel 

This was the ‘large’ species of tsuntsâ΄y’stĭ. The name probably also referred to 

Oxalis grandis Small, a similar large species of sorrel. Mooney said it was used as a 

mordant in the same manner as tsuntsâ΄y’stĭ usdí-ga. Olbrechts did not designate a 

botanical species, but did record that tsuntsâ΄y’stĭ útana was used for unöłstay‛ti 

tsuniyotc‛eça (‘when their appetite gets spoiled’). 

271

tsuntsâ΄y’stiyústĭ – ‘like it is sour’ – Verbena urticifolia L. – white vervain 

Mooney did not explain the name, but the similarity to the genus Oxalis must 

have to do with a sour flavor, as the plants are morphologically very different. Nothing 

else was recorded concerning the Cherokee relationship to this plant. 

tsuskwanû΄nĭ – ‘blanket’ – Heuchera villosa Michaux – alumroot 

The name tsuskwanû΄nĭ (‘blanket’) refers to the downy appearance of the leaves, 

but the term literally means ‘stripes’ (stemming from utû΄tanû΄nĭ or ‘stripe’), because 

Cherokee trade blankets were originally striped. The name was also used for plants that 

had zonal color differences resembling stripes. As the specific epithet suggests, the 

undersides of the leaves are covered with soft hairs, suggesting the source of the name. 

Olbrechts called Hydrophyllum canadense L. tsuskwanû΄nĭ, but this may have been a 

case of misidentification, as the young leaves resemble those of H. villosa. However, 

Olbrechts did gloss tsuskwanû΄nĭ as ‘it is striped’, and this may have been due to the 

variations in color on the leaves of H. canadense. Contrary to Heuchera americana, the 

other member of this genus that was known to the Cherokee (see andánkalagískĭ 

above), no medicinal properties were attributed to H. villosa. 

tsuskwû΄tĭ – ‘it has heads’ – Lespedeza capitata Michaux – round-headed bush clover 

The Cherokee name, common name, and specific epithet all point to the 

distinguishing feature of L. capitata, a compact inflorescence that has a head-like 

quality. The name stems from uska (‘head’) or dakskwutû΄ (‘I have a head’). Mooney 

also recorded it as uskwû΄tĭ, which is obviously the singular form of tsukwû΄tĭ, but he 

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said it also glossed as ‘a pin’. This was due to the use of its stalks as the shaft of 

blowgun darts and the name was transferred to a dressmaker’s pin. A one-foot long 

section of the stalk was trimmed and sharpened, making a sturdy, lightweight dart. 

These were then fletched with the down of the tall thistle, Cirsium altissimum or tsítsĭ 

(Witthoft n.d.: 78). He also glossed uskwû΄tĭ as ‘it has a taproot’, but provided no 

explanation for this gloss. 

Mooney recorded another species, Lespedeza hirta (L.) Hornemann, as also 

being used for the shafts of blowgun darts. He did not provide a gloss for the Cherokee 

name, úskwayehŭ΄ĭ, but it appears to be related to uskwû΄tĭ. 

tsútlagalakĭ gûtlûtĕ΄hĭ – ‘spread legs, growing on the hillside’ – Symphyotrichum 

concolor (L.) Nesom – eastern silvery aster 

Mooney did not explain the etymology of tsútlagalakĭ (‘spread legs’), but A. 

concolor can have several stems emanating from a single rhizome (Radford et al. 1968: 

1080). The uses have already been discussed above (see kâstúta tĕlugéĭ). It appears, 

because there is a specific qualifier, that there are other species of tsútlagalakĭ, but no 

others were recorded. 

tsuswatúna tsunsdi amáyanĕ΄hĭ – ‘sinews, small, growing in water’ – Potamogeton spp. 

– pondweed 

Mooney only mentioned the Cherokee name and genus for this plant, so the 

name will be explained by analyzing its components. Tsuswatúna stems from watúna 

(‘sinew’ or ‘vein’), but in this instance I do not know why it was referred to in this way. As 

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the common name pondweed suggests, these are aquatic plants and the qualifier 

amáyanĕ΄hĭ (‘growing in water’) incorporates the habitat into the name. The qualifier 

tsunsdi, the plural form of usdí-ga (‘small’), suggests that there was a large variety, but 

none was recorded. No medicinal qualities were attributed to this plant. 

tsuwatúniyústĭ – ‘like tsuswatúna’ – Trifolium repens L. – white clover 

The name indicates that tsuwatúniyústĭ was considered to resemble a member of 

the folk genus tsuswatúna, but Mooney did not clarify which plant. It would most likely 

have been Euonymus americanus (see tsuswatúna in the chapter on shrubs), a plant 

that was sometimes labeled by the folk generic without modifiers. Mooney also recorded 

the synonym sĭkw’ unígistĭ (‘hog food’) or unega sĭkw’ unígistĭ kanéska (‘white grass 

hog food’), presumably because it was eaten by the Cherokee’s pigs (see sĭkw’ unígistĭ 

above). This is an introduced species and the Cherokee would say the following about 

T. repens: “yû΄neka tsukû΄nawatégĭ” or “it follows the white man”. A cold infusion of the 

bruised roots was used, after scratching, to bathe a patient suffering from rheumatism. 

tsuyátû‛lĭ– Iris verna L. and Iris cristata Aiton – dwarf iris 

The folk generic tsuyátû‛lĭ (‘it grows in bunches’) was in reference to low-growing 

plants with leaves that grew in tufts. The specific qualifier, inagĕ΄hĭ, stemmed from 

inagéĭ (‘wild’ or ‘wilderness’) and ĕ΄hĭ (‘living’ or ‘dwelling’). Mooney also collected the 

synonym uyátălĭ usdí-ga (‘it makes a ridge, small’), because the rhizome makes a ridge 

of earth (see uyátălĭ below). No medicinal uses were attributed to tsuyátû‛lĭ inagĕ΄hĭ. 

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tsuyátû‛lĭ kutlaĕ΄hĭ – ‘it grows in bunches, growing under the beech tree’ – Viola 

rotundifolia Michaux – round-leaved yellow violet 

The qualifier for this species of tsuyátû‛lĭ stems from kutlû΄ (‘beech’) and ĕ΄hĭ 

(‘living’ or ‘dwelling’). The implication of this name is that the Cherokee perceived V. 

rotundifolia to grow under beech trees. This species is frequently found in rich wooded 

coves (Radford et al. 1968: 730), the same habitat that favors the growth of beech 

trees. It was used to treat fevers, but the modes of preparation and application were not 

included. 

tsuyátû‛lĭ táluwatéstĭ – ‘it grows in bunches, it grows around the white oak tree’ – 

Elephantopus carolinianus Willd. 

The qualifier for this species of tsuyátû‛lĭ stems from talû΄ (‘white oak’) and 

uwatéstĭ (‘it grows around a tree’) because the plant tends to grow under a white oak 

tree. A warm infusion of the bruised leaves was rubbed on sores caused by insects, as 

with the condition known as tckoya (‘insects cause swelling in body’). A warm infusion of 

the whole plant was also rubbed on the forehead to relieve a headache and the 

swallowed juices of the chewed leaf were considered a strong remedy for severe 

coughs. 

tûksûn ulísĭ – ‘turnip’s grandmother’ – Lepidium virginicum L. – peppergrass 

The name stems from tûksûna (‘turnip’) and ulísĭ (‘his maternal grandmother’) 

and is used to describe this botanical species that is in the family Brassicaceae, the 

same family as turnips. Mooney mentioned two varieties, but only named this one. 

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Olbrechts glossed ulísĭ as ‘grandchild’, which is a more accurate gloss according to 

Alexander (1971: 69), and used that name exclusively for L. virginicum. Mooney 

recorded two folk species of ulísĭ, which may have been the two varieties of tûksûn ulísĭ, 

but these will be discussed under the heading ulísĭ below. The tender young greens and 

roots were eaten by the Cherokee and were reputed to smell like turnips (Perry 1974: 

37), suggesting the source for the name. 

tûlagw egwa – no gloss, ‘large’ – Silphium compositum Michaux – rosinweed 

Mooney did not provide a gloss for the folk genus tûlagw, but the specific qualifier 

egwa (‘large’) would indicate that there was at least one other folk species. No further 

information was available for the Cherokee use of tûlagw egwa. 

túyastĭ΄ - ‘a boil or carbuncle’ – Arisaema triphyllum (L.) Schott – Indian turnip, Jack-in- 

the-pulpit 

Mooney claimed the name was due to the bulbous corm, which is covered with a 

shriveled “skin” and resembles a boil or carbuncle. But the name may also be 

associated with its use. The dried root and a small quantity of walnut bark were 

pounded together and placed in the center of a boil (known as tústĭ). Turpentine was 

gathered from pine trees and used as an ointment in conjunction with the pounded 

herbs. This was covered with cloth or paper until healed. The ointment was also used to 

heal a wound without leaving a scar. Banks added that the root was used as a poultice 

for headaches and the briefly roasted root, rolled into balls the size of a small grape, 

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were eaten for kidney problems. The patient would eat 2, 3, 4, or 7 of the little balls 

(1953: 11). 

Although this plant is often referred to as a Native American edible plant, Witthoft 

claimed that the adjective “Indian” in the name Indian turnip was used to mean 

“counterfeit” or “treacherous”. This was analogous to such terms as “Indian giver” or 

“Indian summer”, and that the plant was considered poisonous when consumed (n.d.: 

36). However, accounts from the early 19 th century reported that the roots were, “boiled 

to remove the strong smart taste, and then mashed with the hands, & mixed, or 

kneaded like dough & baked or fried like other dough (Payne n.d. b: 268).” The corms 

are high in calcium oxalate, an intensely irritating substance that can be removed 

through processing. However, drying may be the only effective way to eliminate enough 

of these crystals to provide a palatable product (Peterson 1977: 156). 

tuyayústĭ – ‘like a bean’ – Trifolium pratense L. – red clover 

The folk generic tuyayústĭ is a composite of túya (‘bean’) and -iyústĭ (‘like’) due to 

the resemblance of the plant to the bean plant. Mooney claimed that, in the case of T. 

pratense, it was due a resemblance to the peanut plant. It is not clear why this 

introduced species was considered prototypical of the folk genus, but no qualifier was 

recorded by Mooney and he did not discuss the name. The same name was used for 

coffee, but was used to describe the bean and not the whole plant. The only medicinal 

use was recorded by Banks (1953: 74), who found that a tea of the plant was used for 

fevers. 

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tuyayústĭ tsunsdíga – ‘like a bean, small’ – Galactia mollis Michaux - milk pea 

The specific qualifier tsunsdíga (‘small’) indicates that there are other types of 

tuyayústĭ, and, indeed, there are several that will be discussed below. The botanical 

species is probably misidentified as G. mollis is mostly found on the coastal plain 

(Radford et al. 1968: 642), but G. regularis and G. volubilis are both found in the 

mountains (Smith 1999: 28-29). No medicinal properties were attributed to tuyayústĭ 

tsunsdíga. 

tuyayústĭ útana – ‘like a bean, large’ – Clitoria mariana L. – butterfly pea 

The specific qualifier útana (‘large’) indicates that this was the largest of the 

tuyayústĭ (‘like a bean’) and the flowers of C. mariana are among the largest of the 

family Fabaceae. The only medicinal application was recorded by Banks (1953: 70), 

who found that a tea of the roots was held in the mouth for 10 to 20 minutes to cure 

thrush in adults and infants. This was then followed by a mouthful of fresh tea. 

tuyayústĭ uwáwa‛téna – ‘like a bean, brushy or having leafy branches’ – Desmodium 

rotundifolium D.C. – dollarleaf 

It is not clear why the specific qualifier uwáwa‛téna (‘brushy’ or ‘having leafy 

branches’) was associated with D. rotundifolium, as it has a prostrate habit and is not 

particularly brushy. He documented the common name as bush trefoil, so this may have 

been a misidentification. But this is one of several species of Desmodium that Mooney 

recorded and it is the only one that is a type of tuyayústĭ, so it may be that its distinct 

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growth habit and leaf shape were distinguishing features for its classification. No further 

information was available for this species. 

udátlĭ – ‘it is wedded’ – Phoradendron leucarpum (Raf.) Reveal & M.C. Johnston – 

mistletoe 

The folk generic udátlĭ (‘it is wedded’) was due to the parasitic nature of P. 

leucarpum. The new plant feeds on the host plant and becomes fused with it. Mooney 

said, “The same expression is used of a married person.” Banks found that a person 

with a headache would bathe their head with a tea of mistletoe and that a tea of 

mistletoe, drunk after four days of vomiting, would cure lovesickness (1953: 36). 

uganástĭ usdíga – ‘sweet, small’ – Medeola virginiana L. – Indian cucumber 

Mooney recorded two other versions of the folk generic uganástĭ (‘sweet’), 

uganástû and the plural form úniganástĭ (‘they are sweet’), which appears to refer to the 

edibility and pleasant flavor of the members of this category. There were other 

synonyms for M. virginiana, including uniganástû aní‛laskĭ (‘sweet having round tubers’) 

and uganástĭ anisgaya tsunsdia unitwatsila (‘sweet, little man’s saliva’). The first name 

is due to the small tuberous roots that were once boiled or roasted (Witthoft n.d.: 34), 

but neither Mooney nor Olbrechts provided an explanation for the second name. 

Mooney noted that uniganástû aní‛laskĭ was used by “bad conjurors” in love conjuring 

formulas. 

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uganástĭ usdíga agístĭ – ‘sweet small food’ – Streptopus amplexifolius (L.) DC – twisted 

stalk 

The qualifiers usdíga (‘small’) and agístĭ (‘food’) were in reference to the edibility 

of S. amplexifolius and the related species Streptopus roseus Michaux. Later references 

refer exclusively to S. roseus, which was also referred to as bean salad. The young 

shoots were collected, boiled, and fried in grease (Witthoft 1977) or combined with other 

greens such as Polygonatum biflorum and Ligusticum canadense (Perry 1974: 48). 

White (1975) said that the cooked greens were reported to taste like green beans, 

hence the name bean salad, but he identified the botanical species as Disporum 

lanuginosum, which closely resembles Streptopus. 

uganástĭ usdíga unaskû‛li – ‘sweet, small, ?’ – Uvularia sessilifolia L. – wild oats 

Mooney did not provide a complete gloss for this folk variety and did not record 

any uses for it. However, Witthoft (1977) found that the greens of a related species, 

Uvularia perfoliata, were collected in the early spring, partially boiled, and fried in 

grease, suggesting that this might also have been considered an edible species. Banks 

found that the roots of U. sessilifolia were crushed and made into an infusion for 

diarrhea (1953: 19). 

uganástĭ útana – ‘sweet, large’ – Polygonatum biflorum (Walter) Ell. – Solomon’s seal 

This was the largest of the uganástĭ and the most important food from this folk 

genus. The young shoots were eaten as greens while the root was pounded in a corn 

mortar and added to bread, possibly as a famine food (Witthoft n.d.: 28, Perry 1974: 47- 

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48, Banks 1953: 16). The roasted root was pounded and applied to boil-like swellings 

(Mooney 1891: 327) or made into a tea and drunk for stomach problems (Banks 1953: 

16). The root of P. biflorum and some soil, procured from the front of a ground hog’s 

den, were boiled and the decoction was drunk as a medium for emesis to clear “spoiled 

saliva” due to dreams of the dead. The patient would vomit until all the liquid was 

expelled, repeating the action for four straight mornings (Banks 1953: 16). Mooney also 

found that it was called utístŭgĭ or utĭstkĭ (‘hanging head’), most likely due to the fruits 

that hang below the arching stalk. Olbrechts recorded its use for a purple form of the 

cancerous condition known as ada‛yeski (‘eating itself’). 

ugatasigískĭ – ‘pus oozes out’ – Chamaesyce maculata (L.) Small 

The folk generic ugatasigískĭ (‘pus oozes out’) was due to the profuse milky latex 

that was prevalent throughout these plants. The name stems from úga (‘pus’), which 

was closely related to úgamû (‘soup’), and atasgískĭ (‘it oozes out habitually’), from 

átasgiû΄ (‘it oozes out’). Mooney and Olbrechts both recorded C. maculata as 

ugatasigískĭ, the lack of a qualifier suggesting that it was the prototypical representative 

for the folk genus. Mooney also collected the synonyms ugatasigískĭ tlâgesĕ΄hĭ (‘pus 

oozes out, growing in old fields’) and ugatasigískĭ tsuwastûna (‘pus oozes out, sinews’). 

A related species, Euphorbia corollata, which was also a type of ugatasigískĭ, has been 

discussed above (see katû΄latû usdí-ga). 

Mooney claimed that this was an “important medicine”, and it was one of twenty 

that he highlighted in his early work (1891: 325). The juicy latex was rubbed on 

eruptions on the head of children and the finely beaten root was used as a purgative 

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after a day of fasting. The juice was also rubbed to relieve sore nipples and was 

combined with other plants as a cancer remedy. Mooney also mentioned its use for 

gonorrhea, but his description was more elaborate in his notes. Mooney said the 

condition, was typified by white urine and was known as uhyetĭ. A pint of the tea of the 

bruised root was drunk early in the morning and again before the evening meal. This 

was repeated two or three time, which was usually sufficient to elicit a cure. The same 

treatment was used for both sexes. Olbrechts also found that it was used for the 

condition ga‛yedi (‘pain in the back’), which may have been a similar urinary tract 

infection. 

ugatasigískĭ dalânige adsilû΄skĭ – ‘pus oozes out, yellow flowered’ – Hieracium 

paniculatum L. – panicled hawkweed 

Mooney only provided the Cherokee name and botanical species, but the 

qualifier dalânige adsilû΄skĭ (‘yellow-flowered’) is true to botanical descriptions of the H. 

paniculatum (Radford et al. 1968: 1027) and many species from the family Asteraceae 

are known to contain milky latex. 

ugatasigískĭ ΄ útana gûtlûtĕ΄hĭ – ‘pus oozes out, large, dwelling on the hillside’ – 

Amsonia tabernaemontana Walter – blue star 

Olbrechts only recorded the Cherokee and botanical names for this species, but 

it is in the family Apocynaceae, many members of which are known to exhibit milky latex 

when damaged. 

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ugukúskă΄ - ‘owl’s head’ – Pedicularis canadensis L. – lousewort 

The name stemmed from ugukú (‘the hooting owl’) and úska (‘head’), due to the 

appearance of the inflorescence. Mooney recorded two folk species, ugukúskă΄ 

dalânige adsilû΄skĭ (‘owl’s head, yellow-flowered’) and ugukúskă΄ tĕlugéĭ adsilû΄skĭ 

(‘owl’s head, purple-flowered’), but these variants represent one botanical species 

(Radford et al. 1968: 962). 

Mooney found that the roots were used in conjunction with the whole plant of 

Scutellaria lateriflora and the roots of an unidentified plant called watulisĭ΄ (‘honey’ or 

‘bee’) to reduce the fever and spasms of a woman who had recently delivered a baby. 

The tea was drunk throughout the day “for some time”. Pedicularis canadensis was 

found on mountainsides and recognized in winter by a few persistent green leaves. 

Olbrechts added that a decoction of the roots was used on sores. Banks (1953: 117) 

found that a decoction of the roots was used for stomach problems, an infusion of the 

roots relieved flux, and it was an ingredient in a mixture used for coughs. 

ugwau stalyato – ‘the leaves have split themselves’ – Ambrosia artemisifolia L. – 

ragweed 

Olbrechts did not explain the etymology for this name, but his gloss of ugwau 

appears to be incorrect, as it is the singular form. However, the Cherokee name is quite 

descriptive of the deeply dissected leaves of A. artemisifolia. He provided the only uses 

attributed to this species, finding it used for an‛t‛asgiski tskoya (‘insects are breaking 

out’) and the half-roasted leaves were rubbed on cases of poison ivy. He also said it 

may have been used for snakebites, but he did not know which parts of the plant were 

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used or how it was prepared and applied. Banks recorded some general uses for the 

genus Ambrosia, but these have already been discussed (see iyuga egwa above). 

uhyû΄stĭ – ‘bitter’ – Polygonum hydropiper L. - smartweed 

The folk generic uhyû΄stĭ (‘bitter’) was mentioned above in the plural form 

tsunihyû΄stĭ (‘they are bitter’), but this appears to be a whole different category of plants. 

The inherent organoleptic quality of the genus Polygonum is considered to be more 

acrid/peppery than bitter (Peterson 1977:116), hence the common name smartweed. 

This may indicate that the Cherokee concept of uhyû΄stĭ had a broader range of quality 

than our current concepts of bitter. Mooney found that the plant was pounded and 

placed in pools to poison fish, but Banks said it was no longer used as of the early 

1950s. However, he did find that the plant was crushed or cooked up and used as a 

liniment for bruises or painful joints and the peppery/acrid nature of the plant was 

employed to prevent thumb sucking by children (1953: 39). 

uhyû΄stĭ unéga adsilû΄skĭ – ‘white-flowered bitter’ – Polygonum pensylvanicum L. – pink 

smartweed 

It is not clear why this was considered the ‘white-flowered’ species of uhyû΄stĭ. As 

the common name suggests, the flowers are predominantly pink. However, there are 

rare white individuals (Radford et al. 1968: 420) and this may have been an on-the-spot 

naming of P. pensylvanicum. Little else is known about the Cherokee relationship with 

this species. 

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u‛iyat‛atłi – no gloss – Erigeron pulchellus Michaux – robin’s plantain 

Olbrechts did not provide a gloss for u‛iyat‛atłi; however, he did record two 

synonyms, uwatéstĭ (‘it grows around a tree’) and tsuyátû‛lĭ táluwatéstĭ (‘it grows in 

bunches, it grows around the white oak tree’). These were the same names Mooney 

recorded for Elephantopus carolinianus (see tsuyátû‛lĭ táluwatéstĭ above). This could 

indicate misidentification on the part of one of these men or a case of 

underdifferentiation by the Cherokee, but without voucher specimens from both men we 

can not know for sure. To add to the uncertainty, Olbrechts recorded that leaves and 

roots of E. pulchellus were made into an infusion and sprinkled on swollen insect bites, 

one of the primary uses that Mooney recorded for Elephantopus carolinianus. 

uktanéga udâ΄ĭ – ‘it has bran hanging to it’ – Phryma leptostachya L. – lop-seed 

The Cherokee folk generic uktanéga udâ΄ĭ stems from uktanéga (‘bran’) and 

udâ΄ĭ (‘it has something hanging from it), a form of ugwadâû΄ (‘I have something long 

hanging from me’). It and the common name lop-seed are both descriptive of the 

flowers, which open in opposing pairs and droop on the stem soon after opening. Banks 

(1953: 119) found that the roots were used in a formula to attract the object of one’s 

affections, the paired flowers and seeds being symbolic of the intended union. However, 

the Cherokee name that he recorded, tciskwa dunotcilu‛gi (‘the bird with the protruding 

chest’), is the same name that Olbrechts recorded for Perilla frutescens (see above). 

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ûlĕ΄ ugĭltĭ΄ – ‘it trees the locust’ – Porteranthus trifoliatus (L.) Britt. – Bowman’s root, 

Indian physic 

The generic name stems from ûlĕ΄ (‘locust’) and ugĭltĭ΄ (‘it trees it’), a form of 

akw’gĭltĭ΄ (‘I have it treed’). It was due to the perception that the locust preferred to 

emerge from the ground under the shade of P. trifoliatus. The earliest reference to this 

plant may have come from Palisot de Beauvois in the late 18 th century. He found that 

the plant was used as a purgative and emetic to augment the treatment for snakebites 

(Anderson 1984). Mooney found mixed responses for the application of this plant. Two 

informants said that a decoction of the root was used for bowel complaints 

accompanied by fever and the vomiting of bile. Another said it was too toxic to take 

internally but the pounded root was used as a poultice on swellings (1891: 326). 

Olbrechts found that P. trifoliatus was one of several plants used in a formula for 

scratching with a snake’s tooth. This was done before ballgames and in cases of 

rheumatism or listlessness. Along with the roots of P. trifoliatus, the mixture could 

include the leaves of Leucothoe axillaris, Rhododendron maximum, or Kalmia latifolia, 

and the roots of Veratrum viride. This was considered very potent, irritating medicine 

and patients could rarely stand a series of four applications (Mooney and Olbrechts 

1932: 203-204). 

Will West Long claimed that this was considered a female contraceptive, an 

infusion of the roots causing permanent sterility. A cold infusion of the root or the juice 

of the chewed root was used to alleviate insect bites and bee stings, while the pounded 

root was placed on an aching tooth (Banks 1953: 62). A strong infusion or decoction of 

the whole plant was once used as an emetic (Witthoft 1947). 

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ulidástĭ usdí-ga – ‘it deceives, small’ – Actaea pachypoda Ell. – doll’s eyes, white 

baneberry 

The folk generic ulidástĭ (‘it deceives’) stems from tsílidastû΄ (‘I cause him to 

make a mistake’ or ‘I am deceiving him’). It was so called because the young plant 

resembles and was confused with ginseng and angelica, both of which were highly 

esteemed and sought after by the Cherokee. Olbrechts was told that the foliage turns 

yellow in the fall, just like that of ginseng, distracting the ginseng hunter. Mooney also 

collected two possible synonyms, ulidástĭ unega (‘it deceives, white’), due to the white 

berries, and ulidástĭ atû΄laĕ΄hĭ (‘it deceives, growing in the low plain’), stemming from 

atû΄la (‘low plain’) and ĕ΄hĭ (‘dwelling’ or ‘living’). 

Olbrechts found that A. pachypoda was used alone for dida‛nikwutisgi 

(‘rheumatism in the kneecaps’) and as part of a formula for unawasti (‘he gets cold’ or 

‘that which chills one’). Banks added that a decoction of the roots was used for the 

condition called tckoya (‘insects cause swelling in body’) and that the plant was thought 

to destroy the teeth of young people (1953: 43). One of Witthoft’s informants elaborated 

on this latter belief, stating that merely handling the leaves or root would transfer some 

sap onto the hands of the person. This would eventually get into their food and “cause 

the teeth to rot and crumble away in a matter of three to four years (n.d. 61).” 

ulidástĭ útana – ‘it deceives, large’ – Cimicifuga racemosa (L.) Nutt. – black cohosh 

This was the ‘large’ folk species of ulidástĭ, reaching a height of as much as 2.5 

meters tall. Mooney found that the pounded roots were made into a warm decoction 

with those of Cacalia atriplicifolia, Ceanothus americana, and Polymnia uvedalia, and 

287

drunk for fevers and Olbrechts found that it was part of the formula with Actaea 

pachypoda for unawasti (‘he gets cold’ or ‘that which chills one’). The roots may have 

been soaked in alcohol and the extract used for rheumatism (Witthoft 1947), but this 

form of herbal preparation was not common with the Cherokee. 

ulísĭ usdí-ga – ‘grandchild, small’ – Lepidium virginicum L. – peppergrass 

The folk generic is a shortened version of tûksûn ulísĭ (‘turnip’s grandmother’ or 

‘turnip’s grandchild’) and highlights the perceived relationship of edible members of the 

family Brassicaceae to the turnip. Lepidium virginicum was discussed above under that 

heading. 

ulísĭ útana – ‘grandchild, large’ – Sisymbrium officinale (L.) Scopoli – hedge mustard 

This introduced species became the ‘large’ folk species of ulísĭ. A common weed 

in disturbed areas, it was used as an edible green (Banks 1953: 55). 

ulísĭ útana dalânige adsilû΄skĭ – ‘grandchild, large, yellow-flowered’ – Barbarea verna 

(Miller) Ascherson – early winter cress, creasy greens and Barbarea vulgaris R. Brown 

– winter cress 

This varietal qualifier dalânige adsilû΄skĭ was due to the yellow flowers that 

appeared in warm weather. Both of these introduced species were collected and eaten 

as the earliest green vegetables of the season in the Cherokee diet (Witthoft 1977). The 

leaves, either eaten alone or mixed with other early spring greens, were parboiled and 

fried in grease (Perry 1974: 36) or eaten raw with some salt (Witthoft n.d.: 26). 

288

Secondary sources suggest that the Cherokee considered creasy greens to be a blood 

cleanser (Duke 1992: 46, Moerman 1998: 121), but the primary source or this 

information, Hamel and Chiltoskey’s Cherokee Plants, Their Uses – A 400 Year History 

(1975), is not referenced and the original source is unclear. 

unástetsĭ gûnahíta – ‘long root’ – Solidago caesia L. – blue-stem 

The name stems from unástetsĭ (‘root’) and gûnahíta (‘long’), which apparently 

referred to the extensive roots system of S. caesia. The botanical species is in question 

for this folk genus. Olbrechts identified it as S. caesia, but Mooney had two potential 

botanical names for unástetsĭ gûnahíta. One specimen had no flowers and he 

tentatively identified it as S. caesia (Ms. 2235). But a plant label that was associated 

with the folk generic unástetsĭ gûnahíta was identified as Aster infirmus Michaux, and 

the note on the label indicated that it was a common white-flowered species (Ms. 2497). 

This would differentiate it from the yellow-flowered S. caesia. 

The medicinal application does not help clarify the botanical uncertainty. 

Olbrechts found that the chewed root of unástetsĭ gûnahíta was blown up the nostrils of 

a hunting dog that had become lazy from excessive hunting or eating food prepared by 

a menstruating woman. The treatment caused excess “bad slime” to be expelled from 

the dog’s nose. A similar application, removing excess mucus from humans, was 

ascribed to Aster infirmus (see na‛tsiyústĭ gatusĕ΄hĭ in intermediate categories), but no 

species of Solidago were reported used for such conditions. It was also combined with 

Monarda clinopodia for gigö yandik‛öça (‘urinating blood’). 

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unastétstiyă – ‘very small root’ – Aristolochia serpentaria L. – Virginia snakeroot 

The name was a composite of unástetsĭ (‘root’) and usdíyă, the intensive form of 

usdí or usdíga (‘small’), and was due to the diminutive root of A. serpentaria. Mooney 

found that the Cherokee, as the common name might suggest, used the root as a 

remedy for snakebites. A decoction of the root was blown on the patient and the juice 

created from chewing the root was rubbed on the site of the bite. The decoction was 

also drunk for fevers and associated headaches, as well as for coughs. The bruised root 

was placed against an aching tooth or placed in the hollow area of a decayed tooth, as 

well as rubbed on a nose that had been irritated by constant wiping during a cold 

(Mooney 1891 324). 

Olbrechts claimed that A. serpentaria was an alternative medicine to treat 

dreams of snakebites. When the fern Botrychium virginianum was not available, the 

medicine man would chew a piece of the root of A. serpentaria and blows it on the place 

that had been bitten in the dream (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 177). He also found 

that it was used for aninedzi gotiski (‘their breast swells’), the scrofulous condition 

duletsi (‘kernels’), aninedzi digöwalosöçi yune‛istaneça (‘to cure anyone with a piercing 

pain in their breast’), and tsidunitsileça (‘when they have itching’). This last condition 

was for itchy genitals due to urinating on the hot ashes remaining from a fire, and A. 

serpentaria was mentioned as the primary remedy for this condition (Mooney and 


Banks added that a decoction of the roots was used for stomachaches, fevers, 

headaches, and heart trouble. The roots could also be made into a cold infusion or 

simply chewed and the juice swallowed for colds. In case of an accident, like getting cut 

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with an axe, a cold infusion was used to alleviate pain and prevent the patient from 

fainting (1953: 37-38). 

unatlâ΄stĭ – no gloss – Amianthium muscaetoxicum (Walter) Gray – fly poison, crow 

poison 

Neither Mooney nor Olbrechts provided a gloss for this folk genus; however, 

Olbrechts did record the synonym dutsasti, which he glossed as ‘they are mixed’. 

Mooney recorded that there was a large (útana) and small (usdí-ga) folk species of 

unatlâ΄stĭ, but did not match either with a botanical species. Olbrechts found that it was 

used in a formula with Veratrum viride, Aralia spinosa, and an unidentified species for 

“they are cutting it up”, a form of rheumatism. Witthoft (1947) reported that A. 

muscaetoxicum was once used as a poison for crows (hence the common name “crow 

poison”) and as, “a sure, but severe cure for the itch (scabies).” 

unatlû΄taliyústĭ – ‘like they are upright against or supported by something’ – Thermopsis 

villosa (Walter) Fernald and Schubert – hairy bush pea 

The name stems from unatlû΄talĭ (‘they are upright against or supported by 

something’), a synonym for Pisum sativum L. or the garden pea (see túya usdíga in Part 

2), and -iyústĭ (‘like’). This would indicate the Cherokee perception that T. villosa was 

similar to but a distinctively different kind of plant than P. sativum. No further information 

is available concerning the Cherokee relationship to this plant. 

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únatlûnwéhitu – ‘having spirals’ – Spiranthes cernua (L.) Richard – nodding ladies’ 

tresses 

Mooney placed a question mark next to the botanical species in his notes and did 

not identify the species in his published materials (1900: 427), but from the Cherokee 

name únatlûnwéhitu (‘having spirals’), it is likely that he was correct about the generic 

designation. One of the identifying characteristics of the genus Spiranthes is the spiral 

arrangement of the inflorescence (Radford et al. 1968: 346). The root was used, “in 

conjurations designed to predispose strangers in favor of the subject.” The medicine 

man would chew a small piece of the root and blow or rub the juice on the body and arm 

of one who was preparing to travel and persuade others of the worthiness of his cause. 

This was done in hopes that all he met would find his bearing and appearance 

appealing, and would be inclined to support his goals (1900: 427). Banks mentions the 

use of Spiranthes lucida (H. H. Eaton) Ames, but this species is not known to the 

Southern Appalachian region and it was most likely S. cernua. He found that a warm tea 

was used to wash infants and insure their healthy growth and that it was used with 

Liparis loeselii (L.) Richard for painful urination (1953: 23). 

unâyû‛li – ‘they (berries) are attached to leaf stalk’ – Triosteum perfoliatum L. – horse 

gentian 

The name unâyû‛li (‘they (berries) are attached to leaf stalk’) was due to the 

sessile berries that grew in the axils of the leaves. Mooney also collected the synonym 

tsusalĕt (see gátatsú‛lĭ gatusĕ΄hĭ in Part 1), which had to do with the perfoliate leaves. 

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Olbrechts, who recorded the common name as wild coffee, found that a tea was made 

from the roots and applied to swollen insect bites. 

unedâita uniskwalatisgu – no gloss – Spiranthes gracilis (Bigelow) Beck – slender 

ladies’ tresses 

Mooney only provided the Cherokee name and botanical species for this plant 

(Ms. 2235). No further information is available concerning the Cherokee relationship to 

this plant. 

unĕ΄stală unû΄sûtĭ – ‘it has ice on its leg’ – Oligoneuron rigidum (L.) Small var. rigidum – 

hard-leaved goldenrod 

The name stems from unĕ΄stală (‘ice’) and unû΄sûtĭ (‘it has it on its leg’) because 

frost tends to gather on the stalk in late fall. The synonym ukanáwĭ (‘tallow’) was related 

to this because the ice often looked white like tallow. A tea made from the roots was 

drunk for four days to treat listlessness. This was followed by a tea of Sambucus 

canadensis, which acted as an emetic. 

úninayû΄gĭ – ‘rattles’ or ‘they make noise’ – Ludwigia alternifolia L. – seedbox 

The name úninayû΄gĭ was due to the rattling of the dried seed capsules and was 

also the same name used for ceremonial rattles. It was also a synonym for Dioscorea 

villosa (see anisgína-(ts)unâ΄năsû΄ta above) and for Mimulus ringens (see gátatsú‛lĭ 

aniskutataski (uwetige adsilû΄skĭ) in Part 1). No medicinal qualities were attributed to L. 

alternifolia. 

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uniskă΄-hĭ – ‘it has heads’ – Echium vulgare L. – viper’s bugloss 

The name stems from uníska, the plural form of úska (‘head’), due to the 

numerous white seeds. These seeds played a vital role in Cherokee diagnostic 

practices, as they were the precursors to the beads used by medicine men to divine the 

outcome of a therapy (Mooney 1900: 426). Mooney found that a tea of the roots was 

considered an effective remedy for gonorrhea. It was usually drunk for four days, but 

could elicit a cure in one day (Ms. 1894). Olbrechts found that it was used for a related 

condition, unegö tsandiköça (‘if they water out white’), as well as for dunikstisgöi (‘when 

they vomit’). 

uniskă΄-hĭ tsundí-ga – ‘it has heads, small’ – Asclepias verticillata L. – whorled milkweed 

Mooney was unsure why this was a type of uniskă΄-hĭ, but it was designated the 

‘small’ folk species to distinguish it from Asclepias tuberosa (see gugŭ΄ above), which 

sometimes went by the synonym uniskă΄-hĭ tsúntana (‘it has heads, large’). No 

medicinal uses were attributed to A. verticillata. 

uniskwetú‛gĭ tsundí-ga – ‘they wear a hat or they have their heads covered, small’ – 

Podophyllum peltatum L. – may-apple 

The folk generic uniskwetú‛gĭ (‘they wear a hat’) is a form of ágwûlskwetgû΄ (‘I 

am wearing a hat’), and is due to the umbrella-like appearance of the leaves. Both 

Mooney and Olbrechts recorded its use for chronic dalâni, but Mooney gave the best 

description for its use. The roots of P. peltatum were combined with the bark of black 

walnut and that of butternut and made into a strong decoction. This was boiled down 

294

four times until it became a thick syrup. About a half a teacup full was drunk one time as 

a powerful cathartic. The patient would recover at once unless a menstruating woman 

entered the room, then they would swell up and die. Olbrechts also found it was useful 

for unisi‛kwaskö (‘when they are coughing’) and a condition related to dalâni, uniskwotłii 

tsunitłöyö yuwot‛isö andanawoski (‘when they have a stomach-ache with swollen and 

throbbing stomach’). 

Banks found that the dried powdered roots or a tea of the roots were used as a 

laxative and the roots were soaked in whiskey and taken for rheumatism. The pounded 

roots were also soaked in water and corn seed was soaked in the resulting tea to keep 

pests from eating the freshly planted corn. Some informants warned that the only the 

portion of the root between the nodes was used, the nodes themselves being too 

poisonous (1953: 48). In fact, Witthoft found that the nodes were used specifically to 

poison crows and dogs (n.d.: 39). He also added that a drop of the juice of root was 

placed in the ear to cure deafness (Witthoft 1947). The fruits of mayapple are 

considered edible, but Witthoft found that the more conservative Cherokees would avoid 

the plant completely, believing that any vine plants in their garden would whither and die 

if they tended them after eating the fruit (n.d.: 38). 

uniskwetú‛gĭ tsúntana – ‘‘they wear a hat or they have their heads covered, large’ – 

Diphylleia cymosa Michaux – umbrella-leaf 

This was the ‘large’ species of uniskwetú‛gĭ, and the leaves are large, some up to 

a half a meter wide (Radford et al. 1968: 471). No medicinal uses for D. cymosa were 

attributed to the Cherokee. 

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unû΄guhistĭ – ‘they leak’ – Physalis angulata L. – ground cherry 

The folk generic unû΄guhistĭ stems from gûgústû (‘it is leaking’), a term used to 

describe meal, wheat, or a liquid. This most likely referred to the seeds that would “leak” 

from the ripe fruit. Mooney also recorded the synonym anahâ΄skĭ (‘they drop off’), 

stemming from gahâ΄skû (‘it is dropping off’, referring to round objects). This was 

because the fruit dropped off when it was ripe. The berries of this and other species of 

Physalis were eaten fresh when they turned yellow (Witthoft n.d.: 39, Perry 1974: 55). 

unû΄guhistĭ unikwtayúwani – ‘they leak, fuzzy or downy’ – Physalis pubescens L. or 

Physalis heterophylla Nees. – ground cherry 

Both botanical species here have varying degrees of pubescence, hence the 

specific qualifier unikwtayúwani (‘fuzzy‘ or ‘downy’). Mooney also collected the 

synonyms unû΄guhistĭ digisti (Ms. 2497) and unû΄guhistĭ anitawisgage (Ms. 1894) for P. 

pubescens, but did not provide a gloss for either specific qualifier. He claimed the edible 

fruit had yellow seeds and was sweet when ripe. 

unû΄guhístiyustĭ – ‘like they leak’ – Nicandra physalodes (L.) Persoon – apple of Peru; 

Solanum dulcamara L. – bittersweet nightshade; Solanum carolinense L. – horse nettle 

The folk genus unû΄guhístiyustĭ was a composite of unû΄guhistĭ (‘they leak’) and - 

iyústĭ (‘like’), referring to the similarity of the fruit to the ground cherry. This is one of the 

few instances of underdifferentiation apparent in the Cherokee ethnobotanical system. 

Solanum carolinense has already been discussed above (see didáwahistískĭ). No 

medicinal applications were attributed to S. dulcamara or N. physalodes. However, 

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Witthoft did mention that the Cherokee were careful to point out the differences between 

these two toxic species and the edible members of Physalis, especially to novices and 

children (n.d.: 40). He also found that the leaves of N. physalodes were crushed in 

water with a sweet, sticky substance and left out as a poisonous trap to control flies 

(n.d.: 62). 

uskwayeluyi – no gloss – Triodanis perfoliata (L.) Nieuwl. var. perfoliata – Venus’ 

looking-glass 

Olbrechts provided no gloss for this Cherokee folk generic, but he did find that it 

was used to treat unitseno‛ise‛oi (‘when a person has stomach trouble’). 

ústăstĭ usdíga – ‘he spins, small’ – Chimaphila maculata (L.) Pursh – spotted 

wintergreen, pipsissewa 

The name stems from the resemblance of the leaves to the American holly, Ilex 

opaca, known to the Cherokee as ústăstĭ (‘he spins’). But its diminutive size makes it 

the ‘small’ kind. Banks provided the majority of the uses for C. maculata, finding that a 

root tea was used for colds, flu, and fever, the beaten roots were used as a poultice for 

headaches and other pain, and it was made into a tea for menstrual pain (1953: 97). 

Mooney may have been referring to C. maculata when he noted the use of a plant he 

called utastĭ΄ ustí, which he described as an evergreen that grew in the mountains. The 

pounded leaves were wrapped in a cloth and soaked in water. The water was then used 

to bathe the eyes of a patient whose eyes were sore and they could not look at the sun. 

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û΄tsatĭ uskwâ΄lĭ usdí-ga – ‘fish bladder, small’ – no botanical species 

û΄tsatĭ uskwâ΄lĭ útana – ‘fish bladder, large’ – no botanical species 

The folk generic stems from û΄tsatĭ (‘fish’) and uskwâ΄lĭ (‘bladder’ or ‘stomach’) 

due to the resemblance of the seed capsule to a fish bladder. Mooney recorded two folk 

species, but was not able to identify the botanical species associated with the names. 

He did record the name û΄tsatĭ uskwâ΄liyústĭ (‘like fish bladder’) for Sabatia angularis 

(see skáy’tĭ above), suggesting that the capsules of the two species of û΄tsatĭ uskwâ΄lĭ 

resembled those of S. angularis. No medicinal qualities were associated with either 

species. 

û΄tsatĭ uwadsĭ΄ska usdí-ga – ‘small fish scales’ – Thalictrum thalictroides (L.) Boivin – 

windflower, rue anemone 

The folk generic stems from û΄tsatĭ (‘fish’) and uwadsĭ΄ska (‘scales’), referring to 

the resemblance of the leaves to fish scales. Thalictrum thalictroides was considered 

the ‘small’ species of û΄tsatĭ uwadsĭ΄ska. A decoction of the bruised roots of T. 

thalictroides, Aquilegia canadensis, and Clematis virginiana was drunk to relieve 

dysentery. 

û΄tsatĭ uwadsĭ΄ska útana – ‘large fish scales’ – Aquilegia canadensis L. – columbine 

Aquilegia canadensis was considered the ‘large’ species of û΄tsatĭ uwadsĭ΄ska 

and the leaflets are generally larger than those of Thalictrum thalictroides. Mooney also 

recorded a shortened version for the generic name, uwasdĭ΄skălănû΄ĭ (‘scale’, implying 

one attached to the body of a fish). Its use for diarrhea was mentioned in the previous 

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entry, but Mooney elaborated on this in other parts of his notes (Ms. 1894). The root 

was boiled and the decoction drunk every hour to combat diarrhea with associated 

vomiting. Mooney also noted that it was standard practice to drink a medicinal tea once 

a day or at one hour intervals. 

û΄tsatĭ uwadsĭ΄ska unikwtayúwani – ‘fish scales, downy’ – Hieracium gronovii L. – 

queendevil 

The specific qualifier unikwtayúwani (‘downy’) was due to the pubescent leaves. 

However, it is not clear why this was a type of û΄tsatĭ uwadsĭ΄ska, as the leaves of 

Hieracium gronovii do not resemble either of the previous types of û΄tsatĭ uwadsĭ΄ska. 

Olbrechts found that this plant was once used for medicine, but the use was forgotten at 

the time of his research. 

û΄tsatĭ uwadsĭ΄skiyústĭ – ‘like fish scales’ – Clematis virginiana L. – virgin’s bower 

Mooney recorded C. virginiana as the species known to be ‘like’ the two previous 

species, but it is not clear why, as the trifoliate leaves are distinctly different from those 

of the two previous species. It will be discussed in the chapter on vines (see igagû΄tĭ) 

and is only mentioned here for continuity with Thalictrum thalictroides and Aquilegia 

canadensis. 

uweskâ΄yĭ – ‘curving’ (like a rooster’s tail) – no botanical species 

The name is due to the white flowers that curve over like the tail of a rooster. 

Unfortunately, Mooney often conflated the meaning of the terms “flower” and 

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“inflorescence”, so it is not clear what is curving. Will West Long noted that this was a 

fall/winter plant and the leaves remained green in winter. Mooney questioningly 

suggested that this might be “star grass”, a common name for Aletris farinosa L. But it 

could also be Chamaelirium luteum (L.) Willd., which was known as blazing star or 

devil’s bit and has an inflorescence that tends to droop and could be said to resemble a 

rooster’s tail. Both are noted medicinal plants from the North Carolina mountains and 

the basal rosettes remain green in winter, but neither is mentioned in the literature 

concerning Cherokee medicine. No medicinal qualities were attributed to uweskâ΄yĭ. 

uyátălû gûnatláĭ – ‘tame or cultivated it makes a ridge’ – Acorus calamus L. – sweet flag 

The generic uyátălû (‘it makes a ridge’) was due to the habit of the rhizome of A. 

calamus to make a ridge in the earth. The specific qualifier gûnatháĭ (‘tame’ or 

‘cultivated’) would suggest that this plant was transplanted and treated with care. 

Mooney and Olbrechts both recorded this plant as simply uyátălĭ, but Olbrechts added 

several other synonyms, such as uyátălĭ egwa (‘large u.’), uyátălĭ usdí-ga (‘small u.’), 

and uyátălĭ usdí-ga amayułtehi (‘small u., water edge growing’). One of Mooney’s 

informants called it uyátălĭ inagĕ΄hĭ (‘it makes a ridge, growing in the wilderness’). 

Mooney found that an infusion made by pouring hot water on the bruised root 

was rubbed on areas of the body affected by rheumatism, the root being found in the 

river bottoms and dried for future use (Ms. 1894). The root was also chewed at dances 

to keep the singers from getting hoarse (Ms. 3462). Olbrechts found it was used for 

dalânige tsandik‛öça (‘yellow urine’), unegö tsandiköça (‘if they water out white’), 

unisi‛kwaskö (‘when they are coughing’), and for fever accompanied by thirst. A hot 

300

infusion of the root or the chewed root was used as a cold remedy and the chewed root 

was also used for headaches and sore throats (Banks 1953: 11). 

uyátălĭ usdí-ga – ‘it makes a ridge, small’ – Iris cristata Aiton – dwarf crested iris 

uyátălĭ usdí-ga gatusĕ΄hĭ – ‘it makes a ridge, small’, mountain dwelling’ – Iris verna L. – 

dwarf iris 

These were considered the ‘small’ species of uyátălĭ, and, as the common 

names indicates, they are small species of Iris. Both species were discussed above 

under the heading tsuyátû‛lĭ inagĕ΄hĭ. This creates a problem with the glosses for uyátălĭ 

and tsuyátû‛lĭ. The latter is obviously a plural form of the former, but Mooney glossed 

uyátălĭ as ‘it makes a ridge’ and tsuyátû‛lĭ as ‘it grows in bunches’. Perhaps the 

Cherokee terms have a flexible meaning that encompasses both concepts or there are 

subtle variations in the terms that change the meaning, but Mooney did not clarify this 

point. 

uyátălĭ útana – ‘it makes a ridge, large’ – Iris virginica L. – blue flag 

This was considered the ‘large’ species of uyátălĭ and it is the tallest species of 

Iris in the Southern Appalachian region (Smith 1999: 19). No medicinal qualities were 

attributed to I. virginica. 

uyátăliyústĭ – ‘like it makes a ridge’ – no botanical species 

Mooney noted that there was a plant that was known as being ‘like’ uyátălĭ, but 

he was unable to identify it. No further information is available concerning this plant. 

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uyû΄gĭlĭ – senega snakeroot – Polygala senega L. 

The folk generic uyû΄gĭlĭ appears to be an opaque, proper name for Seneca 

snakeroot. Adair reported the first indication of its use by the Cherokee in 1775: 

I do not remember to have seen or heard of an Indian dying by the bite of 

a snake, when out at war, or a hunting; although they are then often bitten by the 

most dangerous of snakes – every one carries in his shot-pouch, a piece of the 

best snake-root, such as the Seneeka, or fern-snake-root, – or the wild hore- 

hound, wild plantain, St. Andrew’s cross, and a variety of other herbs and roots, 

which are plenty, and well known to those who range the American woods, and 

are exposed to such dangers, and will effect a thorough and speedy cure if timely 

applied. When an Indian perceives he is struck by a snake, he immediately 

chews some of the root, and having swallowed a sufficient quantity of it, he 

applies some to the wound; which he repeats as occasion requires, and in 

proportion to the poison the snake has infused into the wound. For a short space 

of time, there is a terrible conflict throughout all the body, by the jarring qualities 

of the burning poison, and the strong antidote; but the poison is soon repelled 

through the same channels it entered, and the patient is cured (Adair 1974: 247- 

248). 

However, Mooney claimed that the Cherokee did not use P. senega for 

snakebites, but for other unspecified illnesses. He did mention that the plant was an 

important part of their local economy and they sold the roots to white traders for $.50 a 

302

pound green and $2.00 to $3.00 a pound dried. This was a substantial amount of 

money in the late 19 th and early 20 th centuries. As late as 1948 the price for dried 

senega snakeroot was only $.60 a pound (Cozzo 1999: 171). Perhaps its financial value 

superceded its reputation as a medicinal product. 

uyû΄gĭliyústĭ usdí-ga – ‘like senega snakeroot, small – Polygala verticillata L. – whorled 

milkwort 

The folk genus uyû΄gĭliyústĭ was based on the resemblance of certain plants to 

uyû΄gĭlĭ or P. senega. This was the ‘small’ species of uyû΄gĭliyústĭ. No medicinal 

applications were attributed to P. verticillata. 

uyû΄gĭliyústĭ útana – ‘like senega snakeroot, large’ – Polygala curtissii Gray – Curtiss’ 

milkwort 

Polygala curtissii was considered the ‘large’ species of uyû΄gĭliyústĭ. A warm 

infusion of the whole plant was used to treat dysentery in weaning children. The roots or 

the whole plant were also burned and the ashes were mixed with old bear’s grease. The 

resulting salve was applied to old sores that would not heal. The plant was dried for use 

at a later time. 

uyu‛lĭ usdí-ga – ‘it is a sprout, small’ – Saponaria officinalis L. – soapwort, bouncing bet 

Mooney glossed the folk genus uyu‛lĭ as both ‘it is a sprout’ and ‘it is only stuck 

on’, which stemmed from uwaíy-itlû΄ (‘a sprout or sucker from a stump or graft’). He said 

that the name implied that the stalk was loosely fit on the plant, but familiarity with the 

303

plant leads me to believe that it had more to do with the aggressive side shoots that 

grow when the plant is topped. No medicinal qualities were attributed to S. officinalis. 

uyu‛lĭ útana – ‘it is a sprout, large’ – no botanical species 

This was the ‘large’ species of uyu‛lĭ. Mooney did not identify the botanical 

species, but he did describe it as having yellow flowers, being about 4 feet tall, and 

growing in the high mountains. No medicinal qualities were attributed to uyu‛lĭ útana. 

wá‛ka gán‛ka – ‘cow tongue’ – Clintonia umbellulata (Michaux) Morong – speckled 

wood-lily 

The name wá‛ka gán‛ka (‘cow tongue’) was in reference to the leaves, which 

were thought to resemble the tongue of a cow. No medicinal qualities were attributed to 

wá‛ka gán‛ka. 

walâ΄s-ĭ unû΄lsti – ‘it fights frogs’ – Disporum lanuginosum (Michaux) Nicholson – yellow 

mandarin 

In his published materials, Mooney said that this name referred to a myth about a 

duel between two frogs who used the stalks of this plant as weapons (Mooney 1900: 

421). But in his notes he attributes another explanation of the name to Will West Long. 

The fight was between a frog and a ratsnake, and when the snake bit the frog he would 

run to this plant. When the plant was removed, the frog died from the bite. White (1975) 

identified D. lanuginosum as and edible green used by the Cherokee (see uganástĭ 

usdíga agístĭ above). 

304

walâ΄s-ĭ unû΄lsti útana – ‘it fights frogs, large’ – Smilacina racemosa (L.) Desf. – false 

Solomon’s seal 

Olbrechts recorded this name without a gloss, but it is obviously the ‘large’ 

variety of walâ΄s-ĭ unû΄lsti (‘it fights frogs’). He said it was used for a condition he simply 

referred to as “heat”. Banks said that a cold infusion of the roots was used to bathe sore 

eyes (1953: 17). While there is no record of its use for food by the Cherokee, it is a 

known edible plant (Peterson 1977: 52) and the young shoots were probably gathered 

along with those of Polygonatum biflorum (see uganástĭ útana above). The plants 

emerge around the same time and the young shoots are nearly indistinguishable from 

each other. 

walélu unítsilăgístĭ – ‘the hummingbird sucks the blossoms’ – Impatiens pallida Nuttall 

and Impatiens capensis Meerb. – jewel-weed 

The folk genus walélu unítsilăgístĭ stems from walélu (‘hummingbird’) and 

unítsilăgístĭ (‘it sucks the blossom’), a composite of udsíla or udsilû΄ĭ (‘blossom’) and 

astăû΄ (‘it is sucking’). Money identified the botanical species associated with walélu 

unítsilăgístĭ as I. pallida, while Olbrechts identified it as I. capensis. The two species are 

nearly identical, the differences being in flower color and slight variation in flower 

morphology. Banks claimed that most Cherokee considered them the same plant (1953: 

84). 

Mooney found that a poultice of the roots and lower stem was used to treat 

dislocations or broken limbs and that it was used to treat swelling and pain in the 

abdomen from adding new foods to the diet (see tsítsĭ above). The stems were part of a 

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tea drunk by pregnant women. The inclusion in the formula was due to the ripe seed 

pods that explode when they are touched. This would frighten the child and encourage it 

“to jump down” quickly at birth (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 119). It was also used for 

difficult births, the vaginal area being washed with a warm decoction of walélu 

unítsilăgístĭ (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 125). In his notes, Olbrechts added that the 

leaves were mixed with those of unidentified plants and made into a tea to bathe 

children with chronic diarrhea caused by the father’s infidelity before birth. 

Banks (1953: 84) added that the leaves were rubbed on areas infected with 

poison oak and a tea of the leaves was used for measles. The roots were made into a 

tea and drunk for “bold hives”, a serious condition that afflicts infants shortly after their 

birth (see â΄talĭ-gûlĭ΄ above). 

wáliwalĭ usdí-ga – ‘small wáliwalĭ’ – Sedum ternatum Michaux – stonecrop 

Wáliwalĭ appears to be an opaque, proper name. The botanical species included 

in this folk genus are prostrate plants with succulent leaves and stems. Sedum ternatum 

was the ‘small’ folk species of wáliwalĭ. Mooney also collected the synonym wáliwalĭ 

nunyâhi-ĕ΄hĭ (‘rock dwelling wáliwalĭ) because the plant is frequently found growing on 

rock outcrops. Olbrechts found that it was part of the formula that was used to rub on 

ball player’s legs before a match, the only recorded medicinal application for S. 

ternatum. 

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wáliwalĭ útana – ‘large wáliwalĭ’ – Portulaca oleracea L. – purslane 

Portulaca oleracea was considered the ‘large’ species of wáliwalĭ. Mooney also 

collected the synonym wáliwalĭ tlâgesĕ΄hĭ (‘wáliwalĭ growing in old fields’), a common 

habitat for P. oleracea. Mooney found that the red stems of P. oleracea were combined 

with the roots of Cypripedium spp. for intestinal worms. This was in part because the 

stems resembled worms, but the seeds have been used as an anthelminthic by other 

Native American groups and in India (Simopoulos et al. 1995). Although it is known in 

many parts of the world as a palatable potherb, Witthoft (1977) claimed that the 

Cherokee did not use it as such. 

waliwáliyústĭ – ‘like wáliwalĭ’ – Rumex acetosella L. – sheep-sorrel 

Mooney did not explain the relationship of this plant to the species of wáliwalĭ. 

However, the name indicates that it was perceived to be similar to wáliwalĭ, possibly due 

to its red stalks or fleshy leaves. Banks (9153: 39) found that the leaves were used as a 

poultice on old sores and Perry (1974: 53) found that the leaves were known to be 

edible. 

wanégită – angelico – Ligusticum canadense (L.) Britton 

The folk generic wanégită appears to be a proper, opaque name for angelico. 

There is some confusion over the members of this folk genus. Mooney recorded two 

folk species, wanégită usdí-ga (‘small’) and wanégită útana (‘large’), but indicated that 

they were two species of Angelica. The two species of Angelica common to the region 

are Angelica venenosa (Greenway) Fernald, a relatively small species, and A. triquinata 

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Michaux, a substantially more robust species. However, L. canadense and A. venenosa 

are morphologically very similar and it has taken several encounters for me to readily 

distinguish between the two. But Mooney identified A. venenosa by the Cherokee 

names ganélĭta (‘pregnant’) and kanasâ΄liyústĭ (‘like kanasâ΄la’) (see above), so in this 

instance it may be that the ‘small’ species was L. canadense and the ‘large’ species 

was A. triquinata. Without voucher specimens, it may be impossible to sort this out. 

The primary use for wanégită was as a potherb. Mooney said the young stalks 

were harvested when the leaves first appeared. They were boiled in hot water, rinsed 

off, and cooked, presumably in hot grease and often mixed with some species of 

uganástĭ (see above). Witthoft found that the leaves were eaten in some Cherokee 

households, but not by the local mountain whites (n.d.: 30). Perry (1974: 58) found that 

the greens were mixed with some of the sweeter greens, but it was often eaten alone 

because, “it’s too good for mixing”. The primary mode of preparation was to parboil the 

greens and fry them in grease, but they were also hung up and dried or blanched and 

canned. Will West Long told Mooney that the greens of both the ‘large’ and ‘small’ 

species were eaten and tasted “like parsnip roots”, indicating that the greens of the 

species of Angelica were included in this edible complex. 

wanégitiyústĭ – ‘like wanégită’ – Pastinaca sativa L. – parsnip 

The folk generic wanégitiyústĭ (‘like wanégită’) was indicative of the similarity of 

P. sativa to L. canadensis or the species of Angelica. The similarity may have been 

morphological, but Will West Long told Mooney that the cooked roots of the parsnip 

tasted like wanégită greens, so the relationship may have been due to the similar 

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flavors. The “wild parsnip” referred to in The Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees 

(Mooney 1891: 369) and The Swimmer Manuscript (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 104) 

was most likely Cicuta maculata, a deadly poisonous plant that must not be confused 

with the naturalized P. sativa that escaped from cultivation (see kanasâ΄la above). 

wanégitiyústĭ ûnagéĭ – ‘like wanégită, black’ – Aralia nudicaulis L. – wild sarsaparilla 

Mooney did not explain the gloss for wanégitiyústĭ ûnagéĭ, but it was most likely 

the ‘black’ species of wanégitiyústĭ because of the dark color of the fruit. It is 

morphologically similar to Ligusticum canadense, which most likely explains its inclusion 

in the folk genus wanégitiyústĭ. Banks recorded the only medicinal application for A. 

nudicaulis, finding that a tea of the roots was considered a good blood tonic (1953: 91). 

wanégitiyústĭ sa‛kánigeĭ – ‘like wanégită, blue’ – Caulophyllum thalictroides (L.) Michaux 

– blue cohosh 

Caulophyllum thalictroides is morphologically similar to Ligusticum canadense, 

suggesting its inclusion in the folk genus wanégitiyústĭ. The ‘blue’ represented by the 

specific qualifier sa‛kánigeĭ was most likely due to the perceived color of the plant, 

which is also the reason for the common name. The medicinal qualities have already 

been discussed above (see kanástăgwâ΄lĭ΄). 

watskĭ΄ or watskû΄ - amaranth – Amaranthus retroflexus L. – pigweed 

Watskĭ΄ appears to be an opaque, proper name for the genus Amaranthus. The 

species A. retroflexus was the prototypical member of this folk genus, recorded without 

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a specific qualifier. Witthoft found that the young plants were used as an early spring 

potherb (n.d.: 27). Will West Long also included A. retroflexus in his list of plants that 

could be used in the medicinal concoction drunk in the later versions of the Green Corn 

Ceremony (Witthoft 1946). 

watskĭ΄ gûnatláĭ gigage – ‘cultivated, red amaranth’ – Amaranthus hybridus L. – 

pigweed 

The qualifier gûnatláĭ indicates that there were species of Amaranthus that were 

nurtured in Cherokee gardens when Mooney did his field research. While Mooney 

identified A. hybridus as the ‘red’ variety, Witthoft speculated that this may have actually 

been the ‘white’ variety (see below) due to its white rootstock. 

watskĭ΄ gûnatláĭ unéga – ‘cultivated, white amaranth’ – Amaranthus spp. 

Mooney was unable to identify the ‘white’ variety of watskĭ΄ gûnatláĭ, so Witthoft’s 

speculation is the best evidence available for the identity of this species. 

wesu unígistĭ – ‘cat foods’ – Nepeta cataria L. – catnip 

The name stems from wesu (‘cat’) and unígistĭ, the plural form of agístĭ (‘food’), 

due to the fondness of the domestic cat for the plant (Olbrechts). Olbrechts found that a 

decoction of the leaves was drunk for fever, colds, chill, and sore throats. Banks found 

similar applications, and added that the tea promoted sweating as well as the relieving 

an upset stomach and the leaves were used as a poultice for boils (1953: 111). 

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yâ΄na unígistĭ – ‘bear foods’ – Aralia racemosa L. – spikenard 

The name stems from yâ΄na (‘bear’) and unígistĭ, the plural form of agístĭ (‘food’), 

but it is unclear which part of the plant was eaten by bears. It may have been the 

berries, as the plant was sometimes called udâ΄lănă΄ due to the resemblance of the 

berries to those of serviceberry (see udâ΄lănă΄ in the section on trees). 

Mooney found that the roots were used to stop hemorrhages, combined with a 

species of wild rose for thrush, and the pounded root was rubbed on sore joints. Banks 

added that a tea of the roots was drunk for lower back pain and kidney problems (1953: 

91). 

yúgwilû΄ - pitcher plant – Sarracenia purpurea L. and Sarracenia flava L. 

Yúgwilû΄ appears to be an opaque, proper name for the pitcher plant. Mooney 

identified the botanical species as S. flava and said it was once found near Birdtown, 

but was extinct at the time of his research. He actually identified it as a species of 

Dionaea, but his description was of a plant that traps flies, is 2 feet tall, and has yellow 

flowers about 2 inches across and a long root. No species of Dionaea matches this 

description and there are rare populations of S. flava in the region (Smith 1998: 62). 

Olbrechts identified it as S. purpurea, a more common species in the North Carolina 

mountains. He also recorded the synonyms ayúgwilû΄, wa‛edla, and tc‛skoyi kanati. He 

did not provide a gloss for the first two but the third glossed as ‘the successful insect 

hunter’ after the mythical first man, the hunter Kanátĭ (Mooney 1900: 242). 

Olbrechts found that it was used by novice medicine men as an aid to retain 

information. The plant was known to trap insects that found their way into the 

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specialized leaf structure. This was symbolic of the ability to retain information, much 

like the belief surrounding members of the intermediate category únistilû΄istĭ (see Part 

1), and if the water from inside the plant was drunk it would, “keep the knowledge 

acquired imprisoned in the mind (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 101).” 

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Chapter 6 

Kanéska – Grass 

Mooney identified the term kanéska as, “the generic term for all grasses”, 

indicating that kanéska was the name for the life form that included members of the 

family Poaceae, as well as the graminoid, or grass-like, plants known to the Cherokee. 

With the introduction of domesticated stock, it also became the word for hay. This 

category also includes a few flowering plants that have grass-like leaves. I have 

included the category ganága (‘rush’) in this category even though it is unclear from 

Mooney’s notes whether the members of ganága are included in kanéska or could be 

considered a separate life form. Mooney glosses ganága simply as ‘rush’, but Olbrechts 

glosses it as ‘it has been licked’, indicating that the name is not opaque and might well 

be a folk generic. Mooney also stated that, according to one of his informants, there 

were three or four varieties of ganága, suggesting that the category was too small to 

consider it a separate life form. For this chapter I have included all the botanical species 

that qualify as graminoids and the flowering species that were labeled as types of 

kanéska. 

The number of graminoid species reported to be named or used by the Cherokee 

is relatively small when compared to the total number of species present in the 

mountains of North Carolina. However, this is congruous with Moerman’s meta-analysis 

of the medicinal plants used by Native Americans. Moerman (1991) established a base 

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percentage by comparing the total number of plants found north of the Rio Grande with 

the total number recorded used by the 123 Native North American groups. He then 

demonstrated, using regression analysis, that the number of grasses and grass-like 

plants that had reported medicinal applications was much lower than the predicted 

number established by taking the base percent of the number of species present in a 

particular life form. The Cherokee data appear to conform to his overall findings. 

There were 16 folk genera recorded in the grass life form representing 28 

botanical species (see Table 6.1). Fourteen of the botanical species were included in 

three folk genera, ganága (5 species), kanéska (5 species), and tsulâski (4 species). All 

the ganága, except for one unidentified sedge, were rushes. The kanéska tended to be 

the least botanically related, including two herbaceous species, a grass, and a sedge 

recognized for its grass-like qualities. The members of the genus tsulâski were all 

grasses, but the lack of a gloss for tsulâski limits our understanding of the perceived 

relationship between them. There were four non-graminoid flowering plants included in 

this life form; Calopogon tuberosus, Clintonia borealis, Orantium aquaticum, and 

Sisyrinchium angustifolium, but all are monocots with linear leaves and parallel 

venation, suggesting a morphological similarity and natural affininty to the graminoids. 

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Table 6.1. Grass Index: Botanical Species and Folk Species 

Botanical Species Cherokee Genera and 

Species 

Andropogon virginicus 

Arundinaria gigantea 

Calopogon tuberosus 

Carex spp. 

Clintonia borealis 

Coix lacryma-jobi 

Cymophyllus fraseri 

Cyperus strigosis 

Digitaria sanguinalis 

Dichanthelium 

commutatum 

Dichanthelium 

dichotomum 

Dichanthelium spp. 

Echinocloa crusgali 

Eleocharis spp. 

Cherokee Grasses 

kaneskawâ΄dĭ 

í‛ya 

kanéska dalânige 

adsilû΄skĭ 

ganága tsăninahita & 

kanéska tsăninahita 

kanĕ΄siyústĭ 

sélutsĭ΄ 

tsulâgeta 

i‛yáya 

tsulâski yahi 

tsulâski útana 

agisi 

wă΄tăkiyústĭ 

séluiyústĭ 

ganága 

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Botanical Species Cherokee Genera and 

Species 

Eleusine indica 

Eragrostis cilianensis 

Eriophorum virginicum 

Glyceria spp. 

Juncus effusus 

Juncus tenuis 

Kyllinga pumila 

Orontium aquaticum 

Panicum gattingeri 

Saccharum baldwinii 

Schoenoplectus 

tabernaemontani 

Sisyrinchium 

angustifolium 

Sorghastrum nutans 

Sorghum vulgare 

tsulâski-iyústĭ 

tsulâski uwásgilĭ 

adsilû΄skĭ 

tsístu gatága 

wă΄tăkû΄ útana 

ganága nûnâ΄hĭ udetkĭ 

ganága usdí-ga 

salâ΄l unígistĭ 

kanĕ΄sĭ 

tsulâski atelagiski 

selagwû΄tsĭ útana 

ganága útana 

kanéska tĕlugéĭ 

adsilû΄skĭ 

selagwû΄tsĭ usdí-ga 

watulísĭ 

agisi – no gloss – Dichanthelium (Panicum) dichotomum (L.) Gould var. dichotomum – 

forked panic grass 

Mooney did not provide a gloss or an explanation for the name agisi. He also 

recorded the name wă΄tăkiyústĭ (‘like wă΄tăkû΄’) for several species of panic grass, 

indicating their collective resemblance to the grasses known as wă΄tăkû΄. The medicinal 

uses for these will be discussed below. 

ganága – ‘rush’ – Eleocharis spp. – spike-rush 

Due to the lack of a specific qualifier, it appears that members of the genus 

Eleocharis were considered the prototypes for the category ganága. Mooney was not

able to identify this specimen to the species level, but it would appear from the 

distribution maps in the Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas that the only 

common species in the mountains are Eleocharis obtusa (Willd.) Schultes and 

Eleocharis tenuis (Willd.) Schultes (Radford et al. 1968: 183-189). 

ganága nûnâ΄hĭ udetkĭ – ‘rush that stands in the road’ – Juncus tenuis Willd. – path rush 

The specific qualifier nûnâ΄hĭ udetkĭ stems from nûnâ΄hĭ (‘road’ or ‘trail’) and 

udetkĭ (the Middle dialect form for ‘it stands habitually in the road’) and is due to the 

plant’s ability to thrive on compacted soils from frequent traffic. The common name 

“path rush” is also indicative of this habitat preference. The qualifier nûnâ΄hĭ udetkĭ was 

also the name given to Plantago major, due to its similar ability to thrive in areas of 

heavy traffic and erect habit (see Herbaceous Plants, Part 3). 

A warm infusion of the whole beaten plant was used to wash newborns as a 

prophylactic against disease and to prepare ballplayers for a match. The plant was not 

dried, but the roots could be found in winter by knowing the location of the plants. Banks 

(1953: 13) found that ball players would drink the tea so that, like the plant, they would 

remain erect and not fall down during the match. He also found that infants were 

washed in the tea of both J. tenuis and P. major to impart the plants’ strength and 

straightness to the infant’s limbs and to prevent lameness. 

ganága tsăninahita – ‘it has been licked, ?’ – Carex spp. – sedge 

Olbrechts glossed ganága as ‘it has been licked’, but provided no gloss for 

tsăninahita. Ganága tsăninahita appears to be an inclusive term encompassing all the 

316

sedges and implies a relationship to the rushes. However, Mooney recorded a similar, 

seemingly inclusive, term for the genus Carex, kanéska tsăninahita, which suggests that 

the Cherokee considered sedges to be grasses. He gave two examples with specific 

qualifiers (see below) that were only identified to the genus level as species of Carex, 

but he did not provide a gloss for tsăninahita. Without a gloss or an explanation for the 

etymology for the phrase, it is difficult to discern the inclusiveness of these terms. 

Olbrechts also recorded the name ganuya (‘it is placed under’) for a species of Carex, 

but did not explain the gloss. He found that ganága tsăninahita was used for the 

nightmarish condition inadö danskitsöi (‘when they dream of snakes’). 

ganága usdí-ga – ‘small rush’ – Juncus effusus L. – soft rush 

It is unclear why J. effusus would be considered the ‘small’ folk species of 

ganága. It reaches heights of .5 to 1.2 meters tall, while J. tenuis reaches a maximum 

height of .5 meters (Radford et al. 1968: 275). Mooney’s notes indicated that both J. 

tenuis and J. effusus were labeled by the Cherokee as the ‘small’ folk species, but 

Olbrechts recorded the botanical species as J. effusus. And, while not a particularly 

small plant, J. effusus is generally much smaller than ganága útana, the ‘large’ species 

(see below). Olbrechts also recorded the synonym anisgína unâ΄năsû΄ta usdí-ga 

(‘ghosts’ terrapin rattle, small’), an obvious reference to the noise made by the dried 

seed heads (see anisgína-(ts)unâ΄năsû΄ta in Herbaceous Plants, Part 3). Ganága usdí- 

ga was used in the same manner as ganága tsăninahita, for the condition inadö 

danskitsöi (‘when they dream of snakes’). 

317

ganága útana – ‘large rush’ – Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani (K.C. Gmel.) Palla – 

bull rush 

This is one of the tallest rushes, reaching heights of up to 2 meters tall (Radford 

et al. 1968: 196). Mooney also recorded the synonym ganága amáyanĕ΄hĭ (‘rush, 

growing in water’) due to the plant’s preference for marshy environments. It was also 

used in combination with ganága usdí-ga and ganága tsăninahita for inadö danskitsöi 

(‘when they dream of snakes’). Mooney added that rushes were tied into bunches, 

dried, and used like twine to tie bundles, the larger ones split into sections (Ms. 1894). 

í‛ya – rivercane – Arundinaria gigantea (Walter) Muhl. 

Cane breaks (i‛hyâ΄hi) were once a common feature of the riverbottoms in the 

southeastern United States. The durable, flexible cane was used extensively by 

southeastern Native Americans for woven materials, such as baskets, walls for houses, 

and floor mats, as well as for musical instruments, furniture, tools, and weapons (Hill 

1997: 39-40). Blowguns were also made from cane. A length of the green cane would 

be heated over a fire, straightened by hand, and allowed to dry. The septa between 

nodes were drilled through the length of the cane, then rasped to a smooth, even bore 

(Witthoft n.d.: 96). A flour made from cane was also mentioned as a famine food, but 

the process was not described (Hill 1997: 40). When purifying themselves for the hunt, 

hunters would wash with a tea of cane, cedar boughs, horsemint, and old tobacco 

(Payne n.d. a: 38). 

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i‛yáya – no gloss – Cyperus strigosus L. – umbrella sedge 

Mooney did not provide a gloss for i‛yáya, but it may be that this was considered 

the “true” kind of í‛ya, signified by the addition of the suffix –ya. However, this is 

speculation on my part. Mooney also recorded C. strigosus as kanéska igâ΄tenĕ΄hĭ 

(‘swamp growing grass’), which was due to its preference for wet environments. He 

found it was used for rheumatism and in association with witches, but he did not 

elaborate on either. 

kanĕ΄sĭ – ‘swamp grass’ – Orontium aquaticum L. – golden club 

Olbrechts glossed kanĕ΄sĭ as ‘swamp grass’, but he did not explain the gloss. It 

appears to be a form of the word kanéska (‘grass’), but it is not clear how igâ΄tĭ 

(‘swamp’) is incorporated into the name. Orontium aquaticum might not have been 

classified as a grass, as the leaves are not linear but range from ovate to elliptic 

(Radford et al. 1968:257), but will be placed here solely on the virtue of the gloss 

‘swamp grass’. 

Several sources indicate that kanĕ΄sĭ was considered a powerful and valuable 

medicine. In the early 19 th century, the root of O. aquaticum was made into a tea with 

the root of a shrubby species of Cornus and used as an emetic by a medicine man after 

the death of a patient (Payne n.d. b: 586). He would dispose of all the medicines that 

were ineffective and not use any of them until the following year. Then he would purify 

himself with the emetic and pour some of the tea on hot stones to cleanse his hands. 

Mooney recorded O. aquaticum as one of the few remedies for smallpox. It was 

made into a tea in combination with Lindera benzoin and the patient would be washed 

319

all over with the tea. The patient also drank a large quantity of the tea. A warm infusion 

of the pounded roots was used as a wash for wounds. Children were also bathed in a 

tea of the pounded or rubbed leaves as a prophylactic against disease. It was observed 

that dew never stays on the plant, symbolizing its ability to prevent disease from staying 

with a child. Mooney said the plant was considered to be very scarce by the late 19 th 

century (Ms. 1894). 

Olbrechts found O. aquaticum was used for uyosöçi e‛isti tsanançtatia (‘when 

they suffer painful remembrances of the dead’) and to heal wounds and bruises such as 

those caused by arrows, bullets, or an ax. He also said it was used as a prophylactic to 

guard children, “against any kind of disease.” Infants would be bathed in a decoction of 

the plant at every new moon (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 76). Banks (1953: 11) added 

that the crushed root was used after scratching as a poultice for sore muscles. The 

plant was transplanted to nearby springs because it was so rare. 

The fruit of O. aquaticum was also used for food, but only after intensive 

processing and with restrictions associated with its use. An early 19 th century account 

described the process: 

This is a kind of fruit growing in pods. And very much resembling beans. 

The weed producing it grows in springs. This fruit must be boiled full twenty four 

hours, or it will prove a most deadly poison. But after being sufficiently boiled, 

dried and pounded, it formed meal, or flour very much resembling, in taste, that 

of wheat, and might be used for all the purposes of flour. It was also made into 

320

mush. But after eating this they must eat no berries or any kind of fruit for 24 

hours, lest it should kill them (Payne n.d. b: 269). 

The acrid portion, calcium oxalate crystals, causes an intense burning in the mouth. But 

drying the edible portion can eliminate this toxic aspect (Peterson 1977: 156). 

kanĕ΄siyústĭ – ‘like golden club’ – Clintonia borealis (Aiton) Raf. – bluebead-lily 

The name stems from the resemblance of the leaves to those of kanĕ΄sĭ 

(Orontium aquaticum). Like kanĕ΄sĭ, it is not clear that the Cherokee classified this as a 

grass, but I have included it here due to its association with its counterpart. No 

medicinal uses were attributed to C. borealis. 

kanéska dalânige adsilû΄skĭ – ‘yellow-flowered grass’ – Calopogon tuberosus (L.) 

Britton, Stearns, and Pogg – grass pink 

While the flower of C. tuberosus is predominantly pink to rose-purple, the upper 

lip has a yellow beard (Smith 1999: 24), hence the name kanéska dalânige adsilû΄skĭ. 

The single, narrow, pointed leaf qualifies this as a type of kanéska. No medicinal 

applications were recorded for C. tuberosus. 

kanéska gûnahíta igâ΄tenĕ΄hĭ – ‘long grass growing in the swamp’ – no botanical 

species 

Olbrechts recorded the Cherokee name, but was not able to provide a botanical 

identification. This may be a synonym for Cyperus strigosus (see i‛yáya above), but it 

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could also be one of many wetland-loving species of graminoid plant found in the 

mountains. He found that it was used with Dioscorea villosa for the condition known as 

göwanigistöi (‘when they are eaten by them’). 

kanéska tĕlugéĭ adsilû΄skĭ – ‘purple-flowered grass’ – Sisyrinchium angustifolium Miller 

– blue-eyed grass 

The Cherokee name and the common name both stem from the blue flowers that 

grow at the tips of the grass-like leaves. Olbrechts also recorded the synonym dalânige 

unastetsi kanéska (‘yellow rooted grass’). He found it was used for a wide range of 

conditions such as unawasti egwa (‘big chill’), irregular menses, uni‛yagwatisgöi (‘when 

they are having a toothache’), aniskina uniyaktanöçi (‘ghosts have changed (the 

condition of the patient)’), and ayeligogi uniyelö‛nöçi (‘they have made it like it’). Banks 

added that an infusion of the roots was used for a form of diarrhea typified by yellow 

stools (1953: 20). It was considered especially effective for this condition in children. 

kanéska tsăninahita igâ΄tenĕ΄hĭ and kanéska tsăninahita útana – Carex spp. 

As mentioned above (see ganága tsăninahita), kanéska tsăninahita appears to 

be a generic term for the genus Carex. Mooney recorded these two folk species (Ms. 

1894), the ‘swamp growing’ and ‘large’ kanéska tsăninahita, but did not identify the 

botanical species or provide a gloss for the names. However, tsăninahita appears to 

refer to the plant or one of its parts as having a long quality. Other Cherokee terms 

ending in –ahita were glossed as with the descriptor ‘long’. 

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kaneskawâ΄dĭ – ‘brown grass’ – Andropogon virginicus L. – broom sedge 

The name kaneskawâ΄dĭ stems from kanéska (‘grass’) and wâ΄tige (‘brown’), due 

to the color of the plants in the fall and winter. Olbrechts found that A. virginicus was 

evoked in a formula for frostbitten feet, the accompanying prayer addressed to the spirit 

of the Rabbit (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 258-259). The patient would experience 

relief from frostbite by placing their feet under a warm covering, much the same way the 

rabbit finds shelter from winter weather under broom sedge. The rabbit was addressed 

because it is one of the creatures that can walk on the snow without suffering frostbite. 

This may relate more to a prophylactic measure against frostbite than an actual cure. 

The Cherokee were reported to place soft grasses in their moccasins as insulation 

against the cold in the winter months and to cushion their feet when hunting and 

traveling. Witthoft identified this grass as a small species of Panicum, but A. virginicus 

may have been an acceptable alternative, as it was the favored material to for bedding 

in the Cherokee mountain cabins (Witthoft n.d.: 75-76). 

Banks found that A. virginicus was an ingredient in a salve made with mutton 

tallow used to cure sores and as a tea to heal cases of dermatitis from contact with 

poison ivy. The tops were also used alone or combined with onion skins and made into 

a yellow dye (1953: 8). 

salâ΄l unígistĭ – ‘squirrel foods’ – Kyllinga pumila Michaux – low spike sedge 

The name salâ΄l unígistĭ stems from salâ΄lĭ (‘squirrel’) and unígistĭ, the plural form 

of agístĭ (‘food’). Mooney did not explain the name. He also recorded two other plants 

as salâ΄l unígistĭ, Hypoxis spp. and the nut rush, Scleria spp. There are several species 

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of Scleria found in the North Carolina mountains, but the only common species of 

Hypoxis is H. hirsuta (L.) Coville. No uses were recorded for salâ΄l unígistĭ. 

selagwû΄tsĭ usdí-ga – no gloss, ‘small’ – Sorghastrum nutans (L.) Nash. – Indian grass 

Mooney did not provide a gloss for selagwû΄tsĭ, but a similar word, se la wo yi, 

was glossed as ‘fodder’ by the Western Cherokee (Alexander 1971: 61). Sorghastrum 

nutans is known to be quite nutritious for livestock (Brown 1979: 178) and may well 

have been gathered and used as animal fodder. The identification of S. nutans as the 

‘small’ folk species may have been a misidentification on Mooney’s part. The following 

species, Saccharum baldwinii, was identified as the ‘large’ species of selagwû΄tsĭ, but S. 

nutans reaches a height of 2.5 m while S. baldwinii only grows to about 1.5 m (Radford 

et al. 1968: 165 & 162). The two may have been reversed in Mooney’s notes. Mooney 

also identified Echinochloa crusgali (L.) Beauvios as selagwû΄tsĭ usdí-ga (Ms. 1894), 

which was introduced to this country as animal fodder (Brown 1979: 184). Sorghastrum 

nutans was the primary material used to construct Cherokee brooms (Witthoft n.d.: 76). 

Olbrechts recorded two medicinal applications for the folk genus selagwû΄tsĭ, but did not 

specify which folk species and did not identify the associated botanical species. 

Selagwû΄tsĭ was used as part of an emetic formula used to treat anskitsö’ö sköi 

(‘whenever they dream (of…)’) and for the scrofulous condition known as duletsi 

(‘kernels’). 

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selagwû΄tsĭ útana – no gloss, ‘large’ - Saccharum baldwinii Spreng. – beard grass, 

plume grass 

Saccharum baldwinii was identified as the ‘large’ species of selagwû΄tsĭ, but this 

was probably a misidentification on Mooney’s part (see selagwû΄tsĭ usdí-ga above). 

There is no further information available about the Cherokee relationship to this grass. 

séluiyústĭ – ‘like corn’ - Echinochloa crusgali (L.) Beauvios – barnyard grass 

The name séluiyústĭ stems from sélu (‘corn’) and the suffix –iyústĭ (‘like’), 

indicating a perceived resemblance of E. crusgali to the corn plant. It has already been 

mentioned as an introduced animal fodder (see selagwû΄tsĭ usdí-ga above). 

sélutsĭ΄ - ‘corn’s mother’ – Coix lacryma-jobi L. – Job’s tears 

The name sélutsĭ΄ stems from sélu (‘corn’) and ustĭ΄ (‘mother’). Mooney found 

that the grains were used for necklaces, and Banks added that the necklaces were 

placed on teething infants (1953: 9). Since C. lacryma-jobi was an introduced species, 

the name sélutsĭ΄ may have originally been applied to Tripsicum dactyloides L., a native 

plant in the region that shares many traits with the corn plant. It was once considered 

the progenitor of corn, as the wild corn plant is not known, but genetic analysis has 

shown this to not be the case (Brown 1979: 104). 

sélutiĭyústĭ – ‘like corn’s mother’ – no botanical species 

The name here stems from the resemblance of the plant to sélutsĭ΄ (‘corn’s 

mother’). Mooney tentatively identified it as a species of Zizania, but wild rice is only 

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known to grow in the coastal region of North Carolina (Radford et al. 1968: 125). No 

other information is available for the Cherokee relationship to this plant. 

tsístu gatága – ‘rabbit tail’ – Eriophorum virginicum L. – cotton grass 

The name tsístu gatága is a composite of tsístu (‘rabbit’) and gatága (‘tail’), but 

the other synonyms recorded by Mooney may provide an explanation for the name. He 

also recorded this plant as tsístu ukskilû΄tĭ (‘rabbit, tail sticking straight up in the air’) and 

tsístu uksĭ (‘rabbit anus’), both suggesting the image of an erect tail. Mooney did not 

associate this Cherokee name with a botanical species, but Banks found the name 

‘rabbit tail’ associated with a species of Eriophorum. Members of this genus are 

collectively known as cotton grass due to the clusters of white hairs that subtend the 

fruits. These also resemble the white, raised tail of a rabbit. The species virginicum is 

the only one found in the mountains of North Carolina (Radford et al. 1968: 201). The 

only known use was a vague reference to its inclusion in a medicine accompanying a 

prayer (Banks 1953: 10). 

tsulâgeta – no gloss – Cymophyllus fraseri (Andrz.) Mackenzie 

Mooney only provided the Cherokee and botanical name for this plant (Ms. 

1894). No gloss or uses were available. 

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tsulâski atelagiski – no gloss – Panicum gattingeri Nash – panic grass 

Mooney did not provide a gloss for the folk generic or the specific qualifier. This 

is unfortunate, as he included the names of four folk species of tsulâski in his notes (Ms. 

1894). 

tsulâski útana – no gloss, ‘large’ – Dichanthelium commutatum (J. A. Schultes) Gould – 

panic grass 

This was considered the ‘large’ folk species of tsulâski. No more information is 

available about the Cherokee relationship to this plant. 

tsulâski uwásgilĭ adsilû΄skĭ – ‘soft flowered tsulâski’ – Eragrostis cilianensis (All.) Lutati – 

stink grass 

The specific qualifier consists of uwásgilĭ (‘soft’) and adsilû΄skĭ (‘flower’), referring 

to the soft tops associated with this grass. No uses were attributed to E. cilianensis. 

tsulâski yahi – no gloss – Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scopoli – crab grass 

Only the Cherokee name and botanical name are known for this species. 

tsulâski-iyústĭ – ‘like tsulâski’ – Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertner – goose grass 

This grass was named for its resemblance to the folk genus tsulâski, but no 

explanation for the resemblance was available. 

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wă΄tăkû΄ usdí-ga – no gloss, ‘small’ – no botanical name – star grass 

Mooney did not provide a gloss for wă΄tăkû΄, but this was the ‘small’ folk species. 

The only identification that Mooney provided for wă΄tăkû΄ usdí-ga was the common 

name “star grass”, which is usually applied to Aletris farinosa L., but could be the 

common name for a number of plants. Wă΄tăkû΄ usdí-ga was used to make arrow shafts 

for the bows used by young boys to practice their shooting skills. 

wă΄tăkû΄ útana – no gloss, ‘large’ – Glyceria spp. – manna grass 

Mooney was able to have wă΄tăkû΄ útana, the ‘large’ folk species of wă΄tăkû΄, 

identified to the genus level. No other information was available concerning the 

Cherokee relationship to this genus. 

wă΄tăkiyústĭ – ‘like wă΄tăkû΄’ – Dichanthelium spp. – panic grass 

This folk genus was named for its resemblance to wă΄tăkû΄. Mooney named 

three species of Dichanthelium as wă΄tăkiyústĭ, D. candestinum (L.) Gould, D. 

dichotomum (L.) Gould, and D. latifolium (L.) Gould & C. A. Clark. Dichanthelium 

latifolium also went by the synonym adakehegi usdi, but Mooney did not provide a gloss 

for this name (Ms. 2235). However, he also recorded it as the name for a species of 

Tofieldia, a plant that is occasionally found in mountain wetlands and that is more 

closely related to Aletris farinosa than Dichanthelium (see wă΄tăkû΄ usdí-ga above). No 

uses were recorded for wă΄tăkiyústĭ. 

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watulísĭ – ‘honey’ or ‘like honey’ – Sorghum vulgare Persoon – sorghum 

Watulísĭ can be glossed as ‘honey’, ‘bee’, or ‘molasses’. The name relates to the 

cane juice that is processed into a light molasses resembling dark honey. The name 

watulísiyústĭ (‘like honey’) stems from the same source and both were used for S. 

vulgare. Sorghum was probably had a late introduction as a useful plant to the 

Cherokee. They were reluctant to take up the use of the plow until after the 

Revolutionary War and did not incorporate the European grain crops until after this time 

(Goodwin 1977: 129). 

Mooney found that the pounded roots of watulísĭ were combined with Pedicularis 

canadensis and Scutellaria lateriflora for fever and spasms that might accompany 

childbirth (Ms. 1894). About a pint was drunk at frequent intervals throughout the day. 

Mooney’s informant said that this was a great remedy and the ingredients were 

expensive. However, the remainder of his description suggests that, while the medicinal 

value was attributed to a plant called watulísĭ, it was not S. vulgare. The plant he was 

describing was found in swamps and found in winter by the dry stalks, but not eaten. 

Sorghum is not a plant that favors swampy areas and it was grown for consumption. It 

also would not have been scarce once it was introduced into Cherokee agriculture. 

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Chapter 7 

Egû΄lĭ or Igû΄lĭ – Fern 

Mooney did not explain in his notes the two phonetic spellings for the category 

that encompassed the ferns. He often distinguished between the upper and middle 

dialects of Cherokee, but did not indicate that this was a dialectical difference. In this 

section, I will use the phonetic spellings that appear most frequently in the notes of the 

different researchers. Mooney also did not indicate that egû΄lĭ or igû΄lĭ represented a 

distinct life form. But Olbrechts clarified this point in The Swimmer Manuscript. In the 

formula for malarial chills, he states that igû΄lĭ, “is a name given to any variety of fern; 

without any more definite description it is not possible to identify it…” (Mooney and 

Olbrechts 1932: 228). This would indicate that all igû΄lĭ must be identified to the folk 

specific level or the term is considered descriptive of the life form. However, Mooney 

did indicate in his notes that egû΄lĭ or igû΄lĭ was a more inclusive term by pointing out 

that: 

Heart trouble: caused by the lungs wrapping around the heart. All species 

of igû΄lĭ, including also kâ΄ga-skû΄tagĭ (Adiantum pedatum L.) are coiled up when 

young and unwind as they grow, hence tea of any or all is used for heart 

troubles, to unwind the lungs from around the heart. 

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This is especially important if the term igû΄lĭ is accepted to be polysemous, representing 

both the life form and a generic category. Many species of ferns are not labeled by the 

generic igû΄lĭ and this piece of information from Mooney suggests that at least all ferns 

that unfurl are included in the same life form category. I will include the walking fern, 

Asplenium rhyzophyllum (L.) Link, in this category solely due to its botanical 

classification and not from an inclusion in the category from information provided by 

Mooney or Olbrechts. Its habit is somewhat different from many Southern Appalachian 

ferns, having an entire, single bladed leaf, but there is no obvious reason to exclude it 

from this category. 

It is not surprising that the Cherokee considers ferns as a distinct life form. They 

are the most ancient and primitive of vascular plants and their habit and reproductive 

structures distinguish them from other vascular plant life forms. While Aureolaria 

pectinata (Nuttall) Pennel was known as igûliyusti (Ms. 2235), or ‘like fern,’ there no 

indication that it was considered a type of fern, but the name was descriptive of the 

shape of the leaves and not a criteria for classification with other igû΄lĭ. One fern 

species, identified in the same manuscript as Botrychium virginanum (L.) Swartz, was 

also glossed as igûliyusti; however, it was also reported to have yellow flowers, so this 

was an obvious mistake in matching the Cherokee names to the proper species and this 

was most likely a species of Aureolaria. 

Some confusion exists due to Cherokee synonyms at the folk genus and species 

level for the various biological species. Also, the Cherokee folk genera and species 

were sometimes identified as more than one biological species by the botanists who 

identified Mooney’s voucher specimens. As verification of archival material is difficult, all 

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of the synonyms and biological species names will be provided to insure as complete a 

record as possible. Table 7.1 shows the relationship of the 11 botanical species 

recorded by the reachers to the Cherokee species included in the fern life form. 

Table 7.1. Fern Index: Botanical Species and Folk Species 


Adiantum pedatum 

Asplenium rhizophyllum 

Botrychium virginianum 

Cystopteris fragilis 

Dennstaedtia punctilobula 

Onoclea sensibilis 

Osmunda cinnamomea 

Polypodium vulgare 

Polystichum acrostichoides 

Pteridium aquilinum 

Thelypteris novaboracensis 

Cherokee Species of Egû΄lĭ or Igû΄lĭ 

Cherokee Species 

kâ΄ga-skû΄tagĭ 

ínatû gán‘ka 

useliti 

igû΄lĭ uwásgilĭ nöyoehi 

yân-a utsĕ΄sa usdíga 

igû΄lĭ igatehi 

egû΄lĭ uwásgilĭ usdí 

igû΄lĭ uwásgilĭ nöyoehi 

yân-a utsĕ΄sa útana 

kâ΄ga skû΄tagiyústĭ 

egû΄lĭ uwásgilĭ 

egû΄lĭ uwásgilĭ – ‘soft fern’ – Dennstaedtia punctilobula (Michx.) Moore – hay-scented 

fern or Thelypteris novaboracensis (L.) Nieuwl. – New York fern 

Mooney noted that the specific qualifier uwásgilĭ (‘soft’) was due to the softness 

of the leaves or fronds. Both botanical names were included in Mooney’s notes and 

appeared to be the identifications of the Smithsonian botanists, but it was not clear if 

this was a case of underdifferentiation in the Cherokee system or confusion between 

the field and laboratory researchers. He also recorded the synonym yân-a utsĕ΄sa 

usdíga (‘the bear lies on it, small’) for Dennstaedtia punctilobula (see below). Mooney 

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highlighted the folk species egû΄lĭ uwásgilĭ as a remedy for heart troubles and, while all 

ferns were considered beneficial for this condition, his notation suggests that this 

species was considered especially useful for this condition. 

Olbrechts added to the confusion by recording the names igû΄lĭ uyela‛a (‘naked 

fern’) and igû΄lĭ dawiskage (‘smooth fern’) for D. punctilobula. He recorded it as a 

possible component of a medicine for “the Big Chill” or malarial fevers (Mooney and 

Olbrechts 1932: 228). In his notes, Olbrechts identifies igû΄lĭ uwásgilĭ as Cystoperis 

fragilis (L.) Bernh., but in The Swimmer Manuscript (1932: 228), he identifies C. fragilis 

as igû΄lĭ uwásgilĭ nöyoehi (see below). He glossed uwásgilĭ as ‘smooth’, but he had also 

glossed dawiskage in the same manner, indicating a possible misinterpretation of 

uwásgilĭ. 

igû΄lĭ uwásgilĭ nöyoehi – ‘the smooth (soft) fern that grows on rocks’ – Polypodium 

virginianum L. – rock cap fern or Cystoperis fragilis (L.) Bernh. – fragile fern 

The two botanical species identified here exemplify the difficulty presented by the 

recorded glosses recorded for uwásgilĭ. Cystoperis fragilis could easily be considered 

one of the ‘soft’ species of igû΄lĭ, as indicated by the common name “fragile fern”. But 

Olbrechts glossed it as ‘smooth’, a more apt description for the glossy-leafed P. 

virginianum, which he also recorded as igû΄lĭ uwásgilĭ nöyoehi. The specific qualifier 

nöyoehi (‘growing on rocks’) provides no help in distinguishing the intended species as 

both are commonly found growing on rocks. Olbrechts included C. fragilis as a potential 

ingredient in the formula for unawasti egwa (‘big chill’) (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 

228). 

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egû΄lĭ uwásgilĭ usdí – ‘little soft fern’ – Osmunda cinnamomea L. – cinnamon fern 

The designation of this particular fern as the ‘little’ species is confounding, as it is 

a fairly large fern, much larger than either of the biological species cited above. 

Olbrechts independently identified egû΄lĭ uwásgilĭ usdí as O. cinnamomea but, 

consistent with his other interpretations, glossed it as ‘little smooth fern.’ But both men 

also recorded the synonym tsisátĭ útana, or ‘it smothers, large,’ referring to its use as an 

agent to smoke animals out of logs and yellow jackets out of the hive so the larvae 

could be harvested for consumption. Other synonyms Mooney recorded for O. 

cinnamomea included egû΄lĭ egwa or ‘fern, large’ and yân-a utsĕ΄sa útana or ‘the bear 

lies on it, large’ (see below). Along with its use in flushing out animals and insects, the 

bruised root of O. cinnamomea was used for severe diarrhea (flux) and, as with other 

ferns, for heart troubles. 

igû΄lĭ gigage uyödu‘wite – ‘fern with a red stalk’ – (not identified) 

This was also reported to be used against “the Big Chill” (intermittent fevers due 

to malaria) as well as for the condition known as ‘when it breaks them’, a form of 

rheumatism (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 292). It may be one of the several species of 

ferns mentioned in The Swimmer Manuscript for “the Big Chill” (Mooney and Olbrechts 

1932:228), but having a red stalk is not a key characteristic used to identify any of them. 

334

igû΄lĭ gadusi ehi – ‘fern growing in the mountians’ – (not identified) 

Olbrechts found that this fern was used for the disease “when they discharge 

light colored blood from their bowels”, but he was unable to identify the botanical 

species associated with the Cherokee name. 

igû΄lĭ igatehi – ‘swamp growing fern’ – Onoclea sensibilis L. – sensitive fern 

The specific qualifier igatehi (‘swamp growing’) was due to the preference of this 

fern for wet, low-lying areas. No medicinal used were attributed to O. sensibilis. 

ínatû gán‘ka – ‘snake’s tongue’ – Asplenium rhyzophyllum L. – walking fern 

The name for this plant comes from the shape of the leaf, which is very long and 

pointed. Mooney recorded that the whole plant was collected for use, as the roots are 

very small, and applied to problems caused by dreaming of snakes. Will West Long 

elaborated on this use, adding that Hepatica acutiloba DC was added to the decoction 

and the action of the resulting emetic stopped the dreams from reoccurring (Banks 

1953: 4). It was also used in a formula for the condition known as dalânige tsandik‛öça 

(‘yellow urine’). 

kâ΄ga-skû΄tagĭ – ‘crow skin’ – Adiantum pedatum L. – maidenhair fern 

Mooney said A. pedatum was called ‘crow skin’ because of its black stalk, which 

resembled the exposed areas of a crow. An infusion of the leaves, combined with those 

of other ferns, was used to unwind the lungs from around the heart and also, with an 

unidentified fern referred to as “bottom fern”, for rheumatism and chills. It was also used 

335

alone for fevers, the patient drinking a tea made from the plant and also bathing their 

face with the remaining tea. A poultice of the beaten roots was applied when there was 

loss of the use of limbs (Mooney Ms. 1894). The “bottom fern” could be Polystichum 

acrostichoides (Michx.) Schott, which Olbrechts recorded as one of the species that 

could be used in combination with A. pedatum for “the Big Chill”. It is commonly found 

growing along wooded streambanks (Cobb 1984: 126). 

Witthoft (1947) recorded that a decoction of the whole plant was considered “very 

strong medicine” and was used as an emetic for the flu and accompanying fever. Banks 

(1953: 3) added that the powdered leaves were smoked in case of heart trouble and an 

infusion of the whole plant was used to treat children suffering from a form of paralysis 

associated with severe illnesses such as pneumonia. The infusion was blown on the 

head and chest of the patient and in other areas where the patient was hot. 

kâ΄ga skû΄tagiyústĭ – ‘like crow skin’ – Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn – bracken fern 

This fern was considered ‘like crow skin’ because the stalk turns dark brown with 

age, resembling the dark stalk of Adiantum pedatum. Mooney described this as a long, 

thin fern with a woody root (Ms. 2497). He and Olbrechts also recorded the name 

atsísáti, or ‘to make fire with,’ but neither elaborated on this application of the plant. 

Olbrechts also recorded the names dayuwayi and tcisati as synonyms for P. aquilinum, 

but did not record a gloss for either. No medicinal applications were attributed to P. 

aquilinum. 

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useliti – ‘it is held erect’ – Botrychium virginianum (L.) Swartz – rattlesnake fern 

Olbrechts provided the gloss ‘it is held erect’ for useliti and this appears to be the 

singular form of tsusalĕtĭ, the folk generic for one of the synonyms for Eupatorium 

perfoliatum (see gátatsú‛lĭ gatusĕ΄hĭ in herbaceous plants, Part 1). Mooney recorded the 

gloss for tsusalĕtĭ as ‘it lifts itself up’, evoking the image of a person holding up their 

arms. The petiole and fertile frond of B. virginianum also have this erect quality and it is 

reflected in the name useliti. 

Mooney found that a decoction of the root was drunk for three days to treat 

fevers. The root was dried for winter use as the top of the plant dies in early fall. 

Olbrechts found that it was used for nightmares about snakes, a condition known as 

inadö danskitsöi (‘when they dream of snakes’), as well as for actual snakebites, but he 

gave no details for its use. This is probably the “fern-snake-root” mentioned by Adair as 

one of the several snakebite remedies carried in shot pouches by all Indian hunters and 

warriors (Adair 1974: 247). 

yân-a utsĕ΄sa útana – ‘the bear lies on it, large’ – Polystichum acrostichoides (Michx.) 

Schott – Christmas fern 

The name stems from yân-a (‘bear’) and utsĕ΄sa, the third person of 

agwatsĕ΄staŭ΄ (‘I am lying down on it’). Mooney states that this name was due to the 

fact that this fern and the small variety (see below) both have a single stalk and there is 

a tendency for the leaves to lie flat instead of remaining erect. Apparently this makes 

the ferns look as if a bear had slept on them. He admits that other informants also 

identified Osmunda cinnamomea as the same plant, but both he and Olbrechts found P. 

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acrostichoides labeled as yân-a utsĕ΄sa. Mooney also identified it as such in Sacred 

Formulas of the Cherokees (1891: 327), stating that a decoction of the roots was used 

as an emetic and for toothache, as well as taken internally and applied topically after 

scratching for rheumatism. It was one of several ferns mentioned as a possible remedy 

for “the Big Chill” (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 228). A cold infusion of the roots was 

used for stomach aches and bowel complaints, while a tea to the leaves was used to 

treat indigestion (Banks 1953: 5). This may also be the “bottom fern” mentioned above 

(see kâ΄ga-skû΄tagĭ). 

yân-a utsĕ΄sa usdíga – ‘the bear lies on it, small’ – Dennstaedtia punctilobula (Michx.) 

Moore – hay-scented fern 

Dennstaedtia punctilobula was considered the ‘small’ species of yân-a utsĕ΄sa, 

but it was also recorded as yân-a utsĕ΄sa uwásgilĭ (‘the bear lies on it, soft’), further 

implicating it as the primary egû΄lĭ uwásgilĭ (‘soft fern’). The uses for D. punctilobula 

have already been discussed above (see egû΄lĭ uwásgilĭ). 

338

úgalŭ): 

Chapter 8 

Úgalŭ-hi – Moss 

Ustaléta – Lichen 

Mooney wrote the following about úgalŭ-hi (also used in the shortened form, 

Úgalŭ or úgalŭ-hi is the generic name for mosses, excepting lichens. The 

Cherokee distinguish them by habitat, as water moss, rock moss, balsam moss, 

etc. 

However, of the four examples he recorded as types of úgalŭ-hi (see below), only one is 

a true moss. The others include a green, branching lichen, an unidentified plant, and a 

flowering plant. Úgalŭ-hi could more properly be glossed as ‘mosses and moss-like 

plants’ and may have included a wide range of mosses, non-fruticose lichens, and 

moss-like flowering plants. 

Mooney recorded ustaléta as a “generic” term for lichens, but according to Will 

West Long, it referred to the fruticose (leaf-like) lichens that grew on rocks. Ustaléta was 

glossed as ‘scrapings’, a name “applied to dried food remains that stick to the inside of 

the pot.” Ustaléta stemmed from utsaléstĭ (‘it is sticky’), the name for dough or wheat 

products, and was in reference to the appearance of the lichens that seemed to be 

peeling off the rocks. 

339

Table 8.1. Moss and Lichen Index: Botanical Name and Folk Species 


Hypnum spp. 

Parmelia spp. 

Podostemum ceratophyllum 

Usnea barbata 

Cherokee Mosses and Lichens 


úgalŭ-hi nû΄yû ústa 

ustaléta 

úgalŭ-hi amaiyĕ΄hĭ 

úgalŭ-hi ată΄ ústa 

úgalŭ-hi amaiyĕ΄hĭ – ‘moss growing in the river’ – Podostemum ceratophyllum Michx. – 

riverweed 

The specific qualifier amaiyĕ΄hĭ (‘growing in the water’) signifies that the plant 

was submerged in water, as opposed to amayułtehi (‘growing near water’), which was 

reserved for plants growing at the water’s edge. The best description of its use came 

from one of Mooney’s small manuscripts, a list of place names, descriptions of 

locations, mound sites, etc. (Ms. 1894), “In the old days, rock moss was gathered and 

dried, powdered, and used like salt.” While this may appear to be úgalŭ-hi nû΄yû ústa 

(see below), Witthoft clarified that it was, “a salt … prepared by burning the dried 

aquatic plants which grows on rocks in the swift moving mountain streams, called 

“moss”...”. The ashes that comprised this “salt” were used in flavoring food, and were 

especially important for bean bread (Witthoft n.d.: 56). Adair also made a similar 

reference to the used of aquatic plants, stating how the Cherokee “eat the saltish moss 

and grass, which grows on the rocks, and under the surface of the waters (Adair 1974: 

239). “ 

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úgalŭ-hi ată΄ ústa – ‘moss, it hangs on wood’ – Usnea barbata (L.) Vigg. – beard lichen, 

old man’s beard 

The specific qualifier ată΄ ústa stems from ată΄ (‘wood’) and ústa, a form of 

titstaû΄ (‘I am hanging on’), referring to the filamentous, gray-green lichens that hang on 

tree trunks and branches. Mooney identified this as Usnea barbata, but he said the 

name was a general term for “all hanging tree mosses”. Mooney found that the tree 

moss growing exclusively on hickory trees was used to treat thrush (Ms. 1894). 

úgalŭ-hi nû΄yû ústa – ‘moss that hangs on rocks’ – Hypnum spp. 

The specific qualifier nû΄yû ústa stems from nû΄yû (‘rocks’) and ústa (see above), 

but Mooney wrote that the name encompassed the ”common” moss growing on rocks, 

as well as on wood and soil. This was applied to a species of Hypnum, the only true 

moss that Mooney identified as a type of úgalŭ-hi, but was probably the general term for 

a wide variety of mosses. 

úgalŭ-hi û΄nagéĭ stă΄hĭ-ehĭ – ‘moss that grows in the Balsam forest’ – no species name 

The specific qualifier û΄nagéĭ stă΄hĭ-ehĭ stems from û΄nagéĭ (‘black’), a reference 

to Abies fraseri and Picea rubens (see the chapter on trees), and stă΄hĭ-ehĭ (‘dwelling in 

a forest’), stă΄hĭ (‘thicket’ or ‘forest’) being a combination of ată΄ (‘wood’) and ĕ΄hĭ 

(‘living’ or ‘dwelling’). So stă΄hĭ-ehĭ literally means ‘living where the wood is living’. 

Mooney also recorded the synonym úgalŭ-hi ganáwûnahíta (‘tall, herbaceous moss’), 

ganáwûnahíta being a combination of ganulû΄hĭ (‘herb’) and gûnahita (‘long’). Mooney 

did not observe this plant, but relied on the description of his informants. It was 

described as, “growing 2 to 3 feet high and only around the base of balsam trees.” This 

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description does not fit any moss or moss-like plant with which I am familiar. No 

medicinal uses were recorded for this species of úgalŭ-hi. 

ustaléta – ‘scrapings’ – Parmelia spp. 

The meaning of ustaléta is discussed above. According to Mooney, the name 

also applied to “scum mosses”, which grew on damp ground and resembled lichens. 

These may have been lungworts; members of the genus Lobaria, a group that prefers 

damp environments (Nash 1996: 234). Several of the fruticose lichens were harvested 

from fallen twigs and used on cancerous sores (Banks 1953: 2). 

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Chapter 9 

Crop Plants 

The crop plants will include the native herbaceous species that were dependent 

on humans for their propagation, “native” here referring to plants that were in use before 

contact with Europeans, as well as those that were introduced by Europeans. I have 

also included the introduced condiment pepper and beverage coffee in this section. 

They were not and could not be grown by the Cherokee in their cool mountain 

homeland, but were embraced by the Cherokee and purchased from outside sources. 

Mooney also included both in his notes and stressed their cultural relevance to the 

Cherokee. Corn will also be discussed in this category as it was the Cherokee’s primary 

crop plant, but it will also be mentioned in the chapter on grasses. 

Table 9.1. Crop Plant Index: Botanical Name and Folk Species 


Allium cepa 

Arachis hypogaea 

Avena sativa 

Brassica napus 

Brassica oleracea 

Capsicum annuum 

Citrullus vulgaris 

Coffea arabica 

Cucurbita pepo 

Cucurmis sativus 

Gossypium herbaceum 

Helianthus annuus 

Ipomoea batatas 

Lactuca sativa 


sûkĭ΄ 

túya aníladískĭ 

sâ΄kwĭl unígistĭ 

tûksûna 

skéwĭ 

udsilû΄ĭ 

gûgístĭ 

káwĭ 

íya 

kagama 

udsíla 

u‛lâ΄ 

núnă΄ gûnahíta 

agástagístĭ 

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Lagenaria vulgare 

Lycopersicum 

esculentum 

Nicotiana rustica 

Nicotiana tabacum 

Phaseolus spp. 

Piper nigrum 

Pisum sativum 

Secale cereale 

Solanum tuberosum 

Triticum aestivum 

Vigna unguiculata 

Zea mays 


galû΄nă 


tsâ΄lâ΄ akayû΄lĭ 

tsâ΄lâ΄ 

túya 

dikátûltĭ΄ 

túya usdíga 

utsítsûnahíta 

núnă΄ 

utsaléstĭ 

túya unsdiga 

sélu

Cheorkee Crop Plants 

agástagístĭ – ‘raw food’ – Lactuca sativa L. – lettuce 

The name here stems from agástĭ (‘raw’) and agístĭ (‘food’). The Cherokee 

usually cooked all their greens (Witthoft n.d.: 24), so the introduced lettuce would have 

stood out as a raw edible green. 

atsíla – ‘fire’ – Brassica nigra (L.) Koch – black mustard 

Mooney claimed that this was table mustard and that the name atsíla was due to 

the peppery taste. I found no information on its introduction to the Cherokee. 

dikátûltĭ΄ - ‘things to sprinkle on’ – Piper nigrum L. – black pepper 

This is the Cherokee name for the common table condiment. While not actually a 

viable crop plant in the temperate regions, it was introduced as a spice to the Cherokee 

and became an integral part of their diet. But I found no record of when it first appeared 

among the Cherokee. The name dikátûltĭ΄ stems from detsikátutlûskû (‘I am sprinkling 

them on’) or tsikátûtlûskû (‘I am sprinkling it on’), due to the action of dispersing ground 

pepper. Mooney gave no indication of Cherokee attitudes towards or non-culinary uses 

for pepper. 

galû΄nă – ‘being in it’ – Lagenaria vulgaris Scringe – bottle gourd 

The folk generic galû΄nă stems from galû΄ (‘it is in it’). This refers to any kind of 

hollow vessel. Witthoft claims there were two types, a long neck variety used as a 

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dipper or ladle and a short necked variety that were used as bottles, cups, rattles, or salt 

containers (Witthoft n.d.: 202). Besides being used as a general container, Mooney 

found that the Cherokee hung hollow gourds on long poles to attract purple martins. The 

bird was a favorite of the Cherokee because of its aggressive nature and its tendency to 

chase crows away from the crops (Mooney 1900: 454-455). Gourd seed were also 

mashed and soaked in hot water to treat difficulty in urination (Witthoft 1946). 

gûgístĭ – ‘something to eat any time’ – Citrullus vulgaris Schrader. – watermelon 

The Cherokee generic gûgístĭ demonstrates the attitude of the Cherokee towards 

watermelons. Watermelons were observed in Native American gardens as early as 

1562 and had spread to Virginia by 1587 (Davis 2000: 51). Not only did the Cherokee 

consider them an acceptable food, but they were so relished that they were ‘something 

to eat any time’ they were available. The name gûgístĭ stemmed from agístĭ (‘food’). 

íya – pumpkin – Cucurbita pepo L. 

The folk generic íya appears to be a proper, opaque name for the native varieties 

of pumpkin and squash. Witthoft said that the native varieties were no longer grown 

when he visited the reservation (late 1940s or early 1950s), but only the typical orange 

varieties were grown at that time. In his discussion of the preservation technique for 

pumpkins, he said the pumpkin was peeled and sliced in a spiral like an intact apple 

peel. Several of these (ten or more) were skewered on to the end of a stick and placed 

near the fireplace until dry. The dried pumpkin flesh was then stored in a sack and later 

soaked and cooked into a gruel (n.d.: 200-201). 

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kagama – ‘cucumber’ – Cucurmis sativus L. 

Mooney referred to kagama as a “corruption” of cucumber. Cucumers were first 

observed in Native American gardens in Florida as early as 1562, so they may have 

reached the Cherokee at an early date Davis 2000: 51). Little else is available 

concerning the Cherokee relationship to the cucumber. 

káwĭ – coffee or tuyayústĭ – ‘like beans’ – Coffea arabica L. 

Káwĭ is the Cherokee pronunciation of coffee, there being no “f” in the Cherokee 

language. The synonym tuyayústĭ (‘like beans’) was due to the resemblance of coffee 

beans to the beans grown in Cherokee gardens or túya. Again, this is not a temperate 

crop, but was imported and embraced by the Cherokee. Mooney found that the more 

conservative Cherokee considered coffee to be a poison, but it was embraced by the 

more progressive factions as early as the 1820s (Mooney 1900: 214, Goodwin 1977: 

129). Before 1900, the Cherokee would roast green coffee beans in much the same 

manner as parching corn, the beans placed in a Dutch oven with hot ashes and heated 

until they were roasted. These were then “ground” by pounding them in the large corn 

mortars (Witthoft n.d.: 54). 

núnă΄ - potato or ‘tuber’ – Solanum tuberosum L. 

Mooney was of the opinion that the name núnă΄ was originally applied to Apios 

americana (see dunúnă΄ igâ΄tenĕ΄hĭ above), but was changed as the Irish potato 

became more popular. He also found that it was called núnă΄ găsakwlûn (‘potato, 

round), the qualifier găsakwlûn being the plural form of anĭsakwalûn (‘round’). Mooney 

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claimed that these were an early introduction, but he does not suggest how early, and 

that they were highly esteemed by the Cherokee (Mooney 1900: 214). 

núnă΄ gûnahíta – ‘potato, long’ – Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam. – sweet potato 

This is another introduced crop plant that was adopted soon after contact with 

Europeans, probably due to Spanish introduction (Goodwin 1977: 55). Archaeological 

evidence of sweet potato use is lacking, but they appear to have been introduced from 

the West Indies and are thought to have been grown in Native American gardens in 

northern Florida and South Carolina in the early 17 th century (Davis 2000: 49). The 

qualifier gûnahíta (‘long’) was often presented in its plural form, tsûnínahíta or 

dinínahíta, and refers to the long tubers of the sweet potato. 

sâ΄kwĭl unígistĭ – ‘horse foods’ – Avena sativa L. – oats 

The name stems from sâ΄kwĭl (‘horse’) and unígistĭ, the plural form of aígistĭ 

(‘food’). There is some question as to whether the Cherokee actually grew oats as did 

their white neighbors (Goodwin 1977: 129), but they were obviously familiar with the 

grain and would more than likely have acquired it for their horses. However, it is not 

clear if they considered it an acceptable food for human consumption. 

sélu – corn – Zea mays L. 

The name for corn is the same as the name of the first woman, Selu, who, 

according to Cherokee myth, was responsible for the introduction of corn into the world 

(Mooney 1900: 249). There is not direct evidence that, even though botanists classify Z. 

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mays as a grass, the Cherokee did as well. However, they did associate it with other 

plants that obviously were grasses (see the chapter on grasses). 

Mooney identified two folk species of sélu, a sweet corn called sélu unítsima 

(‘shriveled corn’) and a type of popcorn called antaskĭski (‘they pop or burst’). The 

former stems from útsima (‘shriveled’) and was due to the wrinkled appearance of the 

kernels, while the latter was from ataskĭû (‘it pops or bursts with swelling’) due to the 

expansive, exploding nature of popcorn. Mooney specified that antaskĭski did not need 

to be accompanied by the folk generic sélu, which suggests that the association with 

that folk genus was implied. 

Witthoft recorded several varieties of flour corn, although he found that the 

distinct varieties were intermixing and getting harder to distinguish. The small-eared, 

white-grained variety was called dis‛αnulá, a proper, opaque name. A mixed variety that 

had yellow and red stripes on white kernels was called seluyαahí and the large-eared, 

eight-rowed, white variety was called seludiyωtłí, but no glosses were recorded for 

either. The deeply colored corn, usually consisting of deep blue, yellow, or red kernels, 

was called negadagwó, again with no gloss (n.d.: 183). Coarse pieces of corn meal 

were boiled into a thick soup called ganahena that Witthoft identified as a type of 

hominy. The diluted, fermented version of the corn gruel was known as ganahena 

amageí, a sour beverage made in large ceramic vessels used exclusively for this 

purpose. This was the preferred table beverage of the Cherokee and resembled the 

sofki of the Creeks (n.d.: 191-192). 

Corn was arguably the most important component in the Cherokee diet. The 

most popular way to prepare corn was in the form of corn bread. But this is more like a 

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oiled dumpling, and is nothing like the baked cornbread made from dried ground corn. 

The corn was picked in the milk stage and partially dried, or was boiled in the husk and 

dried in the sun for winter use. The partially dried or reconstituted dried corn is then 

pounded in the corn mortar until it formed a moist dough. Beans, chestnuts, sweet 

potatoes, hickory nuts, walnuts, groundnut tubers, or a wide range of berries were 

seasonally added to flavor the bread. The dough was rolled into a slightly flattened 

dumpling, wrapped in corn leaves, and dropped in boiling water until cooked. Hickory 

leaves were sometimes used as a substitute for corn leaves as wrappers for the bread. 

Other means to process corn included parching, soaking in ashes or soda and ground 

into meal or made into hominy, or made into a fermented gruel and drunk as a table 

beverage (Witthoft n.d.: 185-195). The growing influence of Euro-American culture led 

to changes in the processing of corn and, as early as 1897, much of the corn on the 

reservation was processed into dry corn meal at local grist mills (Greene and Robinson 

1986). 

Volunteer corn, or corn that had self-seeded from the previous year’s crop, was 

one of the medicinal plants used in the Cherokee version of the Green Corn Ceremony 

(Witthoft 1946). Other sources mention the use of the silks and parched grains as 

medicine, but no mention is made of the preparation techniques or the afflictions 

addressed by these remedies (Chiltoskey 1975). 

skéwĭ – ‘making heads’ – Brassica oleracea L. – cabbage 

Some of Mooney’s informants insisted that the name skéwĭ applied only to the 

actual head of cabbage, the name for the plant being tsugwûnténa or tsugúnténa (‘large 

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leaves’). In another entry in his notes, he called the curly variety of B. oleracea 

tsugúnténayû΄ (‘real cabbage’), the suffix –yû or –yă indicating the ‘true’ or ‘real’ kind. 

Timberlake mentioned cabbages growing in Cherokee gardens in the mid-eighteenth 

century (Williams 1927: 68), possibly the earliest recording of the Cherokee integration 

of the crop into their regular diet. Witthoft found that the inner leaves were strung on a 

thread and dried for winter use (n.d.: 204). 

sûkĭ΄ – ‘it smells’ – Allium cepa L. – onion 

Mooney thought that sûkĭ΄ might be a shortened form of gáw’sûkĭ (‘smeller’), so 

called because of its pungent odor. Little was written about the Cherokee association 

with onions, other than a brief reference to their introduction to the Cherokee in the pre- 

Revolutionary period (Goodwin 1977: 131). 

tsâ΄lâ΄ – tobacco – Nicotiana tabacum L. 

Mooney speculated that the original tsâ΄lâ΄ was Nicotiana rustica L. (see below), 

the original tobacco grown by Native Americans in the Southeast before it was replaced 

in cultural importance by the introduced N. tabacum. Nicotiana tabacum Nicotiana 

tabacum was most likely introduced to the North American mainland from the West 

Indies soon after European contact (Heiser 1992), but it is not clear when it was first 

incorporated by the Cherokee. Tsâ΄lâ΄ has no meaning in the Cherokee language but 

may have come from atsíla (‘fire’). The Tuscaroran word for tobacco, tcā΄rhŭ’, was 

glossed as ‘to hold fire in the mouth’, stemming from utcárŭ (‘fire’), and this construction 

may be similar to that of the Cherokee. 

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Little is known about Cherokee uses of N. tabacum for medicinal purposes as 

most sources that discuss tobacco use among the Cherokee tend to focus on N. rustica 

(Mooney 1891: 369, Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 151, Banks: 114, Ethridge 1977). 

However, Witthoft claimed that the, “growing of aboriginal tobaccos was uniquely the 

practice of pagan communities, since it is used mainly in ritual” and that the growing of 

N. rustica had ceased on the reservation around 1910 (n.d.: 205). Olbrechts found N. 

rustica to be so scarce in 1926 that smoking mixtures contained only about 10% of it 

and 90% ordinary tobacco (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 75). It is not known if N. 

tabacum was considered a suitable substitute for N. rustica or if it replaced it for 

medicinal purposes after its extinction. Olbrechts made one clear reference to tobacco 

as a treatment for headaches (aniskoli ada‛nöwoti – ‘to cure headache’), but in one 

place he identifies it as N. rustica (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932:171) and later refers to it 

as ordinary chewing tobacco (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 289). So it is not clear which 

Nicotiana species was considered efficacious for headaches or if both were considered 

acceptable. 

tsâ΄lâ΄ akayû΄lĭ – ‘old tobacco’ – Nicotiana rustica L. 

Mooney used the qualifiers akayû΄lĭ and gayûnli to signify ‘old’ tobacco, but did 

not explain the difference. But he did explain that akayû΄lĭ was from ăkayû΄lige (‘old’), 

and that this adjective may have been added after its replacement by N. tabacum. 

While the origin of N. rustica and the time of its introduction into eastern North America 

is a source of debate (Heiser 1992), the Cherokee considered it to be their original 

tobacco and the tobacco that they used in ceremony and medicine (Ethridge 1978). 

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The use of N. rustica is well documented in Creek ceremonies, especially the 

Green Corn Ceremony or busk (Swanton 1938: 546-614); however its use among the 

Cherokee is not as evident. There is mention of the use of “old tobacco” in Cherokee 

ceremonies in the Payne/Butrick papers, but it is not clear if it is a species of Nicotiana. 

It was described as, “a weed, supposed to resemble in some respects tobacco (Payne 

n.d.: 79)”, but this is not a clear identification for N. rustica. Witthoft (1949) also pointed 

out that, prior to recording the Cherokee ceremonies, Daniel Butrick had been a 

missionary at Chickamauga, a mixed town of Creek, Cherokee, and Shawnee peoples, 

among others. It is possible that his rendition of the ceremonies was a conflation of the 

various groups he observed. 

French naturalist Palisot De Beauvois may have been the first to record a 

Cherokee medicinal use for tobacco, finding that chewed tobacco was placed on a 

snakebite to counteract the poison (Anderson 1984). But it was Mooney who stressed 

the importance of N. rustica to the Cherokee: 

Tobacco was used as a sacred incense or as the guarantee of a solemn 

oath in nearly every important function – in binding the warrior to take up the 

hatchet against the enemy, in ratifying the treaty of peace, in confirming sales or 

other engagements, in seeking omens for the hunter, in driving away witches or 

evil spirits, and in regular medical practice. It was either smoked or sprinkled on 

the fire, never rolled into cigarettes, as among the tribes of the Southwest, 

neither was it ever smoked for the mere pleasure of the sensation (Mooney 1900: 

424). 

352

Nicotiana rustica was also used with other remedies to counter sicknesses sent by 

friends or rival conjurers to test the knowledge of a medicine man (Mooney 1891: 369) 

(see tsâliyústĭ usdíga above). 

Olbrechts elaborated on the use of tobacco as a prophylactic against the 

influence of witches (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 75). Finely crushed tobacco was 

sprinkled on a cone of hot ashes to determine which direction a witch might attack from 

or if a witch was already in the building. The medicine man might also walk around the 

house and blow tobacco smoke in all directions that a witch might approach from, 

including into the sky and toward the ground. 

Several applications of N. rustica were published in The Swimmer Manuscript. 

The juice of chewed tobacco was blown on to patients suffering from unawasti egwa 

(‘big chill’) (1932:170) and was held in the mouth of the medicine man when he sucked 

the poison out of a snakebite (1932: 241). Nicotiana rustica could be combined with 

Panax quinquefolium and used on patients who had suffered a stroke (1932: 230) or 

chewed and rubbed on bean-like boils when the swelling first appears (1932: 301). 

tûksûna – turnip – Brassica napus L. 

The folk generic tûksûna appears to be an opaque, proper name for the turnip. 

Mooney also recorded the synonym u‛lĭ΄ (‘round tuber’), but this name appears to refer 

only to the tuberous root. Mooney did not mention the relationship with the folk generic, 

tûksûn ulísĭ, but it seems likely that the introduced turnip replaced the native 

353

peppergrass in importance as the Cherokee embraced agriculture. However, applying a 

familial term recognized the botanical relationship between peppergrass and turnips. 

túya – ‘bean’ – Phaseolus spp. 

Túya is the folk generic for beans and bean-like plants and it appears to be an 

opaque, proper name. The folk generic was applied singularly to species of Phaseolus, 

such as Phaseolus vulgaris L., which would include such varieties as pinto or kidney 

beans, or Phaseolus lunatus L., known as lima or butter beans (Goodwin 1977: 52). 

Phaseolus lunatus may have been introduced from South America soon after contact 

rather than being developed in the Southeast (Witthoft n.d.: 52). Other bean-like plants 

and peas were labeled as folk varieties of túya and will be individually discussed below. 

The association of beans and corn played a central role in Cherokee myth and 

nutrition, as well as in the ecology of their gardens. The first woman, Selu, who 

introduced corn to the Cherokee, was also the source of the first beans (Mooney 1900: 

244). It is also common knowledge that beans are high in lysine, the limiting amino acid 

in grains, and provided the complement necessary to furnish all the essential amino 

acids in a corn-based diet. Beans were also planted in the same hills as corn and the 

nitrogen-fixing bacteria associated with the roots of beans provided a boost to the 

heavy-feeding corn plants (Goodwin 1977: 52). 

Witthoft (n.d: 200) said the Cherokee mostly ate there beans in three ways: 

immature green beans, dried beans, and bean bread. The immature green beans were 

boiled and further cooked in heated grease. They could also be strung and dried in the 

sun for winter consumption. The half-ripe beans were boiled and eaten or pounded in a 

354

mortar into the bean bread. The dried, mature beans were either shelled by hand or 

placed in a sack, beat with a stick, and the shells separated in a winnowing basket. 

túya aníladískĭ – ‘bean, long tuber’ – Arachis hypogaea L. – peanut 

The specific qualifier aníladískĭ (‘long tuber’) was descriptive of the subterranean 

legume of the peanut plant. Only a passing mention is made of the introduction of the 

peanut to the Cherokee (Goodwin 1977; 128) so we know little about their cultural 

importance. It appears that peanuts were introduced to Europe and the Far East by the 

Portuguese in the early 16 th century (Baker 1965: 57), but it is unclear how they were 

introduced to the Cherokee. 

túya unsdiga – ‘little beans’ – Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walpers – black-eyed peas, 

cowpea 

The specific qualifier unsdiga in an irregular plural form of usdíga (‘small’) and 

here was used to refer to the size of the bean. Cowpeas were introduced by the 

Spanish and have been found with other Spanish artifacts in an archaeological site in 

central Alabama, indicating that they were grown there in the mid-seventeeth century 

(Davis 2000: 50). Cowpeas were used by the Cherokee in the same manner as other 

beans and peas. 

túya usdíga – ‘small bean’ – Pisum sativum L. – garden pea 

The specific qualifier usdíga (‘small’) was used in the singular form for P. sativum 

to distinguish it from the black-eyed bean. It could also be used in its abbreviated form, 

355

túyusdí. The synonym unatsû΄talĭ or unatlû΄talĭ (‘they are upright against or supported 

by something’) was also used and referred to the practice of supporting the pea vines 

on dead branches. Peas were an early introduction through Spanish contact and were 

observed growing in Native American gardens in Florida as early as 1562 (Davis 2000 

51). Mooney said that many Cherokee would not eat garden peas. However, he gave 

no reason for this. 

udsíla or udsilû΄ĭ – ‘flower or bloom’ – Gossypium herbaceum L. – cotton 

The name was in reference to the boll of the cotton plant, not the flower itself. 

This may have referred to the spines on the boll (see next entry) and been a reference 

to the pain associated with touching the boll. Mooney did not discuss the role of cotton 

in Cherokee life and there is no information on its medicinal value. 

udsilû΄ĭ – ‘it smarts’ – Capsicum annuum L. – red pepper 

The folk generic udsilû΄ĭ stems from udsi‛listĭ΄ (‘it is smarting’), referring to the 

pungent flavor of red peppers. Mooney said the following about the resemblance to the 

previous name, “This name differs from that of cotton only in accent, a variation too 

slight to be indicated.” No other information was available for C. annuum. 

u‛lâ΄ – sunflower – Helianthus annuus L. 

The name u‛lâ΄ appears to be a proper, opaque name for the sunflower. The 

plant was domesticated within the present boundaries of the continental United States 

356

and the use of the seeds and their extracted oil has been documented among Native 

Americans, but there is little explicit information on Cherokee use for the seeds. 

unû΄guhistĭ – ‘they leak’ – Lycopersicon esculentum Miller – tomato 

The folk generic unû΄guhistĭ was the same as the name for the ground cherry, 

also in the family Solanaceae with a recognized edible fruit (see Part 3). This appears to 

be a case where the introduced food was not given cultural preference over the native 

food, nor was it designated by a special qualifying adjective. Perhaps the cool mountain 

climate prevented tomatoes from thriving as they do in other portions of the Southeast 

and limited their use among the Cherokee. 

utsaléstĭ – ‘it is sticky’ – Triticum aestivum L. – wheat 

The folk generic utsaléstĭ refers to the dough, which goes by the same name. 

This quality would have been especially obvious to the Cherokee, who were more 

accustomed to corn flour. The gluten in wheat gives it that sticky quality that is desired 

in bread making, but the gluten protein is absent from corn. The Cherokee did not adopt 

the growing of wheat until the early 19 th century, when they incorporated the use of the 

plow into their farming practices (Goodwin 1977: 129). 

utsítsûnahíta – ‘long tassel’ – Secale cereale L. – rye 

The name stems from utsítsată (‘tassel’) and gûnihíta (‘long’) and refers to the 

awns on the end of the grain. Mooney actually identified this as Lolium perenne L., or 

rye-grass, but this is not the edible species of rye. While the history of the use of rye 

357

among the Cherokee is poorly documented, white farmers in western North Carolina 

grew large amounts for use as both human and animal food (Davis 2000: 143). 

358

Chapter 10 

Cherokee Ethnomycology 

There is surprisingly little information available on the relationship of the 

Cherokee to the local fungi given both the variety of shapes and color as well as the 

large number of useful species that are available in the region. The extensive 

investigations into the Cherokee’s use of plants for food (Perry 1974, Witthoft n.d.) and 

medicine (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932, Banks 1953) provide only a glimpse into the 

potential edible and medicinal species. The ideal environmental conditions of the 

southern Appalachian region, including abundant moisture, favorable soil conditions, 

and a wide variety of conifers and hardwoods, are most conducive to fungal growth and 

species diversity. Even the casual observer will notice an array of shapes and colors 

that are indicative of the region’s fungal diversity. 

Several factors may have led to the lack of information on Cherokee use of fungi. 

Europeans and their descendents are believed to harbor a cultural mycophobia (Morris 

1987), which may have led to an oversight of fungi by the researchers. Field 

identification takes extensive training, as evidenced by the few taxa identified even to or 

beyond the biological rank of genus, and the difficulty of preserving fungi may have 

prevented their transfer to experts for identification. It may be that of the Cherokee were 

truly indifferent toward their local fungi, although I find this to be unlikely, given the close 

359

association of the Cherokee with so many aspects of their biotic environment, as well as 

the perceptual salience and potential utility of the larger fungal species. 

Mooney noted several aspects of the classification of fungi, but extracting a clear 

system from his notes is difficult. For instance, he indicates that tawálĭ (he also spells it 

tawálû) is the generic term for several varieties of mushrooms, excluding the puffballs. 

In most instances when Mooney has referred to a generic name, he is referring to what 

a life-form category, but it is not clear whether this is a folk life-form category or a folk 

genus. At various points in his notes he refers to tawálĭ as mushrooms, fungi in general, 

and toadstools, a descriptive term usually reserved for the classic umbrella shaped 

fungi. He also used a similar term, tiwá‛lĭ (‘bowl’) as the name used for bowl-like objects 

such as red raspberries (see tiwá‛lĭ in the chapter on Shrubs and Vines), but Witthoft 

claimed that this was an inclusive name for all bowl-shaped objects including 

mushrooms (n.d.: 42). Not all the fungi identified as a type of tawálĭ, such as those in 

the genus Clavaria, have this prototypical mushroom shape. This makes it difficult to 

discern the inclusiveness of the tawálĭ category, but the inclusion of the genus Clavaria 

suggests a life form category exclusive of puffballs. 

The information on puffballs is too limited to discern whether the Cherokee 

considered them a distinct life form from other fungi. However, Mooney’s note that 

tawálĭ excluded puffballs suggested that they were considered as a distinct category. 

The majority of them are considered as a type of năkw’sĭ (‘star’). If a more inclusive life- 

form term for puffballs did (or does) exist, then năkw’sĭ would appear to be an 

intermediate category or a folk generic. 

360

Another problem is the case of wίsĭ, which Mooney reported as a type of puffball 

and which appears to be a shortened version of năkw’sĭ. However, later researchers 

have identified wίsĭ as non-puffball species (Perry 1974, Witthoft n.d.). As these 

researchers were among the Cherokee several decades after Mooney, this may 

represent a loss of traditional knowledge and a degradation of the biological 

classification system. For the purpose of this work, the fungi reported used by the 

Cherokee by various researchers will be divided into the inclusive categories of tawálĭ 

and năkw’sĭ and the various wίsĭ will be included under both headings depending on 

their identification as a biological genus or species. 

Table 10.1. Fungus Index: Botanical Species and Folk Species 


Agaricus campestris 

Auricularia spp. 

Bovista pila 

Clavaria spp. 

Exobasidium rhododendri 

Fistulina hepatica 

Geastrum spp. 

Grifola frondosa 

Lactarius deliciosus 

Lycoperdon spp. 

Morchella spp. 


unίlagwĕ΄ 

anílĭ 

dudusi 

tawálĭ uniyâ΄atĭ 

sûnktă΄ 

wίsĭ 

năkw’sĭ udigido 

wίsĭ 

anidzistezí 

năkw’sĭ΄ tsundí-ga & wίsĭ 

ahαwi sαyoniyustí 

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Tawálĭ (or Tawálû) – Mushrooms 

ahαwi sαyoniyustí – ‘deer antler-like’ – Morchella spp. – morel 

Witthoft (n.d.: 58) provided this name and gloss for the morels, but gave no 

further information about them. Perry (1974: 31) reported that Morchella esculenta Pers. 

ex StAmans was known to grow under apple trees and was prized by the Cherokee for 

its flavor. They would split tem in half or leave them whole, roll them in meal, and fry 

them. 

anidzistezí – ‘they are red’ or anidziskwαdugά ‘they turn themselves over’ –Lactarius 

deliciosus (Fr.) S. F. Gray – orange-latex milky 

Witthoft recorded the name and identified this fungus, but gave no other 

information. The gloss ‘they are red’ most likely comes from the orange latex that is 

apparent when the flesh is broken. As the specific epithet indicates, this is a delectable 

edible (Fischer and Bessette 1992: 62). 

anílĭ – ‘they are climbing’ – Auricularia spp. – wood ear 

Mooney described this fungus, commonly known as the wood ear, as “a small 

semicircular fungus growing on rotten limbs.” They were washed several times until the 

water was clear and boiled in soup with salt. They were also eaten raw by hunters who 

would break them off the limbs and eat them. 

362

gatu anitsutsa – ‘young boy's bread’ – (not identified) 

No further information is available. 

sûnktă΄ - ‘apple’ - Exobasidium rhododendri (Fuckel) Cramer – azalea apple 

Witthoft described this fungus, commonly found growing on Rhododendron 

periclymenoides (Michaux) Shinners, thusly: 

The peculiar little ball-shaped or scale-like green excrescences which are 

found on the stems of this shrub are considered a great delicacy, and are 

generally called sûnktă΄, which is also the word for the cultivated apple. These 

peculiar growths are much relished as a food and a thirst-quencher by hunters 


tawálĭ gigagéĭ – ‘red toadstool’ – (not identified) 


tawálĭ gûnagéĭ – ‘black toadstool’ – (not identified) 


tawálĭ tsiyŭ΄ústă΄ - ‘poplar fungus’ – (not identified) 

Tsiyŭ΄ is the Cherokee name for Liriodendron tulipifera L., the tulip or yellow 

poplar, and ústă΄ glosses as ‘adhering or sticking to’. Mooney describes this fungus as 

having a strong stalk, flat top, being about four inches in diameter, and growing on 

poplar stumps. The description matches that of the oyster mushroom, Pleurotus 

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ostreatus Fries, a common edible mushroom in the mountains that is most commonly 

found on L. tulipifera. If Mooney had mentioned the placement of the stalk, or stipe, 

there would have been little doubt, as the oyster mushroom has a short, lateral stalk. 

tawálĭ uniyâ΄atĭ – ‘branching fungus’ – Clavaria spp. 

Members of the genus Clavaria are often referred to as coral fungi, due to 

branching pattern that resembles coral assemblages. Members of this genus were also 

known as tawálĭ uwadsístatĭ or ‘rough fungus’ because the branches have a rough 

appearance. 

tawálĭ uskuâlû – ‘paunch fungus’ – (not identified) 

The underside is said to resemble the inner surface of a paunch (cow’s 

stomach). One of Mooney’s informants suggested it might be the same fungus that he 

knew of as úninagwáĭ, or ‘they are crows’. This fungus was about three inches across 

with a red-brown underside and was eaten raw with a little salt. This suggests Fistulina 

hepatica Schaeff ex Fr., the beefsteak fungus (see wίsĭ below). It is called the beefsteak 

fungus because of its pinkish red flesh and gelatinous consistency. The underside is 

often reddish brown and consists of individual tubes that may be said to resemble the 

paunch of an animal (Miller 1978: 274). It is commonly found on oak and chestnut tress, 

the latter being common in the region when Mooney was among the Cherokee. It is also 

one of the few fungi that are recommended as safe to consume uncooked (Fischer and 

Bessette 1992: 127). 

364

tûskĭ΄ tsunίhyăgίstĭ – ‘terrapins eat it’ – (not identified) 

The name is a combination of tûskĭ΄ or ‘terrapin’ and tsunίhyăgίstĭ or ‘they are 

eating it,’ but there is no indication of which species this was or whether the Cherokee 

ate it. 

unίlagwĕ΄ or unίlagwû΄ - ‘mushroom’ – Agaricus campestris Fr. and other Agaricus 

species 

This is the common meadow mushroom, perhaps the best known of wild edible 

species in North America (Fischer and Bessette 1992: 38). Mooney also reports it as 

tsulágwĕ or tsunílagwĕ΄, both plural forms of unίlagwĕ΄, because single specimens are 

rarely found. Witthoft (n.d.: 57) also identified this as Agaricus (Psalliota) campestris, 

but his version of the name is usłowά. Perry (1974: 30) recorded unilukwe as 

Armillariella (Armillaria) mella (Fr.) Karst., known commonly as the honey mushroom or 

“slicky mushrooms” by the Cherokee. They were boiled or soaked in vinegar before 

cooking and preserved by canning. 

wanéĭ ayû΄hihĭ – ‘it grows into hickory’ – (not identified) 

This is the fungus reported to grow in dead hickory. The informant reported that it 

was this fungus, not that growing in black locust, that was used to start fires. The fungus 

would be held under the flint when it was struck (Mooney). However, Witthoft (n.d.: 154) 

claims that the rope-like mycelium of the fungus that grows in black locust was the 

“spunk” used by the Cherokee to transport fire to a new location and to ritually “steal” 

fire during the ball-play dance. He describes it as, “a felt-like cylinder a fourth to a half- 

365

inch in diameter, enclosed in a papery cortex, which is split out of the wood in strings of 

two to three feet long.” 

wίsĭ – no gloss – Fistulina hepatica Schaeff ex Fr. or Grifola frondosa (Dicks.:Fr.) S. F. 

Gray 

Witthoft (n.d.: 57) claims that wίsĭ is the proper name (a term he uses to 

represent opaqueness in a folk genus) for the beefsteak fungus, Fistulina hepatica, also 

known as the “wood fungus” by the Cherokee because it grows on oak stumps and 

trunks. Banks (1953: 1) reported that is was eaten by the Cherokee and had a taste 

reminiscent of beef. 

Perry (1974: 31) recorded Grifola (Polyporus) frondosa (frondosus) as wίsĭ and 

also said it grew on old stumps. Also known as “hen of the woods” or maitake in Japan, 

is commonly found growing at the base of oak trees (Fischer and Bessette 1992: 118). 

Maitake means “dancing mushroom” in Japanese, because the finder was said to be 

overcome with joy at finding the fungus. It is considered a choice edible and has been 

shown to exhibit a wide range of pharmacological properties including reducing blood 

pressure, exhibiting a hepatoprotective effect, lowering blood glucose levels in tests with 

diabetic rats, promoting immune function, and inhibiting tumor growth (Hobbs1995: 111- 

112). Perry reported that wίsĭ were ground up with pumpkin seeds and used in soups or 

preserved by drying, canning, or freezing. 

366

Năkw’sĭ – Puffballs 

dudusi – no gloss – Bovista pila Berk. and Curt. 

Dudusi is a type of puffball, used with Pinus pungens and Sassafras albidum for 

a purple form of cancer known as adayeski (‘eating itself’). Mooney also mentioned this 

fungus, but did not identify it or provide any use for it. He reported that it was the 

“ordinary” puffball and was not eaten. He said it was also known as dudusi tuwalŭ΄hĭ or 

dudusi tawálĭ, causing further confusion in determining the distinction between năkw’sĭ 

and tawálĭ. 

năkw’sĭ΄ tsundí-ga – "small stars" – Lycoperdon spp. 

The name is derived from năkw’sĭ (‘stars’) and tsundí-ga, the plural form of usdí- 

ga (‘small’), due to their resemblance to clusters of stars. Banks (1953: 1) recorded the 

small puffballs as nakwisiusdí and identified them as Lycoperdon pyriforme Persoon. 

The spores from dried puffballs were dusted on to old sores. Hobbs (1995: 19) claims 

that puffballs were universally used by Native Americans as a styptic, for starting fires, 

and as an incense to ward off malicious spirits. 

năkw’sĭ útana – “large stars” –(not identified) 

These puffballs are about six inches in diameter and could be any of several 

species of large puffballs found in the North Carolina mountains. 

367

năkw’sĭ udigido – “star’s excrement” – Geastrum spp. 

Commonly known as earthstars, the gloss for the Cherokee name is quite 

descriptive of these little earth-bound stars. The spores of năkw’sĭ udigido were placed 

on the umbilical cord of newborn infants until it fell off. Olbrechts claims this is done for 

both prophylactic and therapeutic purposes (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 124). 

wίsĭ – no gloss – Lycoperdon spp. 

Mooney described wίsĭ as a large, round fungus, six to twelve inches in diameter, 

which was good to eat when cooked like cabbage with gravy. Many of the large 

puffballs are considered delectable edibles. 

368

Chapter 11 

Re-evaluation of the Cherokee Ethnomedical System from an Ethnobotanical 

Perspective 

It is apparent from the acquired data of the various researchers that there was a 

significant change in scope of Cherokee ethnobotanical knowledge between 1885 and 

1977. Mooney and Olbrechts worked almost exclusively with medicine men, but they 

also included a few Cherokee midwives. These tribal experts on medical practices tribal 

experts on medical practices tended to be individuals with specialized plant knowledge. 

By the time of Banks’ research in the early 1950s, there appeared to be a transition 

from a magico-religious approach to more of a system based on folk cures. These cures 

may have been extant for some time, but were not considered as valuable as the 

knowledge of the specialists. 

Banks often cites Will West Long, who had served as an interpreter of both 

language and culture for Mooney and Olbrechts, as well as working extensively with 

Witthoft. However, Long died in 1947 (Witthoft 1948), five years before Banks did his 

research, so the appearance of the continuity of research is misleading. Long was 

familiar with a great many of the beliefs and practices surrounding the traditional 

medical practices; however, he was more of an interpreter of the traditional knowledge 

than he was a medical practitioner (Fogelson 1961). While the range of application of 

plant medicines is still evident and often expanded in Banks’ work, knowledge of the 

369

symbolic significance and evocative power of plants used in formulas appears to have 

been diminishing. 

I do not mean to suggest that there were no medicine men remaining among the 

Eastern Cherokee after the 1940s. While all but two of the medicine men that had 

worked with Mooney had died by 1904 (Mooney 1982b), Fogelson (1961) found 

medicine men (or conjurers) practicing their trade in the late 1950s. But he also found 

that the integration of Christianity into Cherokee society was diminishing the status of 

the medicine men and many forms of conjuring were no longer practiced. 

Another difference between Banks’ work and the work of previous researchers 

that demonstrates a loss of ethnobotanical knowledge was the simplification of the 

remedies recorded by Banks. Most of the entries that were exclusively attributed to 

Banks’ informants were based on single remedies or combinations of two herbs, rarely 

were any used in combinations of more than two. Olbrechts claimed that combinations 

of four or seven herbs produced the ideal formula (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 54), 

these being the sacred numbers of the Cherokee. Most of the medical formulas he 

recorded contained at least two plants and one formula contained as many as 24 

ingredients (although most of the ingredients had been forgotten). 

There were several discrepancies between Olbrechts’ statements in The 

Swimmer Manuscript and the data in his and Mooney’s notes. For instance, the 

statement cited above about using four or seven plants in a formula is not supported by 

Olbrechts’ notes. Combinations of four or seven herbs tend to be the exception rather 

than the rule (see Cherokee Ethnobotanical Conditions in the appendix). Mooney’s 

archival materials dispute another of Olbrechts’ statements about the Cherokee 

370

medicine men. He proposed that the medicine men rarely stored herbal materials for 

future use and that it was, “rare to find medicine men endowed with enough foresight to 

lay out a garden of medicinal plants as did the European monks in the Middle Ages 

(Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 55).” 

But in Mooney’s field notebooks, he mentions at least 30 herbaceous plants or 

roots that were dried for winter use and at least 15 others that were gathered in the 

winter either by recognizing the dried, above-ground portions or because they had 

persistent, evergreen leaves (n.d.c, Ms. 1894). The number of evergreen species would 

have been even greater if Mooney had included the ferns, but it appears he took this 

information for granted in his notes. If the barks of trees and shrubs, which would have 

been recognizable and available throughout the year, are also taken into consideration, 

the Cherokee would have had access to a sizeable pharmacopoeia available at any 

time of the year. Olbrechts used Mooney’s materials as a foundation for his research, 

but it appears that he only had access to a portion of Mooney’s notes when he made his 

observation on the foresight of the medicine men. 

It is difficult to discern from the data whether the ecological changes in the 

Southern Appalachians were reflected in Cherokee ethnobotanical knowledge. The 

perspectives on the use of tree species by the Cherokee provided by Mooney and 

Olbrechts seem to be the inverse of the history of forest use. One might expect that 

trees would play a diminishing role in medicine and ceremony as the commercial value 

of timber rose and the forests were removed by logging interests. However, Mooney 

rarely discussed the medicinal uses of trees and in his notes he focused his attention on 

the linguistic analysis of the tree names. Olbrechts’ research in 1926-1927 came 

371

towards the end of the intensive logging period, but it is through his research that we 

can view the cultural importance of tree species, especially in relationship to Cherokee 

ethnomedical practices. He often gave several uses for an individual species and many 

of the medicinal formulas contained the bark or roots of several tree species. When 

shrubs and woody vines are considered in this context, the range of medicinal woody 

species is truly impressive. This is especially obvious in the formulas included in the 

appendix (see Cherokee Ethnomedical Conditions). 

The value of medicinal tree use becomes very clear when we consider the 

frequency of remedies selected for the various Cherokee ethnomedical conditions 

(Table 1). Each remedy was noted for its use as a single remedy or its inclusion in a 

formula for the most common ethnomedical conditions. These were then listed in rank 

order starting with the remedies with the most applications. What becomes clear from 

this figure is that woody species were disproportionately represented in the selection 

process. Of the 55 plant species represented here that had five or more applications, 18 

were trees and 31 were woody species, including shrubs and vines. When the total 

number of applications is tallied, tree species were selected for a total of 136 uses out 

of a total of 378 possible selections (36% of all selections). When all woody species are 

considered, they were selected 234 times (62%), while herbaceous plants were 

selected 144 times (38%). Woody plants were nearly twice as likely to be selected as 

remedies as herbaceous plants. 

To rework an old adage, it is likely that Mooney did not, “see the trees for the 

forest.” European and early American herbal traditions were dominated by the use of 

herbaceous plants and the relevance and range of tree use by the Cherokee may have 

372

simply been overlooked. In The Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees he neglected tree 

species in his list of selected plant species used for medicinal purposes (1891: 324-327) 

and included only one formula where tree species were the dominant medicines (356). 

In Myths of the Cherokee, he devotes two pages to trees in his section on plant lore 

(1900: 421-422) but this mostly concerns beliefs surrounding trees and there is little 

included concerning their therapeutic potential. 

Table 11.1. Frequency of Remedy Selection for Cherokee Diseases 

Plant Name Frequency Plant Name Frequency 

Alnus serrulata 

Nyssa sylvatica 

Platanus occidentalis 

Panax quinquefolium 

Prunus serotina 

Vitis aestivalis 

Xanthorhiza simplicissima 

Aristolochia serpentaria 

Cornus florida 

Euonymus americanus 

Eupatorium purpureum 

Nicotiana rustica 

Sassafras albidum 

Amelanchier canadensis 

Diospyros virginiana 

Lindera benzoin 

Liriodendron tulipifera 

Magnolia acuminata 

Rhus glabra 

Acorus calamus 

Cassia marilandica 

Clematis virginiana 

Ilex verticillata 

Quercus rubra 

Acer rubrum 

Aesculus octandra 

Clethra acuminata 

Eryngium yuccifolium 

12 

12 

12 

10 

10 

10 

10 

9 

9 

9 

9 

9 

9 

8 

8 

8 

8 

8 

8 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

6 

6 

6 

6 

373 

Hepatica acutiloba 

Leucothoe axillaris 

Prunus pensylvanica 


Salix alba 

Vicia caroliniana 

Antennaria plantaginifolia 

Asarum canadense 

Carpinus caroliniana 

Chimaphila maculata 

Cypripedium calceolus var. 

pubescens 

Eupatorium perfoliatum 

Porteranthus trifoliata 

Gleditsia triacanthos 

Hedeoma pulegioides 

Kalmia latifolia 

Lobelia cardinalis 

Lobelia spicata 

Lobelia syphilitica 

Lysimachia quadrifolia 

Nepeta cataria 

Oxydendron arboreum 

Plantago major 

Salix humulis 

Sisyrinchium angustifolium 

Smilax glauca 

Verbascum thapsus 

Contemporary studies have shown this to be an egregious oversight. In his meta- 

analysis of Native North American medicinal plants, Moerman (1991) found that the 

6 

6 

6 

6 

6 

6 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5

frequency of use of trees and shrubs as medicinal agents was disproportionately 

represented when compared with the expected frequency of the use of other life forms. 

The barks of tree species are known to contain a wide range of pharmacologically 

active compounds (Turner and Hebda 1990), some with strong antioxidant (McCune 

and Johns 2002) and antimicrobial activity (Omar et al. 2000). It is fortunate for the 

student of Native American ethnobotany that Olbrechts revisited Mooney’s work among 

the Cherokee. Had this not been the case, much of the rich association of the Cherokee 

with the forests that surrounded them would have gone unrecorded. It is only through 

the records of both men, especially in light of those of later researchers, that we begin 

to approach the relevance of tree species to the Cherokee. 

There is some evidence of a humoral element in the Cherokee ethnomedical 

system, but it does not comply with the currently accepted focus on hot/cold, dry/moist 

dichotomies (Jackson 2001). The concept of heat balancing cold is barely mentioned in 

the Cherokee literature, mostly in the form of the spirit of fire being invoked to counter 

the diseases caused by cold blooded animals or spirits that rule the elements of cold 

(Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 21). Countering moist with dry is also touched upon with 

the avoidance of wet, fleshy fruits and vegetables when one was blisters caused from 

exposure to the sun (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 211). But these concepts do not 

appear to be infused throughout the Cherokee system in the same manner as they are 

in Greek, Ayurvedic, and Chinese humoral systems (Foster 1994: 4-12). Their place in 

Cherokee medicine was not noted by any of the ethnographers. 

When I speak of humoral medicine in the Cherokee system, I am referring to the 

humors themselves, the bodily fluids that were considered the basis of physiological 

374

alance in the Hippocratic medical writings (Jackson 2001). In the Hippocratic corpus, 

the four humors were blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile. The fluids mentioned 

as being “of capital importance in human physiology” from the Cherokee perspective 

were quite similar: saliva, blood, and bile (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 15). However, 

from an ethnobotanical perspective, I would add urine to that list. I will discuss saliva, 

blood, and bile first, as they were cited by Olbrechts, and then demonstrate the 

importance of urine. 

Saliva 

In the Kilpatricks’ study of love formulas of the western band of the Cherokee, they 

claim that the ancestral Cherokee considered saliva, not blood, as the original vital fluid 

(Kilpatrick and Kilpatrick 1965: 25). Joining saliva with another person was considered 

to have a powerful bonding influence. They site as evidence two formulas that list the 

attributes that the desirous one must symbolically consume or possess in order to 

control the affections of the intended. The attributes are listed in descending order in the 

lines of the prayer and, according to the Kilpatricks, the Cherokee “gamut of values” 

suggests that the attribute with lowest priority or value was stated first and that with the 

highest priority or value was the last one stated. One of the formulas was glossed 

thusly: 

Now! Ha! Very quickly I a have just come to take away your heart. 

Ha! Very quickly I have just come to take away your thought. 

Ha! Very quickly I have just come to take away your breath. 

375

Ha! Very quickly I have just come to take away your saliva (Kilpatrick and Kilpatrick 

1965: 115). 

In another example, the order of attributes was soul, flesh, and saliva (Kilpatrick and 

Kilpatrick 1965: 114). This suggests the primacy of saliva over the other attributes. 

However, they are at a loss to explain two other prayers which suggest a different 

perception of values; one listing the attributes of heart, breath, saliva, and blood and the 

other saliva and soul (Kilpatrick and Kilpatrick 1965: 116-117). 

While it is clear from the above discussion that saliva was an important component 

of the Cherokee ethnomedical system, it is not cleat that it was of paramount 

importance. Olbrechts’ observation that the Cherokee considered the state of the saliva 

to be, “as important as the blood and the gall” (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 15) 

suggests that the hierarchy of value of these bodily fluids was lateral and flexible. The 

remainder of this discussion will also demonstrate that the primacy of a fluid was 

context dependent. The variations in the formulas or prayers collected by the Kilpatricks 

also support this view. It may have been that saliva was a primary consideration 

because it was more accessible to the physician than blood or bile and easier to obtain 

for the perpetrator of an act of conjuring. 

There were several diagnostic features of the state of the saliva, but the most 

important was the concept of “spoiled saliva”. Saliva could be spoiled in many ways: 

ghosts, dreaming of snakes, having snake poison put in one’s food, pregnancy, 

emotional upset, and dreaming of the dead all spoiled the saliva (Olbrechts Ms. 4600). 

Dreams of the bite of a snake were considered detrimental to the health of the patient 

376

and were treated as seriously as an actual bite because it could cause the spoiling of 

saliva (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 176). Olbrechts described the state of spoiled 

saliva from dreaming of fish as tasting different, getting thick, and possibly changing 

color to white or yellow (Olbrechts Ms. 4600). The affliction associated with spoiled 

saliva was quite serious. A Cherokee who had spoiled saliva was thought to become, 

“despondent, withers away, and dies” (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 15). 

The primary therapy used to treat spoiled saliva was emesis. Emesis, when 

applied to spoiled saliva, was seen not so much as a way to cleanse the alimentary 

tract, but as a means to throw off corrupted saliva (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 83). 

The range of medicinal plants used to treat the condition was specific to the cause of 

the affliction. When a conjurer spoiled the saliva, one of the primary remedies was the 

emetic herb Lobelia inflata (Mooney Ms. 1894). A decoction of Dioscorea villosa was 

used as an emetic for spoiled saliva caused by ghosts, dreams of snakes, or when 

snake poison was put in food. Large quantities of a tea of the leaves and stems of 

Solanum ptycanthum was drunk every four days as an emetic to clear the spoiled saliva 

caused by mourning the death of a loved one (Banks 1953: 115-116). For saliva spoiled 

from dreaming of the dead, a decoction of Polygonatum biflorum and some soil dug 

from the front of a ground hog’s den was drunk for four straight mornings, the patient 

vomiting until all the liquid was expelled, (Banks 1953: 16). Once spoiled saliva was 

deposited in the river through emesis, the disease was transported downstream and 

away from the patient (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 23). 

Spoiling was not the only condition associated with saliva. It was also associated 

with the act of conjuring. Witches and mankillers could transform their saliva into spirit 

377

insects that would inflict diseases on their intended targets (Olbrechts Ms. 4600). 

Securing the spittle of a victim would also give the conjurer power over that person. 

Cicuta maculata was used for a conjuring ceremony that was intended to take the life of 

a victim. The conjurer would take the spittle of his intended victim and mix it with several 

crushed earthworms and some splinters from some lightening struck wood. He would 

then put the paste in a joint of the stem of C. maculata and ceremonially buries it. If all 

goes to plan, the victim dies within seven days. A conjurer could also change a 

person’s saliva, causing it to be a place where insects would breed or food, such as 

corn, would sprout (Mooney 1891: 392-393). 

The influential power of a person’s saliva was also evident in conjuring involving love 

and romance. Obtaining the spittle of the object of one’s affection was considered a 

necessary ingredient in love charms (Mooney 1891: 392-393). A new husband or wife 

would also fix the affections of their mate on their first night together by rubbing spittle 

on the breast of the other while reciting a formula (Mooney 1891: 381). 

Other ethnomedical conditions associated with saliva were excessive and 

deranged saliva. Caused by dreams of snakes or mud turtles, Cherokee physicians 

treated excessive saliva much as they did spoiled saliva, with an emetic. A decoction of 

the roots of Prunella vulgaris was drunk for four consecutive mornings while abstaining 

from salt (Mooney Ms. 1894). Along with being used for “spoiled saliva”, a species of 

Oxalis was used for a condition known as “disordered saliva” (Banks 1953: 75). The 

informant was clear that the two conditions were not the same, and that the symptoms 

of “disordered saliva” included dryness and a bitter taste in the mouth. 

378

Saliva was also a medium used to administer an herbal remedy. When a ghost 

caused a sharp pain in the chest, the medicine man would chew a ginseng root, Panax 

quinquefolium, and rub the mixture of root and saliva on the chest of the patient 

(Olbrechts Ms. 4600). 

While it is clear from the above discussion that saliva was an important 

diagnostic tool for the Cherokee physicians, it is not clear that it was of paramount 

importance. Olbrechts’ observation that the Cherokee considered the state of the saliva 

to be, “as important as the blood and the gall” (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 15) 

suggests that the hierarchy of value of these bodily fluids was lateral and flexible. The 

remainder of this discussion will also demonstrate that it was context-dependent. The 

variations in the formulas or prayers collected by the Kilpatricks also support this view. It 

may have been that saliva was a primary consideration because it was more accessible 

to the physician than blood or bile and easier to obtain for the perpetrator of an act of 

conjuring. 

Blood 

The status of the state of the blood appears to rival that of saliva in the Cherokee 

ethnomedical system (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 15). While the primacy of saliva 

was determined by its place in the Cherokee love incantations, the following formula 

would suggest that blood was more important than saliva: 

Now! Ha! Quickly I have just come to take away your heart. 

Ha! Quickly I have just come to take away your breath. 

379

Ha! Quickly I have just come to take away your saliva. 

Ha! Quickly I have just come to take away your blood (Kilpatrick and Kilpatrick 

1965: 116). 

Perdue (1998: 29) claims that blood was the “most powerful” of the body’s substances 

and cites the influence of menstruating women as an example of the power of blood. 

Whatever its place in the hierarchy of value, the presence and constitution of a patient’s 

blood told the Cherokee physician much about the patient’s health. 

There were several causes that led to problems with the blood. Contact with or 

eating food prepared by a menstruating woman could cause bloody emanations from 

the body’s orifices. A wound could “catch cold”, causing gangrene, and the resulting 

impure blood was thought to eat the flesh. Paralysis on one side of the body (possibly 

due to a stroke) was thought to be due to be caused by the blood being stopped 

(Olbrechts Ms. 4600). It was also necessary to respect the blood of other creatures. 

Desecrating blood, such as by urinating on the spot where blood has been spilled while 

butchering an animal, can cause a disease similar to the rheumatism sent by Little Deer 

to hunters who have not honored the corpse of a slain deer (Mooney 1900: 251). Eating 

too much salt might cause the expulsion of blood and the consumption of salt was 

usually tabooed for a patient suffering from conditions that involved bleeding, such as 

menstruation, wounds, or when a patient spits blood (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 65). 

One of the most salient aspects involving blood in the Cherokee ethnomedical 

system was menstruation. Menstruating women would isolate themselves from contact 

and interaction with the rest of the community during their periods. They would retreat to 

380

small, isolated huts and have food left for them by non-menstruating women (Perdue 

1998: 29). The menstruating woman was thought to exercise a “nefarious” influence on 

those around them, causing disease in people, interfering with the growth of crops, and 

disrupting the catch in fish traps by wading in the rivers. Even the woman’s husband 

was believed to be dangerous at this time (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 34-35). 

Pregnancy was associated with similar taboos, but the primary condition of the blood 

associated with childbirth was ‘she is sick with remainder’ (ut‛igadö u‛tsöya), which was 

due to stagnant blood which remained after the birth of a child (Olbrechts Ms. 4600). 

Cherokee physicians applied techniques that directly involved interaction with 

blood, mainly the processes of cupping and scratching. During the cupping procedure, 

the medicine man scarifies the patient over the afflicted area and places the cupping 

implement over the freely flowing blood to remove an offending object. This usually 

consists of an object such as a pebble or small stick, often sent by an enemy and 

considered to be the source of the discomfort (Mooney 1891: 334). The cupping 

implement was originally a cut off buffalo horn with a buzzard’s gizzard stretched over 

the narrow end. The medicine man would produce a vacuum by sucking on the base of 

the implement (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 73). 

Scratching involved making abrasions on the skin using a special scratching 

implement. These implements were made of bone, briars, flint, or snake’s teeth. 

Mooney observed that the scratching often drew blood (1891: 334) but Olbrechts found 

that the procedure had changed and the scratches were rarely deep enough to draw 

blood (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 69). Herbal preparations were then applied to the 

scratched areas, allowing for direct contact with the bloodstream. This procedure was 

381

used for applying medicine to the ballplayers in preparation for matches and for painful 

conditions such as rheumatism (Mooney 1891: 335). Harsh or toxic medicines that 

could not be taken internally were often applied topically after scratching (Mooney and 


Certain plants were thought to affect the quality of the blood. A tea of the root of 

yellow dock (Rumex crispus) was given to pregnant women to facilitate labor and it was 

given in late pregnancy to prevent the loss of blood during childbirth. It was thought to 

purify the blood, especially in the spring when sores were slow to heal. Banks found that 

a tea of the roots of Aralia nudicaulis was considered a good blood tonic (1953: 91). 

Certain edible plants were also considered to have a beneficial effect on the blood. The 

young shoots of Phytolacca americana were eaten in the spring to cleanse and build the 

blood (Banks 1953: 43). 

Plants whose flowers were a deep red color were often associated with 

conditions that involved blood. Bee balm (Monarda didyma) and cardinal flower (Lobelia 

cardinalis), both plants with blood-red flowers, were used when blood was present in the 

urine and for nosebleeds (Ms. 4600). The flowers of Lysimachia quadrifolia have a red 

center, hence the Cherokee name gigatsúya-hĭ or ‘it has blood in it’. It was also used for 

blood in the urine. 

Most of the remaining medicinal plants used to treat conditions involving blood 

were tree species. Sassafras albidum was a favorite table beverage of the Cherokee, 

but it was also considered a good blood purifier (Banks 1953: 53). A decoction of the 

bark of Platanus occidentalis or ash Fraxinus americana was drunk for spitting of blood. 

Prunus pensylvanica, Magnolia acuminata and Diospyros virginiana were all part of 

382

formulas for bloody flux. Amelanchier arborea and P. pensylvanica were both used to 

treat blood in the urine. 

Bile 

While bile was considered one of the primary body fluids of the Cherokee, 

discussion of it was limited to one ethnomedical condition, dalâni (‘yellow’). Dalâni takes 

its name from the yellow bile that was observed to be present in the vomit of the patient. 

Mooney referred to the condition as “old biliousness” and ascribed it to the irregular 

eating habits of the Cherokee (1891: 365). While Mooney interpreted the Cherokee 

explanation for dalâni as due to the revenge of the terrapin and the turtle, Olbrechts 

expands the explanation to include the spirits of vengeful animal spirits. These confound 

the bile and caused excess to collect in the veins under the navel (Mooney and 

Olbrechts 1932: 182). In his notes, Olbrechts describes the most common symptoms of 

dalâni, which include a sallowness of the face, black rings around the eyes, dark urine, 

and a frothy discharge from the bowels (Ms. 4600). In The Swimmer Manuscript (1932: 

182) he added vomiting of bile and soreness around the navel to these symptoms. 

Olbrechts recorded several varieties of dalâni, most of them identified by an 

association with the color terms yellow, red, blue, purple, and black. He attributed the 

variation in color to color symbolism instead of from the recognition of differing 

symptoms. However, black dalâni is considered the most virulent manifestation of the 

condition and was highlighted in The Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees (1891: 365). In 

this form, the symptoms were described in the following manner, “the navel and 

abdomen of the patient swell, the ends of his fingers become black, dark circles appear 

383

about his eyes, and the throat contracts spasmodically and causes him to fall down 

suddenly insensible.” 

If contemporary studies are considered, it is not surprising that this condition 

would be prevalent among the Cherokee. Biliary diseases occur at a much higher rate 

among North American Native Americans than in white populations, with the frequency 

among Pima women over age 25 reaching as high as 75 percent (Sievers and Fisher 

1981). The factors cited as the most likely explanation for this are a combination of 

genetic predisposition for biliary disease and the adoption of westernized diets (Weiss 

et al. 1984, Shaheb 1990, Heaton 1984). Diets high in fat and refined carbohydrates 

coupled with a decrease in physical activity exacerbate the inherent propensity for the 

condition. 

The primary therapy for dalâni consisted of the medicine man warming his hands 

by the fire and massaging the navel area of the patient. This was repeated four times 

between sunrise and noon (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 182). Mooney claimed that 

herbs used to treat dalâni often had a distinctly yellow plant part, such as the flower or 

the root (Mooney 1891: 323). But of the remedies recorded by him and later 

researchers, none had yellow flowers and only Xanthorhiza simplicissima had a 

distinctly yellow root. Olbrechts explained that the woody species used in the treatment 

of dalâni, such as Clethra acuminata and Alnus serrulata, all had a “peculiar yellowish 

color” of their inner bark (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 218), but I have yet to verify this. 

The primary herbal therapy consisted of the medicine man giving the patient a large 

quantity of a decoction and taking him or her to the river to expel the offending bile 

through emesis (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 218). The disease was not only removed 

384

from the patient, but was translocated downstream to “other” people (Mooney and 


Urine 

On the surface, urine does not appear to have been as important as blood, bile, 

or saliva as a diagnostic tool for determining the health of the Cherokee patient. There 

is no mention of it being one of the important bodily fluids. The primary discussions of 

urine concern broken taboos involving the act of urination. For instance, showing 

disrespect to the spirit of fire by urinating on it or its ashes would cause itchy genitals 

and accompanying sores. Urinating on anthills, on trails around the house, in the river, 

or on a spot where an animal has been killed will also lead to itching (Mooney and 

Olbrechts 1932: 174). Urinating in the river insults the spirit of the river and, along with 

itching, it can cause incontinence (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 23). These taboos tend 

to cast Cherokee attitudes toward urine in a disparaging light and suggest that urination 

was considered a means of desecration. 

Conditions involving urine in the Cherokee ethnomedical system tended to be of 

two varieties; those that described the observable state of the urine such as bloody 

urine, yellow urine, or milky urine and those that involved the act of urination such as 

stopped urination, profuse urination, or painful urination. The physical state of the urine 

is one of the most important diagnostic aspects of many of the world’s ethnomedical 

systems, but little has been written about its role in the Cherokee system. 

Uroscopy, the analysis of urine using the senses of sight, smell, and occasionally 

taste, has a long history of application in ethnomedical systems. In the roots of the 

385

western medical system, uroscopy came to prominence in the Byzantine Empire and 

remained the primary means of medical diagnosis until the refinement of the 

microscope and the development of chemistry in the mid-nineteenth century 

(Voswinckel 2000). In the Middle Ages, European physicians carried color charts of up 

to twenty colors that were prepared to match urine color to health conditions (White 

1991). The condition of the urine is observed to analyze the state of balance of vata, 

pitta, and kapha, the three humors in the Ayurvedic system of India (Lad 1984: 43). 

Color of urine and frequency of urination are diagnostic tools of Traditional Chinese 

medicine (Yanchi 1988: 209) and in the Tibetan system the condition of the urine is 

considered a reflection of all disease conditions in the body (Donden 1986: 130). 

Conditions that involved an observable quality of the urine were not clearly 

explained by the Cherokee researchers. Even in his notes, Olbrechts gives little 

information about the condition he recorded as gigö yandik‛öça (‘urinating blood’). In his 

description of the condition unödi tsandik‛uça (‘they urinate all milk’), he mentioned the 

presence of pain in the pelvis and back associated with dark red urine. While this 

description appears to be related to kidney stones, it does not appear to be the same 

condition as gigö yandik‛öça. Monarda didyma, Lobelia cardinalis, and Lysimachia 

quadrifolia, all plants with a substantial red coloration in their flowers, were used to treat 

blood in the urine. Lindera benzoin and two species of Ilex, species that have bright red 

berries, were also used for bloody urine. However, 10 other plants without any red 

coloration were also used, indicating that color symbolism was not a requirement for 

remedy selection. 

386

Yellow urine, known as dalânige tsandik‛öça, started as excessive urine, but the 

flow would decrease and get more and more yellow. If the flow stopped completely, it 

was believed that the patient would die. In the description of the condition göwanigistöi 

(‘when they are eaten by them’), an association was made between yellow urine with 

back pain, but not enough information was available to determine if this was due to 

kidney stones. 

Olbrechts described milky urine, or unegö tsandiköça (‘if they water out white’), 

as an infection of kidneys. But whitish urine, or chyluria, is also associated with 

tuberculosis and diabetes (Sherman et al. 1987), two conditions that are currently 

problems among Native Americans (Farrell et al. 1993, Rhoades 1990). Both will be 

discussed below. Two species of plants with milky latex, Chamaesyce maculata and 

Euphorbia corollata, were used in a formula to treat milky urine. Olbrechts tried to 

symbolically associate these plants with milky discharges (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 

180), but the majority of the other plants used to treat this condition did not exude milky 

latex. 

Conditions that involved the act of urination tended to be of a mechanical nature 

and remedies were chosen to bring the system back into balance. For instance, the 

straight twigs of Oxydendron arboreum were included in formulas for stopped urination 

because it was thought that they would straighten out twisted urinary passages that 

caused the blockage (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 222). Difficult urination is a 

symptom of benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), an enlargement of the prostate gland 

(Thomas 1997: 212). While no information is available concerning the use of sourwood 

for BPH, Catawba women used it for menopausal symptoms (Moerman 1998: 374), 

387

indicating that it may have an effect on the hormonal changes associated with BHP 

(McPartland and Pruitt 2000).. 

The condition associated with painful urination was poorly defined by Olbrechts, 

but treatment relied heavily on woody plant species (Olbrechts Ms. 4600). Witthoft (n.d.: 

134) mentioned that a multi-bark formula that was used by the Cherokee to treat 

gonorrhea, the primary symptom of which is an infection of the urethra that causes 

painful urination. The original condition may have been poorly defined due to modesty 

on the part of Olbrechts and his informants, or it may have been a general infection of 

the urethra. 

Profuse urination, believed to be caused by urinating in the river (see above), 

was treated with a cold infusion of Eryngium yuccifolium, commonly known as 

rattlesnake-master. Profuse urination is a symptom of diabetes, and Will West Long, a 

primary informant for researchers from James Mooney in the late 1880s through John 

Witthoft in the 1940s, stated that a cold infusion of the roots and leaves of rattlesnake 

master was drunk to treat diabetics (Witthoft 1946). A high incidence of diabetes was 

thought to be a recent phenomenon among Native Americans (Weiss et al. 1989, 

Gohdes et al. 1993) and unknown among the Cherokee until after 1940 (Weidman 

1989). But Witthoft, who began his research among the Eastern Cherokee in the mid- 

1940s, found an “exceptionally high incidence” of the disease at that time (n.d.: 147). In 

a letter to Olbrechts dated Feb. 5, 1928, Dr. R. D. Holt, a white physician who had a 

medical practice in the town of Cherokee beginning in 1903, stated that he treated a few 

cases of diabetes while practicing medicine on the reservation (Olbrechts n.d.). It would 

388

appear that diabetes was known among the Cherokee for some time and it should come 

as no surprise that they would have remedies for some of the accompanying symptoms. 

389

Viewing the importance of bodily fluids in Cherokee diagnosis from an 

ethnobotanical perspective, the status of urine appears to take on a more influential 

role. The methodology used here is similar to that used by Trotter (1981) in his 

evaluation of Mexican American home remedies. Trotter assumed that people are most 

likely to recall the remedies that were most frequently used or had been significant in 

treating an illness in their own life or the life of someone close to them. The ailments 

that were most commonly treated with home remedies were also the most culturally 

salient ailments. Trotter gauged the perceptual prominence of diseases by rank ordering 

the most common conditions treated with home remedies. 

I have modified this method slightly to accommodate the ethnohistorical 

perspective in this work (see Table 11.2). I will consider that the cultural salience of 

Cherokee illnesses can be inferred by the number of remedies that have been used, 

either singly or in formulas, to elicit a cure. Those conditions that were particularly 

troublesome for the Cherokee would likely have generated the most interest among 

them for a cure and would be represented by the application of the greatest number of 

remedies from the Cherokee pharmacopoeia. 

Comparing the number of remedies used for the various conditions, it becomes 

evident that the condition of the urine and urinary tract were primary diagnostic tools of 

Cherokee physicians. Of the 14 conditions with 20 or more uses, three are concerned 

with urinary problems. In Table 11.3, I have isolated the conditions concerned with the 

different fluids to ease comparison. I have included only two remedies for menstrual 

problems because these were the only ones that dealt specifically with menstrual 

bleeding. Stroke was also considered here because the Cherokee considered it caused 

390

Table 11.2. Number of Remedies Used for Cherokee Diseases 

Diseases Number of 

Remedies Used 

Chills and Fever 

Diarrhea 

Coughing 

Menstrual Problems 

Yellow Urine 

Cancer, Gangrene, Ulcers 

Milky Urine 

Emetic for Biliousness 

Toothache 

Birth 

Rheumatism 

Painful Urination 

Dysentery 

Sore Throat 

Kidney trouble 

Pain in Stomach 

Disturbing Dreams 

Headache 

Scrofula 

Urinate Blood 

Back Ache 

Nausea 

Stopped Urination 

Spoiled Saliva 

Muscle Cramps 

Snake Bite 

64 

55 

44 

37 

33 

32 

32 

29 

29 

27 

24 

23 

21 

20 

19 

19 

19 

19 

18 

16 

16 

16 

16 

16 

14 

14 

391 

Diseases Number of 

Remedies Used 

Thrush 

Eye Problems 

Intestinal Worms 

Piercing Wound 

Heart Attack 

Itching 

Boils and Blisters 

Pain in Breast 

Vomit Blood 

Children’s Stomachache 

Measles 

Conjuring 

Blisters form Sunburn 

Abdominal Swelling 

Insect Bites 

Hemorrhoids 

Earaches 

Painful Memories 

Profuse Urination 

Broken Bones 

Yellow Mucus 

Diabetes 

Broken Bones 

Painful Memories 

Small Pox 

Nose Bleed 

by the blood stopping. Bloody urine was included in the urine section primarily because 

Olbrechts appeared to consider it a urinary condition, but it might also be considered in 

both the blood and urine categories. I have provided two totals: the first is the sum of all 

the plants used for all the conditions, the second takes into account plants that were 

used for more than one condition included under a bodily fluid category. 

The three fluids that were considered of “capital importance”, blood, bile, and 

saliva, are represented by total remedy use of 31, 29, and 21 remedies, respectively. All 

these totals demonstrate the high degree of cultural salience expected, considering their 

prominence in the Cherokee ethnomedical system. However, the condition of the urine 

14 

13 

13 

11 

11 

11 

10 

10 

8 

8 

8 

8 

7 

7 

6 

6 

6 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

4 

4

Table 11.3. Number of Herbs Used per Bodily Fluid 

Ethnomedical Condition Number of Herbs Used Total Total per Fluid 

Saliva 

Spoiled or Deranged Saliva 

Yellow Mucus 

Bile (dalâni) 

Blood 

Bloody Diarrhea 

Vomit Blood 

Stroke 

Nosebleed 

Blood After Birth 

Menstrual Bleeding 

Urine 

Yellow Urine 

Milky Urine 

Painful Urination 

Bloody Urine 

Stopped Urine 

Profuse Urination 

16 

5 

29 

10 

8 

4 

4 

3 

2 

33 

32 

23 

16 

16 

5 

and urinary tract is represented by a total of 90 remedies, more than the sum of the 

other three combined. The cultural salience of urine and conditions of the urinary tract is 

evidenced by the concern with finding remedies to alleviate related ethnomedical 

conditions. It would appear that the value of urine as a diagnostic tool was overlooked 

by previous Cherokee researchers. 

Other aspects of Table 2 reflect historical and contemporary trends in Native 

American health. Dr. R. D. Holt wrote that, “the most common cases of illness among 

the Eastern Cherokee were colds, influenza, pneumonia, etc. Pulmonary tuberculosis 

was, however, more common among the Indians than the neighboring whites.” The 

number of remedies used for chills and fever (64) and Coughing (44) indicate that Dr. 

392 

21 

29 

31 

125 

21 

29 

31 

90

Holt’s perception of Cherokee illness was congruent with the concerns of the Cherokee 

physicians. The high number of cough remedies may also have been due to the 

prevalence of tuberculosis, which would also explain the high number of remedies for 

scrofula (18). Holt speculated that tuberculosis was such a problem due to “more 

frequent undernourishment and exposure.” Incidence of tuberculosis has remained high 

in the general population of Native Americans, with mortality rates three times that of 

the general population in the mid-1980s (Rhoades 1990). 

The Holt letter also indicated the need for the large number of diarrhea remedies 

(55). He wrote, ”Due to lack of sanitary privies, and other causes, it was the general rule 

for all, or practically all, the children to be infested with the round worm (Ascaris 

lumbricoides).” The same unsanitary conditions that would have led to an infestation of 

intestinal worms would have been conducive to rampant diarrhea. The small number of 

remedies applied to intestinal worms (5) was most likely due to the efficacy of available 

remedies than lack of concern over the condition. Two of the remedies for intestinal 

worms, Spigelia marilandica and Chenopodium ambrosioides, are well known 

anthelmintics and have persisted in both Native American and Euro-American folk 

systems. Chenopodium ambrosioides, especially the oil from the seeds, is known for its 

ability to expel roundworms and hookworms (Chevallier 1996:186), while Spigelia 

marilandica is used to expel roundworms and tapeworms (Chevallier 1996: 270). 

The high number of remedies for rheumatism (24) is not surprising considering 

the prevalence of rheumatic diseases among North American Indian groups, which 

tends to be higher than any other populations (Sievers and Fisher 1981). There is 

strong evidence indicating a genetic etiology for the disease (Peschken and Esdaile 

393

1999), however, archaeological evidence in the southeastern United States suggests 

that the transition to agriculture was accompanied by an increase in degenerative joint 

disease (Larsen 1984). 

The prevalence of rheumatic diseases among the Cherokee is evident through 

their mythology and folk etiology of the diseases. The very name associated with 

rheumatism, didölesgi (‘the crippler’ or ‘when it breaks them’), reflects the Cherokee 

dread of the condition. According to the Cherokee myth of the origin of disease, the 

chief of the deer inflicts rheumatism on man for not asking pardon of the spirit of a deer 

he has killed (Mooney 1900). Other activities that were believed to cause rheumatism 

included incest, sexual excess, and dreaming of the opposite sex (Mooney and 

Olbrechts 1932: 196). When afflicted with the disease, the sufferer must abstain from 

eating any creature that has a humped back, such as bison, rabbit, squirrel, or sunfish 

as well as not petting a cat or dog for fear of aggravating the condition (Mooney and 

Olbrechts 1932: 293). Loss of agility due to rheumatism would have been especially 

devastating to Cherokee male identity, as the limiting of motion would have curtailed 

traditional male activities such as hunting, stickball, and warfare (Hudson et al. 1975). 

The primary treatment for rheumatism, a decoction of the roots of several 

species of ferns, was explained from a symbolic perspective. The unfurling of the young 

fern frond was considered to be symbolic of the straightening out of a rheumatic limb 

(Mooney 1891: 324). However, of the 24 remedies applied to rheumatic conditions, only 

two fern species, Adiantum pedatum and Polystichum acrostichoides, were clearly 

identified as treatments for rheumatism. The remaining remedies were selected from a 

variety of herbaceous and shrubby plants, few of which exhibited this unfurling quality. 

394

One surprising aspect of Table 2 is the relatively few remedies for measles (8) 

and small pox (4). Both diseases were devastating to New World populations after initial 

contact with Europeans (Cook 1998: 72) and recurring epidemics cyclically ravaged the 

Cherokee people. Adair found that one such small pox epidemic in 1738 killed nearly 

half of the Cherokee (Adair 1974: 244). Adair (1974: 245) also reported that the 

epidemic had a demoralizing effect on the Cherokee physicians: 

…all the magi and prophetic tribe broke their old consecrated physic-pots, 

and threw away all the other pretended holy things they had for physical use, 

imagining they had lost their divine power by being polluted… 

Perhaps the impotence experienced by the Cherokee physicians when treating these 

deadly infectious diseases translated into the relatively few remedies for either 

condition. 

A reoccurring theme in this re-evaluation of the Cherokee ethnomedical system 

has been the questioning of symbolism in the selection of plant remedies. The 

statements about the selection of remedies for their color, such as yellow plant parts for 

biliary diseases or red flowered plants for conditions of the blood, or developmental 

properties, such as the unfurling of a fern frond for rheumatism, are specific examples 

that do not follow general trends. I do not mean to belittle the value of symbolic 

importance to the Cherokee, but I merely want to point out that it was not the primary 

factor in selection criteria for treatment of remedies. Mooney’s disparaging statements 

about the efficacy of Cherokee herbal medicines (1890 b) reflected the national trend of 

395

the time away from plant based remedies to those produced by the burgeoning 

pharmaceutical industry. The rising influence of the American Medical Association in the 

late 19 th century in both academic and political circles made the rejection of botanical 

medicines appear both sensible and fashionable (Griggs 1981: 233). Mooney’s 

association with the Smithsonian Institution, a bastion of contemporary intellectual 

thought located in the heart of the American political process, would have exposed him 

to the medical biases of his time. 

As explained in the discussion of the ethnobotanical system, Mooney was keen 

to demonstrate the intricacy and validity of Native American religions. He found the 

Cherokee ethnomedical system a rich blend of medical practice and spiritual beliefs. But 

his representation of remedy selection as primarily based on symbolic criteria is not 

supported by the combined data of all the researchers. As Ankli et al. (1999) found in 

their study of selection criteria among the Yucatec Maya, symbolic attributes appear to 

have been ascribed to a remedy after its efficacy had been established. Symbolic 

attributes can be powerful cultural mnemonic devices, that, when applied to plants, 

assure the transmission of acquired medico-botanical knowledge. 

In this re-evaluation, I have attempted to question some of the assertions of 

previous researchers, highlight material that appeared to have been overlooked, and re- 

examine the voluminous data of all the researchers in light of contemporary studies. My 

intention in doing so was not to cast the conclusions of the previous researchers in a 

disparaging light. In the course of this research, I have gained a great deal of respect for 

Mooney, Olbrechts, and their successors. The Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees and 

The Swimmer Manuscript were and remain some of the finest works on Native 

396

American medicine that have been produced. I have been both astounded by the 

intricate details of their research and frustrated at cursory passages that piqued my 

interest. And, as with any good body of knowledge, it generates more questions than it 

answers, questions that are difficult to answer in an ethnohistorical framework. My goal 

here is to expand perceptions of Cherokee ethnomedical practices beyond the 

interpretations of my predecessors and add another perspective to a complex subject. 

397

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409

Appendix 

Cherokee Ethnomedical Conditions 

Olbrechts collected and cataloged a variety of Cherokee ethnomedical conditions 

and the methods to treat them. Many of these are described and explained in The 

Swimmer Manuscript, but a large portion of them are not included in that work. The 

description of the condition and treatments are included here as a glossary for the 

applications of the individual plants in the proceeding chapters. The entire selection will 

be included here as most were treated, at least in part, with herbal medicines. Each 

includes, when available, the Cherokee name for the condition, its gloss, a description 

of the condition, the cause of the condition, and the treatment regime as recorded by 

Olbrechts. Many have several combinations of plant-based remedies applied as a part 

of the cure. 

While I refer to these combinations of herbal remedies as formulas, it must be 

clarified that they are different from the sacred formulas recorded by Mooney. Mooney’s 

sacred formulas often describe the combinations of herbs in their text, but they are 

predominantly prayers or incantations that were recited while attending to an illness. 

Mooney considered them to be an indication of the presence of a religion among Native 

Americans, refuting the assertions of those who doubted that any true religion was in 

existence (Mooney 11891: 318). Olbrechts expanded the Cherokee medical treatments 

beyond the formulas in his research and recorded a wider range of the non-herbal 

410

treatments used for the various conditions as well as lists of herbs used singly or in 

combination to treat the different ethnomedical conditions. 

a‛alugi sak‛oni – ‘the blue whirlwind’ 

This condition was caused by the spirit of the North Wind. The symptoms 

included a headache and a head cold. It was treated by invocation to the spirit of the 

wolf and the blowing of breath. 

adayuni‛t‛i‛lö – ‘pierced by wood’ 

This is caused by someone being pierced by a stick or a wood splinter. If the 

treatment is immediate, no taboo is necessary. However, if the treatment is the next 

day, the patient must abstain from salt and hot food for the next four days. An infusion 

of the following herbs was placed on the wound as a poultice with warmed grass stalks: 

Nyssa sylvatica, Carya ovata, Quercus rubra, Vitis aestivalis, Tsuga caroliniana, 

Liriodendron tulipifera, and Quercus velutina. 

adansiludoi yune‛istanelö – ‘trailing along, if there is pain in different places’ 

Caused by witches or ghosts, this can manifest as either acute rheumatism or 

nervous collapse. Olbrechts claimed that these types of conditions were the most 

dreaded of the Cherokee diseases (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 33). One mode of 

treating the condition consisted of the medicine man simply warming his hands in a 

ceremonial way and rubbing the patient at the site of their pain. Another consisted of a 

warm infusion of Verbascum thapsus, Lobelia cardinalis, and Alnus serrulata, which the 

411

medicine man places in his mouth and sucks the afflicted area, spitting the liquid into a 

waiting bowl. The offending object sent by the human or disincarnate agent was often 

found in the liquid. The ceremony was repeated up to four times, until the offending 

object materialized (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 216). 

ada‛yeski or atayesgi – ‘eating itself’ 

This refers to cancer, ulcers, or gangrene. There were several causes for this 

condition. Insects of different kinds, such as bees, could cause a sore that would not 

heal. Also, a wound could “catch cold” causing gangrene and impure blood was 

thought to eat the flesh. 

There were several treatments for ada‛yeski. The barks of Diospyros virginiana 

and Acer ruburm were boiled and rubbed on a wound, as well as blown onto the wound. 

No salt or hot food were taken for four days. The bark of Carya tomentosa was chewed 

and the juice blown on the wound. This was considered a universal panacea for all 

wounds. The bark of Platanus occidentalis was boiled down and the decoction rubbed 

on the infected area. The tea was then wiped off and crushed, dried bark was sprinkled 

into the wound. A decoction of violet roots was used to wash the wounds. Olbrechts 

mentions three species: Viola sororia, V. eriocarpa, and V. striata. And the barks of the 

following trees were boiled down and the decoction sprinkled over all the affected parts, 

allowed to dry, and sprinkled again: Nyssa sylvatica, Cornus florida, Malus coronaria, 

Malus pumila, and Viburnum prunifolium. 

412

ada‛yeski k‛öniuniyotagisti – ‘eating itself, itching’ 

No remedy is reported for this type of gangrene with accompanying itching. 

ada‛yeski tsunitłöyi nundiwsköna – no gloss 

This is an obstinate case of ada‛yeski, also known as uwet‛i. While Olbrechts 

gave no explanation for the names, uwet‛i is also the Cherokee name for Eryngium 

yuccifolium and glosses as ‘root grows straight down’. This may refer to an infection that 

is perceived to have its roots deep in the body. It is treated with the roots of Aralia 

spinosa, the young sprouts from the tops of Sassafras albidum, and Pinus pungens are 

boiled down with some pine sap and unsalted lard. This decoction is applied to the 

affected areas and the dust of Bovista pila is sprinkled on the wound. No whiskey is 

allowed for a year. 

adzilö – ‘clap, gonorrhea’ 

Olbrechts gave no specific explanation of this condition and provided no special 

instructions for a cure. There are some remedies mentioned in the individual herb 

categories. 

akgitłige u‛tsöya – ‘very sharp’ 

This malady manifests as a condition where the patient experiences sharp pains 

across the whole back side of the neck. The remedy is a formula or prayer that was not 

available to Olbrechts. It may be the next condition described. 

413

agitłigu unitłöyö – ‘very sharp’ 

This condition was referred to in The Swimmer Manuscript (Mooney and 

Olbrechts 1932: 171-173), but the explanation is lacking. In his notes, Olbrechts claims 

that this condition is due to a sharp object sent by a witch, causing the victim to 

experience severe pains. However, he refers to one of the formulas in Mooney’s 

Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees (1891: 366-369) as depicting the same disease. 

Mooney refers to this an “ordeal disease”, or one sent by another person to test the 

skills of a conjurer. It can also be sent by an enemy and manifests as an excessive 

appetite or a weed stalk that transforms into a worm in the patient’s stomach. Whatever 

the source, the treatment consists of the medicine man sucking out the offending object 

while holding the blossoms of Nicotiana rustica, Cicuta maculata, and Lobelia inflata in 

his mouth. He then spits the offending matter out of his mouth and often extracts a small 

object such as a stick, pebble, or insect. 

agötageni uwe‛istaneça – ‘he has pains in his forehead’ 

This condition describes a migraine-like headache, possibly caused by the spirit 

of the Sun (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 21). The remedy for this condition consists of 

a decoction of the roots and leaves of an unidentified fern known only as the ‘fern with a 

red stalk’, which is blown on the crown of the head of the patient. 

akt‛oli yutłöya – ‘when their eyes hurt’ 

This is explained as an eye disease caused by seeing a rattlesnake. It is 

mentioned in The Swimmer Manuscript under a different name (1932: 185), but 

414

Olbrechts references them in his notes as the same condition. Two remedies are 

offered for this condition. The first consists of the medicine man chewing the bark of 

Alnus serrulata and blowing the juice into the patient’s eyes. The second is a decoction 

of Potentilla canadensis and Erichtites hieracifolium mixed with some unidentified herbs. 

The administration of this remedy was not included. 

amayi didatsöstoh – ‘to take people to the water’ 

While not an illness, the ceremony of going to the water was an integral part of 

Cherokee life. The ceremony had ethnomedical applications and was used to obtain 

long life, to forget the deceased, to win the heart of another, and in conjunction with a 

number of therapeutic treatments. The treatment included the application of a type of 

graminoid, or kaneska, and stump water, but there is no explanation of how this was 

applied. 

amayi didatsoststi undaniyatö – same as above, except it applies to one who is grieving 

the loss of a family member. 

Excessive grief was believed to cause serious illness. No other remedy was 

included with this condition. 

amayi didatsoststi dinineldö – ‘to take pregnant women to the water’ 

Pregnant women were taken to the water on the new moon a few months prior to 

her delivery, the exact time being a subject of debate (Mooney and Olbrechts 

1932:118). The medicine man dips some water in his hand and pours it on the head and 

415

over the heart (or seat of the soul) of the expectant mother. Prior to the ceremony, the 

woman drinks a decoction of the bark of Ulmus rubra, the stems of Impatiens capensis, 

the roots of Veronica officinalis, and the cones of Pinus pugens, which she eliminates 

through vomiting before the ceremony. This is believed to cleanse the woman and throw 

off any spoiled saliva (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 119-120). 

amayiutsistano utsya – ‘he is sick by the water’ 

The patient feels a need to urinate whenever they see water. 

The disease is caused by the spirit of the river in response to the patient urinating in the 

river. It is treated with a cold infusion of the pounded roots of Eryngium yuccifolium, 

taken at regular intervals. 

anatłoyçi ustiga – ‘if the children cry constantly’ 

This is the stomach or bowel complaints, caused by the “Little People” that live in 

the mountains that tend to afflict young children. This is treated with an infusion of 

Nicotiana rustica, which is blown over the child for four consecutive nights. All feathers 

are removed from the house and the child is kept indoors to avoid the passing shadow 

of a bird. Birds have watery feces, and any contact was thought to exacerbate the 

condition. This is treated with a decoction of Epigaea repens (Mooney and Olbrechts 

1932: 193). 

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andkt‛egö – ‘they are under restriction’ 

This condition usually refers to the restrictions placed on a woman during her 

menstruation, but can also refer to the restrictions placed on any person who was ill. 

This was elaborated on in The Swimmer Manuscript (1932: 246) to include a woman 

who dreams of birthing a litter of puppies, a bear, or some other animal while 

menstruating. The patient would drink a decoction of the roots of Platanus occidentalis, 

Hydrangea arborescens, Alnus serrulata, and the root of a new plant of Rubus ideaus 

that is has sprouted form the tip of the of an older plant. Rubus occidentalis can also be 

added to the decoction. The roots of the first three are selected from those individuals 

that have roots growing into water and must be from the east side of the tree. This is 

drunk several times a day for four days while abstaining from salt and hot food. 

Two other remedies were included in Olbrechts’ notes. The combined barks of 

Xanthrorhiza simplicissima and Calycanthus floridus were steeped in an infusion and 

drunk all day at regular intervals. Also, the roots of Scutellaria laterifolia and Polymnia 

uvedalia were prepared and administered in the same manner. 

andlköça yunalstuneça – ‘if their urine is stopped’ 

Stopped urine was thought to be caused by the twisting or clogging of the urinary 

tract. Oxydendrum arboreum was used to remedy this malady because the twigs grew 

straight, so straight that they were often chosen to make arrows (Mooney and Olbrechts 

1932: 222). This remedy was an example of the Doctrine of Signatures, the straightness 

of the twig representing the straightening of the urinary passage. Seven twigs were 

417

combined with Euonymus americanus and made into an infusion. No salt or hot food 

were consumed for four days. 

Another treatment consisted of the imbibing of as large a quantity as possible of 

a hot infusion made of Vitis lambrusca, V. aestivalis, and Aristolochia macrophyllum. 

The first two should have their roots growing in water. Again, no salt or hot food were 

consumed for four days. 

aninedzi ada‛nöwoti tuksinigöwayö nategsöi – no gloss in the notes, but in The 

Swimmer Manuscript (1932: 251) he glosses it as ‘their breast, to cure anyone with, 

terrapin does it to them, as they go about’ 

This is a piercing pain in the breast or pelvis region that is caused by dreaming of 

terrapins. The most painful area is rubbed and a strong decoction of Epigaea repens, 

Asarum canadense, and Hepatica acutiloba is boiled down four tomes on four 

consecutive days. The patient drinks enough to induce vomiting and fasts until the next 

treatment. 

aninedzi digöwalosöçi yune‛istaneça – ‘to cure anyone with a piercing pain in their 

breast’ 

This is a sharp pain in the chest caused by a ghost. The treatment consisted of 

the recitation of a prayer while rubbing the saliva from the chewed root of Panax 

quinquefolium over the heart area. A similar treatment from The Swimmer Manuscript 

(1932: 202) consists of an infusion of Aristolochia serpentaria into which a few 

scrapings of P. quinquefolium and seven live coals have been added, which is drunk 

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after the medicine man recites a prayer and blows on the breast of the patient four 

times. Each treatment is repeated four times, the whole ceremony is repeated four 

times before noon, and, if necessary, it is continued for four consecutive days. 

aninedzi dik‛anöwoti – ‘to cure their breast with’ 

This is a respiratory condition synonymous with ganedzi u‛tsöya (see below). It 

was treated by massaging the patient with warmed hands, exerting slight pressure in a 

counterclockwise direction. After each rubbing, a pass was made in the four directions 

to “scatter the disease.” The breath was blown on the patient, once after the first pass, 

twice after the second pass, until the ceremony was complete. Olbrechts’ notes simply 

say “etc.” after the second pass, but I will assume that there were four passes as this is 

common in many other ceremonies. A decoction of four tops of Pinus pungens was also 

prepared, possibly with other plants, but the directions for use were not included. 

aninedzi gotiski – ‘their breast swells’ 

While Olbrechts states that this condition is also known as black dalâni (see 

below), the treatments he gives in his notes are different than those he reported for 

black dalâni in The Swimmer Manuscript (1932: 224). The symptoms consisted of the 

swelling of the abdomen and navel area due to a biliary complaint. The turtle and the 

terrapin were believed to be the cause of the problem, such as when one forgot to wash 

their hands after handling the terrapin rattles. 

Olbrechts recorded three treatments for this condition. An infusion of Aristolochia 

serpentaria, warmed by the addition of seven live coals, was blown on the patient’s 

419

head, neck, and back (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 224). A warm infusion of the bark 

of Prunus serotina was rubbed on the patient by the medicine man while he recited the 

proper prayer. A warm infusion of Collinsonia canadensis, Hepatica acutiloba, Asarum 

canadense, and Asplenium rhizophyllum was given to the patient as an emetic for four 

consecutive mornings (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 209) and the remainder was 

rubbed on by the medicine man as with the previous treatment. 

aninöskeni yuwot‛isö uyotαgisti – ‘if their leg swells and itches’ 

This was caused by insects seeking revenge for human transgressions. The 

remedy consisted of making a salve by burning an old shoe to a powder and mixing it 

with bear’s grease. 

aniskina göwani‛tsö istöi – ‘when they have been made sick by dead persons’ 

Dreams of a deceased person was considered to cause diseases similar to those 

caused by ghosts (see below). Some medicine men reported that it was the dream itself 

that caused the disease, others claimed that it was just a symptom of the ghostly 

affliction. Three remedies were offered for this condition. A decoction of the roots of 

Lobelia cardinalis and L. siphilitica was blown over the patient by the medicine man, 

then the leaves and flowers were chopped and also applied externally. Massage was 

also used. The medicine man could also massage the patient after warming his hands 

by the fire. The other treatment consisted of a mixture of 24 plants, 24 being the 

maximum ceremonial number, but no one could name all 24 plants. The large number 

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of plants was attributed to the fact that this was such a difficult disease to diagnose and 

the right remedy might be included in the mixture. 

aniskina uniyaktanöçi – ‘ghosts have changed (the condition of the patient)’ 

Human ghosts were thought to be able to change or aggravate the condition of a 

patient, rattling the medicine man who is treating the condition. Olbrechts reported four 

remedies for this condition. Lobelia cardinalis, L. spicata, Vitis aestivalis, and 

Sisyrinchium angustifolium were combined with another unidentified herb, but the mode 

of application was not included. The seat of the pain could be sucked with a sucking 

horn. Panax quinquefolium was chewed and forcefully blown on the patient by the 

medicine man. And the medicine man could also massage the patient after warming his 

hands by the fire. 

aniskoli ada‛nöwoti – ‘to cure headache’ 

This is the ordinary headache. No cause was included. The medicine man would 

warm his hands and place them on the temples or where the pain was worse and blows 

his breath on the same area. Ordinary chewing tobacco (Nicotiana tobacum) or Panax 

quinquefolium were chewed and the juice blown on the patient’s forehead, temples, 

neck, and crown of the head (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 171, 289). 

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aniskoli didzstistoti – ‘to blow on their heads’ 

The symptoms include headache, chills, and cold sweat. To treat it, an infusion of 

the leaves of Castanea pumila was heated with seven coals and blown on the patient’s 

head and shoulders. 

aniskoli une‛istaneça – ‘they have a headache’ 

This was another form of the common headache, the symptoms being the same 

as the previous condition. The treatment consisted of an unidentified type of purplish 

colored water cress that grows on stagnant water, which was regularly poulticed on the 

head. Also, the medicine man would blow his breath on the crown of the patient’s head. 

aniskuya göwanu‛sö stiça – ‘women’s disease, given them by their men’ 

While referring to syphilis in female patients, the disease also refers to male 

infections. No remedies were included in this section of Olbrechts' notes. 

aniyötseni ada‛nöwoti – ‘to cure their throat’ 

This could be diphtheria or an acute case of laryngitis. The Cherokee understood 

this to be caused by insect ghosts taking up residence in the throat area. The medicine 

man would mash the leaves of Verbascum thapsus and hold them as a poultice on the 

throat area. He would blow his breath on the throat. The treatment was repeated four 

times. This appears to be the same condition described in formula 62 of The Swimmer 

Manuscript (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 261), in which a warm decoction of 

Gnaphalium obtusifolium is blown into the patient’s throat through a tube of Eupatorium 

422

purpureum. The patient then avoids apples and peaches, whose watery nature 

resembles the blisters in the throat, and bean bread dumplings, whose shape resemble 

the swelling in the throat. 

anskitsö’ö sköi – ‘whenever they dream (of…)’ 

This is digestive trouble accompanied by nightmares. There was no remedy 

included with this condition. 

an‛t‛asgiski tskoya – ‘insects are breaking out’ 

Insects were thought to cause boils, blister, and related skin eruptions. Ambrosia 

artemisifolia was steeped and sprinkled on the sores and the medicine man would blow 

his breath on the affected parts. 

a‛setsunda‛k‛anelö tsc‛koya – ‘when they (plotters) give insects to each other on 

purpose’ 

Witches and mankillers make insects out of their saliva and send out the disease 

spirits to inflict their competitors. This condition is addressed with a prayer or spoken 

formula. 

askoli uwe‛istaneça – ‘he has a headache’ 

See aniskoli conditions above. 

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askwageni utsöya – ‘when his side hurts’ 

The side hurts due to insects sent by a hostile conjurer. The painful area was 

massaged after warming the hands and the breath was blown on the area. This was 

repeated four times. 

at‛awini e‛i – ‘the forest dwellers’ (Olbrechts names dawineçi as a synonym, but 

provides no gloss.) 

This condition is due to mishandling or disrespect of the bodies of game animals. 

Activities such as inhaling while disemboweling an animal or urinating on the spot where 

blood has been spilled can cause the disease, which may be similar to the rheumatism 

sent by Little Deer to hunters who have not honored the corpse of a slain deer (Mooney 

1900: 251). According to the formula that Mooney recorded, the patient drinks a 

decoction of Ulmus rubra, Platanus occidentalis, Alnus serrulata, Quercus rubra, Q. 

alba, and a species of Aureolaria. However, Olbrechts expanded on this remedy in The 

Swimmer Manuscript (1932: 244). In this version, the symptoms are clarified to include 

a “frothy discharge from the bowels, accompanied by gripping pains in the abdominal 

region.” The decoction was drunk for four days while avoiding hot foods, salt, and the 

grease from animals. The expanded formula still included U. rubra, P. occidentalis, Q. 

rubra and Q. alba, but he replaces Alnus serrulata with Tilia americana and adds two 

species of Aureolaria, A. virginiana and another that grows “in the pine woods.” This 

could be A. flava, which favors pine savannahs and mixed woods (Radford et al. 1968: 

958). 

424

awini uniyst‛osgö – ‘they are burning inside’ 

This was a stomach disorder of very young children where they tended to be 

constantly thirsty and drool excessively. The child was treated with an infusion of 

Euonymus americanus and an unidentified plant, then scratched with Leucothoe 

axillaris. 

ayeligogi uniyelö‛nöçi – ‘they have made it like it’ 

Mankillers and plotters (wizards) send diseases and confuse the symptoms so 

that they baffle the healer. This class of diseases is discussed in The Swimmer 

Manuscript (1932: 33) and is often due to the feuding of rival conjurers or can be sent 

as a joke by friends and relatives as a means to test the skill of the healer. Several 

approaches are used to treat this condition. Seven pine tops were made into a 

decoction and given four times in succession. The formula from The Swimmer 

Manuscript (1932: 187) stipulates that the pine tops should be harvested from different 

trees and after the administration, the medicine man carefully hides them in a dry spot. 

The decoction was passed four times over the head of the patient before being drunk. 

Another approach was to warm the hands and massage the patient while reciting a 

formula or prayer. Sucking the site of the malady, without a sucking horn, was done with 

the leaves of Lobelia spp. in the mouth of the medicine man. A different decoction 

consisting of Nicotiana rustica, Lobelia cardinalis, L. spicata, Sisyrinchium 

angustifolium, and one other unidentified plant was also a remedy for this condition. 

This formula is much the same as that for aniskina uniyaktanöçi described above. The 

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missing remedies may complement each other. And finally, Panax quinquefolium was 

chewed and the saliva blown over the patient. 

a‛yelsti tsundat‛istanöçi – ‘pierced by a knife’ 

The treatment is the same as that for piercing with wood splinters (see 

adayuni‛t‛i‛lö above). 

ayotłi ude‛nöçi yunitłöistiça – ‘they are made ill by the having borne a child’ 

no remedies. 

Olbrechts described this condition as complications from childbirth, but provided 

dagöna – this appears to have two meanings, fresh water mussels and a variety of face 

pimples. No remedies were provided. 

dalâni – ‘yellow’ 

Dalâni takes its name from the yellow bile that was observed to be present in the 

vomit of the patient. Mooney referred to the condition as “old biliousness” and ascribed 

it to the irregular eating habits of the Cherokee (1891: 365). While Mooney interpreted 

the Cherokee explanation for dalâni as due to the revenge of the terrapin and the turtle, 

Olbrechts expands the explanation to include the spirits of vengeful animal spirits. 

These confound the bile and cause excess bile to collect in the veins under the navel 

(Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 182). In his notes, Olbrechts describes the most common 

symptoms of dalâni, which include a sallowness of the face, black rings around the 

426

eyes, dark urine, and a frothy discharge from the bowels. In The Swimmer Manuscript 

(1932: 182) he adds vomiting of bile and soreness around the navel to these symptoms. 

If contemporary studies are considered, it is not surprising that this condition would 

be prevalent among the Cherokee. Biliary diseases occur at a much higher rate among 

North American Native Americans than in white populations, with the frequency among 

Pima women over age 25 reaching as high as 75 percent (Sievers and Fisher 1981). 

The factors cited as the most likely explanation for this are a combination of genetic 

predisposition for biliary disease and the adoption of westernized diets (Weiss et al. 

1984, Shaheb 1990, Heaton 1984). Diets high in fat and refined carbohydrates coupled 

with a decrease in physical activity exacerbate the inherent propensity for the condition. 

Olbrechts provided several varieties of dalâni, most of them identified by an 

association to a color term. As he attributed the variation in color to color symbolism 

instead of from the recognition of differing symptoms, those six varieties will be included 

under this heading. They include dalâni dalânige (‘yellow dalâni’), dalâni gigage (‘red 

dalâni’), dalâni sa‛k‛onige (‘blue dalâni’), dalâni de‛aluge (purple dalâni), and dalâni 

ga‛nage (black dalâni). However, black dalâni is considered the most virulent 

manifestation of the condition and was highlighted in The Sacred Formulas of the 

Cherokees. In this form, the symptoms were described in the following manner, “the 

navel and abdomen of the patient swell, the ends of his fingers become black, dark 

circles appear about his eyes, and the throat contracts spasmodically and causes him to 

fall down suddenly insensible (1891: 365).” 

The primary therapy for dalâni consisted of the medicine man warming his hands 

by the fire and massaging the navel area of the patient. This was repeated four times 

427

etween sunrise and noon. Several plants were also used for dalâni, but will be 

included with the various other forms of the condition below and in the individual plant 

monographs. 

dalâni dikstoti – ‘to make patient vomit bile’ 

This variety of dalâni was typified by a painful, swollen abdominal area and a loss 

of appetite accompanied by vomiting. It was believed that the sooner the patient would 

vomit out the offending bile, the sooner the condition would subside. A warm decoction 

of the inner barks of Nyssa sylvatica, Clethra acuminata, Alnus serrulata, and Corylus 

americana was used as an emetic. Olbrechts noted that all four of the inner barks of 

these species have a yellowish coloration, which he determined to be symbolically 

associated with dalâni (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 218). 

dalâni ga‛öski – ‘dalâni squatting down’ 

Pain in the pit of the stomach caused the patient to double over. The bark of 

Quercus stellata was boiled down and drunk all day, four cups at a time. 

dalâni got‛iski – ‘swelling dalâni’ 

This may be a synonym for black dalâni, describing the tendency towards 

distention of the stomach. 

dalâni unit‛elα‛öska – ‘shaking dalâni’ 

This describes twitching tissue, especially around the navel. 

428

dalâni unitłöyö udiyötali – ‘their navel is ill with dalâni’ 

The seat of pain is directly around the navel. 

dalâni tsanötłiyöskiliça – ‘when they have yellow slime coming out of their nostrils’ 

Dreams about the sun or moon causes yellow mucus to discharge from the nose. 

This is not a form of the condition dalâni, but one in which the yellow color is a 

diagnostic feature. It was treated by drinking a decoction of Xanthorhiza simplicissima. 

dalânige tsandik‛öça – ‘yellow urine’ 

The best discussion for this condition comes from The Swimmer Manuscript 

(1932: 253). The symptoms started as excessive urine that gradually decreased and 

became more yellow. If urine flow stopped completely, it was thought the patient would 

die. The primary treatment consisted of a decoction of the barks of Vitis aestivalis, 

Calycanthus florida, Rubus allegheniensis, Euonymus americanus, Vitis lambrusca, and 

Ampelopsis cordata combined with the roots of Lysimachia quadrifolia. Taboos included 

salt, hot foods, and sexual intercourse, but only if all seven ingredients were present. No 

taboo was observed if less than seven were used. Other formulas incorporated a broad 

spectrum of the Cherokee pharmacopoeia. A decoction of the roots of an Ilex species, 

Quercus stellata, Q. alba, Q. rubra, and Q. velutina, all harvested from the east side of 

the tree, was drunk all day. No salt or hot food was taken for four days. A decoction of 

the roots of Aesculus octandra, Collinsonia canadensis, Melanthium hybridum, 

Asplenium rhyzophyllum, an unidentified plant known as the ‘large squirrel’s tongue’, 

Eupatorium coelestinum, E. purpureum, Smilax glauca, and Acorus calamus was drunk. 

429

A simpler formula included Smilax glauca, Rubus occidentalis, R. allegheniensis, and 

Platanus occidentalis. Euonymus americanus was combined Vitis aestivalis for the 

same condition, as was a combination of Platanus occidentalis, Quercus alba, and a 

type of tsoliyusti (see chapter on herbaceous plants). 

danak‛ewsköi – ‘when they have sore eyes’ 

This condition could be caught by looking at someone who was already afflicted 

by it. The treatment consisted of the scraped bark from the stem of Xanthorhiza 

simplicissima, which was put in water and then placed on a cloth. The cloth was then 

placed over the eyes of the patient when they went to bed and they were cured by the 

next day. 

danast‛ayesköi – ‘when they cramp’ or daystayeska – ‘cramps in the arms or legs’ 

observed. 

This is a condition caused by dreaming of deer or rabbits. No remedy was 

daninsugi – ‘sore eyes’ or ‘when they have them drooping’ 

Olbrechts gave several spoken formulas for this affliction of the eyes (Mooney 

and Olbrechts 1932: 184, 185, 219), which consisted of sensitivity to light from the sun 

or a fire due to seeing a rattlesnake. The medicine man would blow an infusion or the 

juice from the chewed bark of Alnus serrulata into the eyes of the patient. 

430

dawzni e‛i unitłöyö – no gloss 

Olbrechts did not mention this condition in his glossary of Cherokee 

ethnomedical conditions, but it was included in his botanical notes. Unfortunately, there 

is no information on the gloss for the name or any indication of the nature of the 

condition, but he did record a botanical formula. A combination of Ulmus rubra, Platanus 

occidentalis, Alnus serrulata, Quercus rubra, Q. alba, and Aureolaria pedicularia was 

used for this condition, but no directions for their application was included. 

dida‛nikwutisgi – ‘rheumatism in the kneecaps’ 

The Cherokee related rheumatism in the knees to a problem with the kidneys. 

Treatment consisted of cooking and pounding Actaea pachypoda, combining it with 

rattlesnake oil, putting it in a cloth, and wrapping it around the knees. 

didölesgi – ‘the crippler’ or ‘when it breaks them’ 

Both Mooney (1891: 345-351) and Olbrechts (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 196, 

292) reported on didölesgi, Mooney glossing it as ‘the crippler’, Olbrechts as ‘when it 

breaks them’. The condition under consideration here is rheumatism. The cause of the 

condition was attributed to the spirits of slain animals seeking revenge for their demise 

or to the measuring worm, wahĭlĭ΄, because of the resemblance of the contracted limb to 

the motion of the caterpillar. Wahĭlĭ is also used a synonym for didölesgi (Mooney 

1900: 347). Olbrechts also notes that dreams of the opposite sex may cause the 

condition, as will sexual excess or incest (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 196). 

431

A range of treatments were employed against ‘the crippler’. Sometimes the 

medicine man would blow his breath on the afflicted area, or he would blow the 

medicine, consisting of a decoction of the roots of ferns (see chapter on ferns), and rub 

it on the patient Mooney (1891: 347). The patients could be scratched and eel oil 

rubbed on all their joints (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 196) or the patient is massaged 

with a wooden pestle made from the wood of Diospyros virginiana (Mooney and 

Olbrechts 1932: 292). The taboos observed while under treatment include the 

avoidance of salt or lye, hot food, and women as well as consumption of the foot or leg 

of any animal or any animal that was observed to have a humped back (Mooney 1891: 

349). 

diganöyeyaski geso dinigalo – ‘exema on their thigh’ 

No explanation or treatment was available for this condition. 

dik‛anigeni du‛tsöya gwali – ‘his knees hurt’ 

This is possibly a synonym for dida‛nikwutisgi, but Olbrechts did not clarify its 

meaning. No treatment was explained. 

dik‛anugosti nugötlö götoti – ‘to be used with a briar to cause it to come out’ 

This is the scratching done to relieve the patient from cramps. Similar to 

rheumatism, this ailment is caused by vengeful spirits of slain deer and often afflicts 

hunters. The patient would be scratched with Smilax glauca and have a warm infusion 

of Pseudognaphalium obutusifolium and Vicia caroliniana rubbed into the scratches four 

432

times before while the patient was fasting (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 207). An 

alternative preparation included the previous plants combined with Kalmia latifolia, 

Rhododendron maximum, and Leucothoe axillaris. 

dinileni dunt‛askiye‛öi – ‘their ears burst’ 

No description was given for the condition, but the name suggests that it was a 

severe earache. Leucothoe axillaris was applied to this condition, but no instructions 

were included. Nicotiana rustica was also chewed and blown on the patient. 

diniskwageni dik‛anöwati – no gloss 

Panax quinquefolium was chewed and blown on the patient. 

diniystłi anade‛usköi – ‘for children to be born’ 

Olbrechts explained that there were only two complications for giving birth, a 

slow delivery and poor placement of the uterus (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 125). To 

speed up a delivery, a decoction of Impatiens capensis was blown on the birthing 

mother. 

diniystłi tsiduniskwoldisgöi – no gloss 

No explanation was provided for this condition. 

433

ditsstötiyi götti – ‘to use horn’ 

The sucking horn was used by the medicine man to remove infection from an 

area with swelling. Mooney reported that scarification with a sharp object was 

performed prior to sucking, and an object such as a stick or a pebble was often found in 

the extracted blood (Mooney 1891: 334). Olbrechts found no sucking horns were 

available when he was among the Cherokee, but had one made while he was there. 

The horn was covered with a turkey’s gizzard tightly stretched over the small end. The 

medicine man would place the horn over the infected area at an angle and suck the air 

out. By the time he was among the Cherokee, they no longer used the horn, but the 

medicine man would use his mouth to do the sucking. 

du‛alagosa – ‘inflammation of the palate’ 

This is probably an infection of the mouth caused by the yeast Candida albicans, 

a condition commonly referred to as thrush. Clethra acuminata was used, but no 

directions were provided. 

dulasi‛denö dudile‛öseça – ‘his feet become hot for him’ 

No remedy was recorded for this condition. 

duletsi – ‘kernels’ or duletsi ant‛asgiski – ‘boils on the neck’ 

Olbrechts indicated that ‘kernels’ referred to goiterous swellings in the throat 

area, or the scrofulous swellings due to tuberculosis. The Cherokee thought this 

condition was due to some sort of physical trauma. Several remedies and formulas 

434

were applied to this condition, demonstrating the seriousness or the problem of 

tuberculosis among Native Americans both then and now (Rieder 1989). 

Corn cobs were burnt and before they cooled they were placed on the swellings. 

They were then thrown outdoors, but not on the fire. Vicia caroliniana was burnt and the 

charcoal boiled. Cynoglossum virginianum and the pitch from Pinus pungens were 

added to the boiled charcoal and allowed to cool. The patient was instructed to eat 

honey for a lifetime and fresh meat until well. 

Calycanthus floridus and Pyrularia pubera were combined for duletsi, but no further 

instructions were included. Other plants used singly or in formulas without instructions 

for use included Sassafras albidum; a combination of Prunus pensylvanica, Xanthorhiza 

simplicissima, Polygonum sagittatum, and three unidentifiable plants; and a 

combination of Aristolochia serpentaria, Prunus virginiana, Prunus pensylvanica, Cassia 

marilandica, and an unidentified plant. A formula gleaned from Olbrechts botanical 

notes indicates that Polygonum sagittatum, Quercus velutina, and two unidentified 

grass-like plants were also used for duletsi. 

duletsi iyunsti – no gloss 

No further information was provided for this form of duletsi. It was treated with a 

combination of Desmodium cuspidatum and Cynoglossum virginianum. 

duletsi tsunstianaya lewski – no gloss 

included. 

No further information was provided for this form of duletsi. No treatment was 

435

dunatsö walstçö – ‘when they have pains along both sides’ 

No treatment was recorded for this condition. 

dunatsöwalö ne‛öi – ‘swellings on both sides’ 

This was a condition of the kidneys due to dreaming of crawling things such as 

snakes, lizards, etc. The remedy consisted of a young root growing from a new sprout 

of an old root of Sambucus canadensis. The root was steeped in hot water and drunk. 

duni‛alagöi ata‛yesgi – ‘inflamed palate’ or duni‛alagöi dida‛nöwsti – ‘when the mount is 

sore’ 

This condition may have been more serious than the previous inflammation of 

the palate. Olbrechts indicates that the palate and pharynx are covered with a 

membrane or blisters, suggesting the symptoms of diphtheria (Thomas 1997: 547). It 

was treated with Carya glabra or a combination of Diospyros virginiana and Vitis 

aestivalis; however, no directions were included. 

duni‛elöi – ‘their hands are killed by frostbite’ 

There were several spoken formulas for frost bitten feet (Mooney and Olbrechts 

1932: 257, 258, 298), but none for the hands (see tsunastagöçi below). No remedies 

were included with this condition. 

436

dunikstisgöi – ‘when they vomit’ or dunikstisgöi yunsłsattα‛kö – ‘when they vomit what 

they eat’ 

Vomiting was believed to be caused by dreaming of fish because that would 

cause the spoiling of the saliva. When the saliva gets spoiled it tastes different and may 

change color, often turning white or yellow and becoming thick. Remedies for this 

condition included Echium vulgare with no instructions for its use and the ‘little birch’, 

which, probably referred to wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens) due to its having the 

same smell and flavor as birch. This was drunk before breakfast and vomited in the 

yard. 

dunileni dunt‛askiye‛öi – ‘their ears burst’ 

Olbrechts gave no further information on this condition and did not mention it in 

The Swimmer Manuscript, which is surprising considering that he found several 

synonyms for earaches. 

dunitsalöi – ‘when they have blisters’ 

Olbrechts indicated that the blisters mentioned here also included scabs. In The 

Swimmer Manuscript, he identifies the condition as “fever blisters” brought on by the 

heat of summer (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 211). These blisters were treated with 

the dried, brittle leaves of Castanea pumila, heated with seven coals and blown on the 

upper portion of the patient. In his notes he recorded a combination of Castanea pumila 

and Magnolia acuminata was used as the remedy, but no instructions were included. 

437

duni‛yugwatisgöi – ‘pains moving about (in the teeth)’ 

Mooney interpreted this condition as neuralgia, a generalized pain affecting 

several teeth (1891: 358). 

dunçt‛asgielido‛öi – ‘when they are bursting out’ 

Olbrechts identified this condition as burst scrofula that manifest as boils that 

appear in different places. This was treated with a combination of Salix humulis and S. 

alba, boiled together and applied on the sores. 

dunölestoi – ‘when they have it broken’ 

No information was provided for this condition or plants used to treat it. 

du‛st‛its‛ö u‛tsöya – ‘he is sick between where head and neck joins’ 

A prayer or spoken formula was spoken. No more information was available 

about this condition. 

duwaye‛sö waloska – ‘cramp in finger’, duwaye‛sö unatsö – ‘cramp in toe’ 

Cramps were thought to be caused by catching cold. The remedy was scratching 

with the leaves of Leucothoe axillaris and blowing a decoction of the pounded and 

steeped leaves on the cramping spot. 

438

e‛isti andik‛ö‛öi – no gloss 

Olbrechts’ notes indicate that the primary symptom of this condition may have 

been painful urination, and the notes under each remedy indicate that this was the case. 

While the nature of the condition itself was not clearly defined, Olbrechts did record 

three formulas consisting of several plants each. A combination of Carya ovata, 

Amelanchier arborea, Quercus rubra, Fraxinus americana, Juglans nigra, and an 

unidentified plant were used, but no information was available on how they were used. 

Dirca palustris, Cassia marilandica, and two unidentified plants were combined, but 

again, no information was available on the processing of this formula. The bark of 

Liriodendron tulipifera, Magnolia acuminata, Quercus velutina, Q. alba, Fraxinus 

americana, and Diospyros virginiana were steeped raw and drink. The patient would 

avoid salt and hot food for four days. 

gakweoski – ‘wrapped up’, ‘coiled up’, ‘contracted’, ‘heart attack’ 

The Cherokee belief was that heart attacks were caused by the lungs wrapping 

tightly around the heart. This was due to dreams of wild animals such as bears, 

panthers, etc. Treatment consisted of scratching the patient with a briar scratcher 

starting across the tongue. Scratching continued across the body, including across the 

seat of the “soul” or the heart region. Olbrechts indicated that a decoction was sprinkled 

over the scratched area, but did not name the plants used in his description of the 

condition. Another treatment consisted of the roots of Vicia caroliniana and Coronilla 

varia, pounded and steeped, then rubbed on the patient as the medicine man was 

blowing his breath on the afflicted area. This was done four times consecutively. Food 

439

taboos consisted of the avoidance of chicken wings and any kind of animal foot, as well 

as the life long avoidance of rabbit flesh. 

gançawadööski – ‘blisters caused by heat’ 

This was severe sunburn causing blisters as if burned by a fire. The bark of 

Diospyros virginiana was boiled and rubbed on the burned areas until the blisters 

disappear. 

ganedzi u‛tsöya – ‘he is sick in the breast’ 

This condition encompassed a range of respiratory conditions including 

pneumonia, pleurisy, and bronchitis. It was believed to be caused by dreaming of fish or 

terrapins. It was treated with Morus rubra and Prunus pensylvanica, but no directions for 

their use was included. 

ganewot‛iski – ‘measles’ 

Olbrechts indicated that this condition affected adults and children alike, covering 

them with pimples and turning the skin red. The treatment consisted of Lindera benzoin, 

but no further instructions were included here. 

gat‛esgeni u‛tsöya – ‘his spine aches’ 

No description for this sort of backache was provided, but it was treated with a 

combination of Solidago caesia, Cynoglossum virginianum, and an unidentified plant. 

No directions for their use were included. 

440

ga‛yedi – ‘pain in the back’ 

This condition occurred due to eating food prepared by a menstruating woman. 

Several remedies and formulas were applied to alleviate ga‛yedi. The roots of 

Desmodium cuspidatum were boiled and drunk all day while fasting. Three 

combinations of plants were included without further instructions. The first consisted of 

Chamaesyce maculata, E. carollata, Aster laevis, and four unidentified plants. The 

second was a combination of Euphorbia carollata and an unidentified plant. The third 

consisted of Phytolacca americana, Euonymus americanus, Rhus glabra, and two 

unidentified plants. 

gegane‛sagöçi – ‘they have it caused by plotters’ 

This condition was due to some form of conjuring, but was not clearly defined. 

The remedy consisted of Lobelia cardinalis and L. spicata, boiled down and blown on 

the patient’s throat. 

getsiyowlöçi – ‘when they have been shot’ 

The bark of Carya ovata was used, but no instructions were included. However, 

he did clarify it under the condition of yigetsiyolö below. 

gigage dunitło nöösköi – ‘when they have red spots’ 

No further information was available for this condition, but Spigelia marilandica, 

which was reported to grow in Tennessee, was used to treat it. 

441

gigö analdziskwsköi – ‘when they spit blood’ and gigö dunikstisgöi – ‘when they vomit 

blood’ 

The conditions here are distinguished only by the amount of blood eliminated by 

the patient. There were several causes. The eating of game killed without observing the 

proper taboos, such as observation of purification rites by the hunter or respectfully 

handling the animal’s remains, could cause this condition. Also, eating food prepared by 

a menstruating woman or eating too much salt might cause the expulsion of blood. 

Remedies included Platanus occidentalis, the slender roots of which were pounded, 

steeped, and drunk throughout the whole night as well as first thing in the morning. No 

salt, meat of any kind, or hot food was taken at this time. Fraxinus americana was 

mixed with Phlox stolonifera, steeped, and drunk. A species of blackberry or raspberry 

was also used, but the species and direction for use was unavailable. 

gigö danayöskoi‛öi – ‘when they bleed from both nostrils’ 

This, like most conditions where bleeding occurred, was attributed to eating food 

prepared by a menstruating woman. No treatment was included. 

gigö digöguski – ‘when they discharge blood from their bowels’ 

This was due to severe cases of dysentery. The roots of Ceanothus americanus 

were boiled and the tea was drunk cold all day. Rosa palustris was also used, but no 

instructions were included. Olbrechts also included this condition in The Swimmer 

Manuscript, indicating that a decoction of the barks of Prunus pensylvanica and 

442

Diospyros virginiana were given to the patient after repeated boiling (Mooney and 


gigö yandik‛öça – ‘urinating blood’ 

Two formulas were included for blood in the urine, but no instructions for their 

use was included. Lobelia cardinalis, Cicuta maculata, Rosa palustris, R. carolina, Ilex 

verticillata, Prunus pensylvanica, Xanthorhiza simplicissima, Amelanchier arborea, 

Lindera benzoin, and a member of the Solanaceae family were reported to be combined 

for this condition, but it is doubtful that Cicuta maculata was a component as it contains 

a deadly toxin. The second formula consisted of Monarda didyma, Lobelia cardinalis, 

Solidago caesia, and an unidentified plant. 

gotisgi tsunitsöyöi – ‘when their stomach is swollen’ 

This condition occurred when a witch changed the food in the stomach and this 

caused swelling. Olbrechts explained further in The Swimmer Manuscript (Mooney and 

Olbrechts 1932: 281) that the food was thought to sprout or change into a living thing in 

the body. The remedy, only found in Olbrechts’ notes and not in The Swimmer 

Manuscript, consisted of Alnus serrulata, Diospyros virginiana, Prunus virginiana 

(probably P. serotina, see text), Liriodendron tulipifera, and Platanus occidentalis, which 

were boiled and drunk as an emetic. 

443

göskanugoga – ‘arse bowel falls out’ 

Olbrechts identified this condition as a prolapsed rectum, but provided no 

information on a remedy in this section. 

göwanigistöi – ‘when they are eaten by them’ 

No explanation of this condition was provided in the notes, but a condition with a 

similar name was published in The Swimmer Manuscript (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 

179). The condition known as “eaters” was a urinary tract or kidney disease, affecting 

the patient by causing pain in the lower back and turning the urine yellow. The remedies 

combined in the formula for this condition give no clues either, as they were not 

commonly used for any one affliction. The treatment consisted of a combination of 

Eryngium yuccifolium, another Eryngium species, Juncus effusus, Dioscorea villosa, 

and an unidentified plant made into a decoction and blown on the left foot, right hand, 

right foot, left hand, and crown of the head, respectively. 

inadö danskitsöi – ‘when they dream of snakes’ 

Dreaming of being bitten by a snake was treated as an actual snakebite, but with 

different medications. If this was not done, the patient would eventually develop the 

symptoms of an actual bite. Botrychium virginianum was used for the dream bite, the 

root boiled down to a syrup and the decoction rubbed on the place where the patient 

dreamed they had been bitten (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 176). To cure the spoiled 

saliva that may be the result of a snake dream, the patient would drink an emetic 

decoction consisting of Juncus effusus, Scirpus validus, Vicia caroliniana, Coronilla 

444

varia, and part of the vine of Rhus radicans that is found growing on the east side of a 

tulip poplar tree. 

inadö egwa tsanotłöskei – ‘when they have made a big snake’ 

Unfortunately, Olbrechts gave no further information about this condition with a 

very interesting name. 

inadö uniskötłtsöçi – ‘if they are bitten by snakes’ 

The rattlesnake was considered a supernatural being by the Cherokee and care 

was taken not to offend one. In case of a bite, tobacco juice was rubbed on the 

punctured spot, the rubbing performed in a counterclockwise direction signifying the 

uncoiling of the snake. Dreams about bites were also treated, or the patient would suffer 

inflammation and the symptoms of an actual bite at some point in the future (Mooney 

1891: 352). 

tciski göwagisti – ‘when children sleep with eyes open’ 

No further information was available for this condition. 

tckoya – ‘insects cause swelling in body’ 

The spirits of slain insects were believed to take up residence under a person’s 

skin and causes swellings, blisters, and ulcers (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 29). No 

remedy was available for this condition. 

445

tsat‛agö unöt‛agwali ustiga – ‘chicken pox’ 

The gloss here is not a literal translation, but this is all Olbrechts provided. No 

remedy was included. 

tsidunitsileça – ‘when they have itching’ 

The primary symptom for this condition, itchy genitals, was believed to be caused 

by urinating on the ashes from a fire. The primary treatment was the chewed root of 

Aristolochia serpentaria, which was blown into the urethra of the patient. If A. 

serpentaria was not available, Liriodendron tulipifera was considered an acceptable 

substitute (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 286). In his notes he claimed that Pinus 

pungens was the preferred remedy for this condition. 

tsidunitstaldia – ‘if they have scars’ 

The bark of Carya ovata, the wound healer mentioned above for bullet and arrow 

wounds, was chewed and blown on the scars. No salt or hot food was taken for four 

days. 

tsidunilienoga – ‘earache’ 

See dunileni dunt‛askiye‛öi above. 

tsuk‛olo diganugogi – no gloss 

(see above). 

Olbrechts indicates that this is a form of necrosis, possibly a type of ada‛yeski 

446

tsuk‛on‛öçi u‛tsöya – ‘sick in the testicles’ 


tsunastagöçi – ‘their feet are frostbitten’ 

Three of the sacred formulas were dedicated to frostbitten feet (Mooney and 

Olbrechts 1932: 257, 258, 298), but only one mentions a plant used to alleviate 

frostbite. The patients would put their feet under a covering of dried Andropogon 

virginicus, the favored shelter for the rabbit who appears to be immune from this 

affliction. The other therapy mentioned consisted of the medicine man holding snow or 

ice in his mouth and sucking on the frostbitten area. 

tsunalulödi eldi tsununötłstaneça – ‘when womb falls down’ 

No further information is available for this condition. It is unclear whether this was 

a prolapsed uterus, or was related to the afterbirth. 

tsunisköistigi utłiyaktanöçi – ‘when where they (children) have to suck is changed’ 


tsuniyotogia – ‘when they itch’ 

Olbrechts indicated that this was an itching of the private parts and scratching the 

itch caused painful sores. The condition was due to the youthful indiscretion of urinating 

on the fire or the ashes from a fire. The itching may begin immediately after the 

transgression or can lie dormant until adulthood. Treatment consisted of a combination 

447

of Hackelia virginiana and Cynoglossum virginianum, the roots or which made into a 

decoction. The affected parts were bathed in the decoction and the patient drank a 

portion. No food or drink was taken while under treatment, which lasted four days 


tsuniyötsot‛isga – ‘when they have swelling in the neck’ 

This may have been a case of the mumps, but Olbrechts did not elaborate. 

tsunstiga didötł t‛adinödan‛ti – ‘to make (the child) jump down from her’ 

A warm decoction of Xanthorhiza simplicissima was blown on the head, breast, 

and palm of each hand of the birthing mother to stimulate the arrival of the child 

(Mooney 1891: 364). 

t‛uyasti – ‘big boil’ 

No explanation was provided for the nature or remedy for this condition. 

udile‛gi dalâni utanö – ‘yellow fever’ 

No further information was available for yellow fever. 

udile‛öska – ‘fever’ 

This appears to be a generic term for fevers, but Olbrechts did not elaborate. 

448

uliskwötia – ‘he has earaches’ 

See dunileni dunt‛askiye‛öi above. 

ulotalooska – ‘he is paralyzed on one side’ 

This condition was believed to be due to lightening or the blood being stopped 

(stroke?). It was treated with a combination of Aralia spinosa, Cirsium altissimus, and 

two species of small thistles. No directions for their preparation were included. 

unak‛ano‛stisgöi – ‘swollen testicles’ 

Olbrechts also names tsuk‛onçöçi as a synonym for this condition, but gives no 

further description for the condition or the cause of it. The remedy consisted of Apios 

americana, Antennaria solitaria, and an unidentified tuberous root, which were pounded, 

steeped, and the infusion blown on the distressed area four times. The bark of the 

unidentified plant was then applied as a poultice. 

unak‛ewagöi – ‘if they lost their voice’ 

Olbrechts identified this condition as a case of chronic laryngitis, possibly due to 

diphtheria. The patient was very hoarse. This condition may have been synonymous 

with duni‛alagöi ata‛yesgi, but the remedies were different. The formula had several 

variations. The one from the notes consisted of a combination of Quercus imbricaria, 

Cornus florida, and Prunus serotina combined with either Carpinus caroliniana and Salix 

alba or Aureolaria virginica and Malus pumila. Directions for their use were not included. 

The version in The Swimmer Manuscript consisted of a decoction of the inner barks of 

449

Prunus virginiana, Quercus falcata, Q. imbricaria, Cornus florida, Salix alba, and Malus 

pumila, drunk by patient and rubbed on the throat and neck. The bark was usually 

harvested from the east side of the tree (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 199). 

unak‛onçö – no gloss 

This condition was probably also connected with the testicles (see below), but no 

description or gloss was included. It was treated with Verbascum thapsus and Cicuta 

maculata (or possibly a less toxic relative), but no directions were reported. 

unak‛onçö yunot‛i‛iseça – no gloss 

Olbrechts indicated that this was also a case of swollen testicles, but did not 

elaborate. The remedy mentioned here was a type of fungus, but it was not identified 

and no directions for its use were included. 

unalötelö – ‘they have fits’ 

Olbrechts did not elaborate on this condition, but did report that onage was a 

Cherokee synonym for this type of seizure. The remedy consisted of a combination of 

Nicotiana rustica, Picea rubens, and Prunus pensylvanica, but no instructions for their 

use was included. 

450

unast‛ayesöçi – ‘their (arm, leg, neck) is sprained’ or una‛iyetsöçi – ‘when their back is 

sprained’ 

Olbrechts claimed this condition was caused by “brisk or excited movement”. It 

was treated with the bark of a type of wild cherry (Prunus spp.) that was pounded, 

steeped, and applied to the area as well as being drunk. 

unawasti – ‘he gets cold’ or ‘that which chills one’ 

Mooney describes this condition as the fever or ague that comes with intermittent 

fever such as that which accompanies malaria. He claimed that it was considered a very 

serious condition by the Cherokee medicine men (1891: 361). There were several 

varieties of unawasti, and they will be considered below. Olbrechts recorded four 

formulas for unawasti, but only two have any directions on how to prepare the plants. 

The first consisted of an infusion of Actaea pachypoda, Phlox stolonifera, Veronica 

officinalis, Prunus virginica, and an unidentified plant, which was blown on the patient 

four times (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 277). Another included four ferns species; 

Cystopteris fragilis, Polystichum acrostichoides, Dennstaedtia punctilobula, and an 

unidentified fern, combined with Dioscorea villosa. The next formula was composed 

completely of ferns including Adiantum pedatum, Polypodium vulgare, Polystichum 

acrostichoides, and an unidentified fern. And finally the leaves of Chenopodium 

ambrosioides were rubbed between the hands, steeped in water, and blown on the 

patient. 

451

unawasti egwa – ‘big chill’ 

This was a severe case of unawasti, typified by symptoms such as a black 

coloration of the face, high fever, and chills accompanied by shaking. The fever was 

intermittent and would generally appear in the spring and summer, often returning in 

subsequent years (Mooney 1891: 361). Treatment consisted of the bark of Prunus 

serotina, beaten and placed in water with seven hot coals. This decoction was blown 

over the patient beginning at sunrise, starting at the top of the head, advancing to the 

right shoulder, the left shoulder, and the torso of the patient. This was repeated four 

times, morning and evening, for up to four days if necessary. Nicotiana rustica could be 

used in place of Prunus serotina (Mooney 1891: 362). Olbrechts recorded two more 

elaborate formulas for this condition, the first consisting of Morus rubra, Platanus 

occidentalis, and Lobelia spicata, while the second combined P. serotina, Carpinus 

caroliniana, Malus pumila, Nicotiana rustica, Quercus imbricaria, and Cornus florida. No 

directions for the preparation or application or either formula were included. 

unawasti unitisötiçi – ‘the chill that makes them restless so that they could not lie still’ 

Olbrechts gave no further description of the condition and provided no remedies 

for it, but the descriptive name provides much information on the symptoms that were 

inherent with this condition. 

unawasti uskga – ‘chill caused by the pain of neuralgia, boils, etc.’ 

Again, no further information, but a very descriptive name. 

452

unawat‛ö‛öski – ‘blisters’ 

Olbrechts described the blisters as, “watery blisters which break out on the body 

in summer, and are caused, according to the medicine man, but the heat of the sun 

(Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 250).” His notes on the individual plants suggest that 

these were fever blisters, probably synonymous with dunitsalöi, and not the type 

described above as gançawadööski. The herpes simplex virus, which causes fever 

blisters, is activated by ultraviolet radiation. The remedy consisted of a combination of 

Rhus glabra and R. copallina, the barks of both species made into a decoction which 

was drunk, blown on the patient, and rubbed on the sores for four days. Food taboos 

included the avoidance of potatoes, melon, pumpkins, salt, beans, and eggs (Mooney 

and Olbrechts 1932: 251). 

unak‛ewagöi – ‘if they lost their voice’ 

Olbrechts identified this condition as a case of chronic laryngitis, possibly due to 

diphtheria. The patient was very hoarse. This condition may have been synonymous 

with duni‛alagöi ata‛yesgi, but the remedies were different. The formula had several 

variations. The one from the notes consisted of a combination of Quercus imbricaria, 

Cornus florida, and Prunus serotina combined with either Carpinus caroliniana and Salix 

alba or Aureolaria virginica and Malus pumila. Directions for their use were not included. 

The version in The Swimmer Manuscript consisted of a decoction of the inner barks of 

Prunus virginiana, Quercus falcata, Q. imbricaria, Cornus florida, Salix alba, and Malus 

pumila, drunk by patient and rubbed on the throat and neck. The bark was usually 

harvested from the east side of the tree (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 199). 

453

undalu‛yöçi – ‘chopped’ or ‘if they have chopped it’ 

I assume this condition referred to an injury with an axe, but Olbrechts did not 

elaborate. However, his remedy included a large variety of Hickory (Carya spp.) along 

with another unidentified plant. Hickory was one of the primary wound healers in the 

Cherokee pharmacopoeia and was used to heal a wide range of traumatic wounds, 

such as the use of Carya ovata for bullet and arrow wounds (Mooney and Olbrechts 

1932: 273). 

undiksti yunałishineça or undiksti yunotłstineçatsu – ‘if they have their urinating stopped’ 

For an explanation of this condition, see andlköça yunalstuneça above. The 

treatment consisted of a combination of Cicuta maculata and Xanthium strumarium, but 

no preparation or application instructions were provided. 

undile‛öskö – ‘when they are having a fever’ 


undiyötali ada‛nöwoti – ‘to treat their navel with’ 

This condition is a synonym of dalâni unitłöyö udiyötali (see above). It was 

treated with Clethra acuminata, but no directions for its use were included. 

undölaksöçi – ‘broken bones’ 

Broken bones were reported to be treated with a combination of Ilex verticillata 

and Vitis aestivalis, chewed and blown on the scratched patient. Olbrechts identified the 

454

first species as Ilex laevigata, but it is most likely that the Ilex species under 

consideration here is I. verticillata. It closely resembles I. laevigata, but is commonly 

found in the North Carolina mountains. Ilex laevigata is associated with the coastal plain 

and its range does not extend to the higher elevations (Radford et al. 1968: 684). 

unegö tsandiköça – ‘if they water out white’ 

Olbrechts described this condition as an aggravated case of a kidney infection, 

the symptoms consisting of pain in the hips and lower back with the discharge of white 

urine (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 199). Olbrechts’ notes indicate that he was quite 

familiar with the incidence of gonorrhea among the Cherokee, but he dealt with it in 

other sections of his notes and it appears to be unrelated to this condition. Several 

formulas were included in The Swimmer Manuscript and the plants mentioned in these 

will be discussed here with those from Olbrechts’ notes. A combination of the barks 

from Prunus serotina, Quercus falcata (which could be substituted or combined with Q. 

imbricaria), Malus pumila, Salix alba, and Cornus florida were made into a strong 

decoction. Small amounts were taken at frequent intervals for four days. Olbrechts 

states that Cornus stricta could be substituted or combined with Cornus florida, but he 

most likely mistook C. stricta for C. amomum, as the former is more common on the 

coastal plain and the latter frequent in the mountains. The patient abstains from salt 

and hot food for the duration of their treatment and milk for a much longer period 

(Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 199). Another formula from The Swimmer Manuscript 

(307) utilizes plants with a prevalent milky latex, suggesting the Doctrine of Signatures. 

Two species of Euphorbia, E. corollata and Chamaesyce maculata, were combined with 

455

Echium vulgare, the roots of all prepared and drunk as a warm infusion. In severe 

cases, the roots of Lysimachia quadrifolia were added to the infusion. 

The formulas in Olbrechts’ note were just lists of plants. No instructions on their 

preparation or administration were included. However, the sheer number of formulas 

included and the wide range of plant species used to address the condition indicate that 

it was prevalent and considered quite serious by the Cherokee. Severe cases appeared 

to be handled as a separate illness (see unödi tsandik‛uça – ‘they urinate all milk’, 

below). 

The plants were grouped as follows: 

a) Acorus calamus, Chamaesyce maculata, Echium vulgare 

b) Aesculus octandra, Apios americana, Oxydendrum arboreum, and an unidentified 

plant with yellow flowers 

c) Aureolaria flava and Eupatorium purpureum 

unegö unanugots‛eça – ‘it is coming out white’ 

Olbrechts gives no clarification of the nature of this condition, but it appears to be 

another form of milky urine. Several plants from the category of plants with burrs were 

mentioned as a remedy for this condition, but the individual species were not identified. 

Another formula consisted of a combination of Hieracium venosum, Aesculus octandra, 

Aster laevis, Eupatorium purpureum, and Euphorbia corollata, drunk as a decoction all 

day. No milk or young cabbage leaves were used at this time. 

456

unestanelidoloçöi or uneistaneo gananugotsidoi– ‘when they have pains all over their 

body’ 

This condition, where there were shifting pains moving around the patient’s body, 

was one of a group of illnesses caused by a human agent. A witch or another person 

with a similar power sends a disease that resembles one the medicine man knows, but 

it is a different condition disguised as the familiar one designed to perplex the medicine 

man. Often, an object was shot into the victim’s body and the pain was caused by a shift 

in the object’s position (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 257). Two primary formulas were 

used for this condition. A warm infusion of the bark of Alnus serrulata and the roots of 

both Lobelia cardinalis and Verbascum thapsus was held in the mouth of the medicine 

man while he sucked the offending area. He would then spit the liquid into a bowl. After 

four repetitions, he examines the liquid for offending objects that may have been sent by 

an enemy to cause the patient problems (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 216). The other 

therapy consisted of external application of a decoction of the leaves of Rhododendron 

maximum, Kalmia latifolia, and Veratrum viride, applied after scratching the immediate 

area of the pain with the leaves of Leucothoe axillaris (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 

220). The flowers of Nicotiana rustica were also used for this condition, but no 

directions for their use was available. 

uninigwatisgöi – ‘rheumatism in his knees’ 

This is a synonym for dida‛nikwutisgi, but this version came directly from 

Mooney’s notes. The remedy here was a decoction of Rhododendron maximum, 

applied after scratching. 

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uninidla – ‘crevices on the skin’ 

This appears to be a dermatological problem, where the skin is deeply creased 

or cracked. The remedy consisted of Viburnum, boiled down and applied to the skin. 

Viburnum rufidilum was the species identified by Olbrechts, but it was more likely V. 

cassinoides, a common variety in the mountains of North Carolina. 

unisi‛kwaskö – ‘when they are coughing’ 

The cough mentioned here was due to the nefarious activities of a witch, enemy, 

or someone else conversant in the art of conjuring. Olbrechts recorded two formulas, 

but no directions for the preparation or administration of either were included. A 

combination of Podophyllum peltatum, Acorus calamus, and Ilex verticillata was applied 

to treat this condition, as was a mixture of Alnus serrulata, Pseudognaphalium 

obtusifolium, Agrimonia parviflora, and Geranium maculatum. 

unisködönisti – ‘he is hot in the skin by them’ 

No further information on this condition or its treatment was available. 

uniskowldisgöi – ‘whenever they have diarrhea’ 

Diarrhea could be caused by several factors, including the changing of the 

seasons, over-consumption of fruit, or the consumption of fish or fowl due to their 

watery feces. Olbrechts recorded several remedies and formulas for this malady. The 

bark of the roots of Sassafras albidum was pounded, steeped, and drunk. Coreopsis 

major and Phlox stolonifera were steeped raw and drunk while the offending foods were 

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avoided for four days. A mixture of Xanthorhiza simplicissima and two unidentified 

plants were made into a decoction and drunk, as well as being rubbed on the stomach. 

Salt was avoided for four days. Coreopsis major was used alone, the raw root made into 

an infusion. A combination of Plantago major, Agrimonia parviflora, and an unidentified 

plant were make into a decoction that was drunk by the patient and blown on them. 

uniskowldisgöi uyönskilötiiyusti – ‘when they have diarrhea and discharge light colored 

feces’ 

This specific form of diarrhea was treated with the root of Agrimonia parviflora, 

used alone or combined with Agalinis tenuifolia. 

uniskwotłii tsunitłöyö yuwot‛isö andanawoski – ‘when they have a stomach-ache with 

swollen and throbbing stomach’ 

No additional description for this condition was provided, but the name provides 

us with a good idea of the symptoms. It was treated with a combination of Podophyllum 

peltatum and a species of Matalea, steeped in warm water and drunk in 2-cup portions. 

The use of Podophyllum peltatum and the symptoms inherent in the name suggests this 

is a form of dalâni. 

unit‛adesgiskö – ‘thirsty’ or unet‛adegisköi – ‘they are thirsty’ 

Pathological thirst was treated with one of the astringent herbs, possibly 

Geranium maculatum or Heuchera americana, the roots of which were boiled and 

drunk. It was reported to have a very bitter taste. 

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unitłöyö yiki uniskwali – ‘when they have a stomach ache’ 

Olbrechts indicates that this is an acute type of indigestion. It was treated with 

the fruit of Pyrularia pubera, cut in to four sections and each section swallowed. 

unitseno‛ise‛oi – ‘when a person has stomach trouble’ 

This type of stomach trouble was typified by a swollen stomach and indigestion 

from eating unripe fruit and vegetables. The patient is constantly hungry but loses 

weight. The remedy consisted of an infusion made by steeping of the barks of Gleditsia 

triacanthos and Aesculus octandra with the roots of Specularia perfoliata in warm water 

for a full night. The following morning the medicine man took the patient to the river and 

gave them some of the infusion to drink and bathing them with the rest (Mooney and 


unitsiya dida‛nöwoti – ‘to cure people of worms’ 

Olbrechts observed that almost all the Cherokee children had roundworms, with 

hookworms being less common. The remedy recorded by Olbrechts consisted of 

Spigelia marilandica, taken with honey. 

uni‛yagwatisgöi – ‘when they are having a toothache’ 

Sisyrinchium angustifolium was applied to a sore tooth, but no instructions for its 

application were included. 

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uniyalotisgöi – ‘when their stomach swells up’ 

Olbrechts give no further information on the nature or remedy for this condition, 

but it appears to be a form of dalâni. 

uniyeloskö ada‛nöwoti – no gloss 

Olbrechts gave no gloss or remedies for this condition, but I have included it here 

because he recorded it in his list of conditions. 

uniyelo‛iselöi – ‘pain about’ 

This appears to be a synonym of unestanelidoloçöi. A combination of Lobelia 

spicata and Alnus serrulata were held in the mouth while the medicine man sucked out 

the offending object. 

uniyötsotisgöi – ‘when their neck swells’ 

remedy. 

Olbrechts gave no further information on the condition and did not record a 

unödi tsandik‛uça – ‘they urinate all milk’ 

This appears to have been a severe infection of the urinary tract. Two versions 

were reported in The Swimmer Manuscript, both having basically the same symptoms 

consisting of the discharge of milky urine often appearing with discharges of dark red 

urine and pain in the pelvic area and lower back. However, in the second version he 

added excessive perspiration in the groin area as an additional symptom. The first 

461

formula consisted of a strong decoction of the inner barks of Platanus occidentalis, 

Quercus stellata, Carpinus caroliniana, and Betula nigra, drunk in small quantities at 

frequent intervals for four days (1932: 199-200). The latter species was probably 

misidentified as it does not frequently occur in the mountains, more likely species being 

B. lenta or B. lutea. See the discussion for gûnetiski in the chapter on trees. 

The second formula consisted of an infusion of the inner bark of Nyssa sylvatica 

and the bark of Alnus serrulata, harvested from the east side of the tree near the 

ground, was drunk at diminishing intervals for four days while avoiding sex, salt, and hot 

foods (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 308). Another formula from the notes consisted of 

Cynoglossum virginianum and an unidentified plant that had burr-like seeds. No 

instructions on their preparation or administration were included. 

unöłstay‛ti tsuniyotc‛eça – ‘when their appetite gets spoiled’ 

This condition was due to having looked at a corpse or an animal. The patient 

can not stand the sight of food and nausea causes them to expectorate. Olbrechts gave 

several remedies for this condition. A species of Oxalis was used to settle the stomach, 

but no directions for its use were included. A combination of Quercus bicolor, Q. rubra, 

and Carya ovata was used, but, again, no directions were included. The bark of Vitis 

aestivalis was boiled and the decoction drunk. 

unöt‛agwali – ‘boils’ or ‘spots’ 

Olbrechts indicated that this was most likely small pox. The Cherokee belief 

immediately after the Civil War was that white doctors kept the disease in a jar in the 

462

form of small, red fish. The remedy consisted of many plants whose roots were boiled 

and the patient was bathed in the decoction; however, Olbrechts only recorded Mentha 

piperita as a constituent of the formula. All fruit was avoided for four days. 

unöti yiduniyalotistiça – no gloss 

Olbrechts indicated that this was a form of children’s diarrhea. It was treated with 

Plantago major, but no directions were included on the procedure. 

unstiunde‛nonöçi aniskwotłi yune‛istaneçq – ‘to cure the mother after birth’ 

No remedies were included for this specific condition but this may be a synonym 

for ut‛igadö (see below). 

useski – ‘whooping cough’ 

the cough. 

An infusion of Blephilia ciliata and Eryngium yuccifolium was drunk to alleviate 

usiwaska – ‘he is coughing’ 

Breathing in cold air was thought to cause this condition. The remedies consisted 

of the bark of Prunus serotina, which was boiled and drunk, and the bark of Clethra 

acuminata, which was scraped from the branches and steeped. 

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uskolö gigö yunikwolstia – ‘if they discharge pale blood from their bowels’ 

Taken from Olbrechts notes, the remedy for this condition is the fern Polypodium 

virginiana. But he also mentions this condition in The Swimmer Manuscript, with the 

additional symptom of slimy matter coming from the bowels. He indicates that a 

mountain fern was used in this case, but that the name was too vague to suggest a 

species (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 276). 

uskolö yandik‛öçi gigö – no gloss 

Olbrechts indicated that this condition was a synonym of dalânige tsandik‛öça or 

‘yellow urine’, but the presence of gigö in the name suggests that this was also a 

condition where blood was present in the urine. No remedies were included. 

usonuli unt‛ane‛ö – ‘sudden attack’ 

The attack here is a heart attack, and Olbrechts noted that this is a synonym of 

gakweoski. The symptom that typified this condition was a blue tinge around the 

patient’s eyes. Treatment consisted of a combination of plants used when a patient was 

scratched. The formula included Kalmia latifolia, Rhododendron maximum, Leucothoe 

axillaris, and Veratrum viride with Cassia marilandica, a plant not generally associated 

with scratching, added to the mixture. Cassia marilandica was also used alone, the root 

pounded and steeped in water and blown on the patient’s face and hands by the 

medicine man. 

464

ut‛igadö – ‘to drive out afterbirth’ 

Olbrechts recorded two remedies to expel the afterbirth. A combination of the 

roots of Platanus occidentalis, Tsuga caroliniana, and Smilax glauca, all harvested from 

the east side of the plants, were boiled down and drunk by the patient. Scutellaria 

lateriflora and Polymnia uvedalia were also used, the decoction drunk as an emetic 


ut‛igadö u‛tsöya – ‘she is sick with remainder’ 

This condition was due to stagnant blood that remained, possibly up to weeks, 

after a birth. The remedy consisted of t‛alaiyusti, or ‘like white oak’, an unidentified tree 

whose bark was boiled and drunk. 

utłiyaktanöçi yiki nundiwsköna – ‘when they have a bad cough’ 

This condition is a synonym of unisi‛kwaskö. The formula of Alnus serrulata, 

Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium, Agrimonia parviflora, and Geranium maculatum was 

reported again, but here directions for use were included. The patient drank part of the 

decoction and some was rubbed on the throat area. 

uwaiseça – ‘he has a member (arm, leg, etc.) paralyzed’ 

This was very similar to ulotalooska and may have been a synonym. No specific 

treatment was included with this condition. It may have been the same as that for 

ulotalooska. 

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uwanu‛söçiça dalânige or adak‛öça galesotłö u‛tsöya – ‘gonorrhea’ 

Modesty may have prevented Olbrechts from determining a more specific gloss 

for the terms used for these two synonyms for gonorrhea. The remedy consisted of the 

root of Eryngium yuccifolium, especially the deepest growing portion of the root, boiled 

and drunk by the patient. 

uwet‛i – no gloss 

This is a synonym for ada‛yeski tsunitłöyi nundiwsköna (see above). 

uyalot‛isga – ‘if there is swelling’ 

This was due to indigestion caused by overeating and may be another form of 

dalâni. The patient suffered from constipation and abdominal swelling. No remedies 

were included in Olbrechts’ notes for this condition; however, this appears to be the 

same conditions as that described in formula 86 in The Swimmer Manuscript (Mooney 

and Olbrechts 1932: 297). The remedy described here consisted of a decoction of Alnus 

serrulata, Diospyros virginiana, Prunus virginiana, Platanus occidentalis, Liriodendron 

tulipifera, and Magnolia acuminata. Part of the decoction was drunk as an emetic and 

the remainder poured over heated river stones in a sweatbath. 

uyeloisti unitsonoi – ‘he becomes suddenly ill’ 

The patient would fall down and faint from the pain of a severe cramp. The 

treatment consisted of the medicine man massaging the patient after warming his hands 

466

y the fire and blowing his breath on the cramped area (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 

205). 

uyoi ani‛ayölöçi – ‘when they have inhaled bad odors’ 

The patient became nauseated from a noxious odor, such as that from a dead 

animal or a corpse. The treatment consisted of the tops from seven Eryngium 

yuccifolium plants. Each plant must have only one stalk, a rarity for this species. The 

infusion was used as an emetic and was taken for four consecutive days in the morning. 

Hot foods were avoided during treatment (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 245). 

uyoi unskitsöçi – ‘to vomit spoiled saliva’ 

See dunikstisgöi above for an explanation of spoiled saliva. The remedy 

Olbrechts identified for this condition was a species of Lobelia, but no exact 

identification or directions for its use were provided. However, Mooney identified Lobelia 

inflata as a remedy used as an emetic for saliva spoiled by a conjurer (Ms. 1894), so 

this may be the same species found in Olbrechts notes. 

uyo‛usö tsunineliçq – ‘disgusted by the sight of a corpse’ 

This is possibly a synonym of unöłstay‛ti tsuniyotc‛eça; however, the remedies 

provided were different than those mentioned above. None of these remedies were 

accompanied with instructions for their use. Salix alba was combined with an 

unidentified plant that had an odor like that of a snake. Apios americana was used 

alone. Betula lutea was also used alone or combined with Panax trifolium. 

467

uyosöçi e‛isti tsanançtatia – ‘when they suffer painful remembrances of the dead’ 

The following plants were used to assuage the grief that accompanied the loss of 

a loved one, but no directions for their use was included with the formula; Orontium 

aquaticum, Robinia pseudoacacia, Gleditsia triacanthos, and Rubus occidentalis. 

u‛iyugwatisgi or uni‛yugwatisgi – ‘he has a toothache’ 

Olbrechts provided several remedies for a toothache. The root of Sassafras 

albidum or the bark of Juglans nigra was placed in the hollow of a rotten tooth. The 

smoke from Nicotiana rustica (old tobacco) was blown on to the offending tooth. And the 

nest of a hornet was placed in a pipe and the smoke blown on it as with N. rustica. 

wa‛ili – ‘the measuring worm’ 

A rheumatic limb was thought to resemble the measuring worm, so this condition 

is a synonym for didölesgi, ‘the crippler’. 

waso‛la tsamose‛oi – ‘they call it cocoon’ 

This was a type of scrofula, named after the cocoon of the tobacco hornworm 

moth Manduca sexta L. The scrofula or boil was considered to be due to man tramping 

on the larva of this moth. It was treated by warming the thumb and pressing on the 

swelling (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 299). 

468

yigetsiyolö – ‘if they have been shot (by a bullet or arrow)’ 

This condition is a synonym for getsiyowlöçi (see above). Olbrechts provided two 

remedies. The first treatment was the same a being wounded by a wood splinter 

(adayuni‛t‛i‛lö). The other comes from The Swimmer Manuscript (1932: 273) and 

consists of the chewed inner bark of Carya ovata, chewed by the medicine man and the 

juice blown on the wound with the hollow quill of a buzzard’s feather. The down and of 

the buzzard was then applied to the wound. The patient was to avoid chewing tobacco, 

salt, and hot food for four days. 

yigöwaninilööski – ‘when they have suint’ 

Olbrechts claims that this condition is a form of scrofula, but it is unclear how that 

relates to suint, the lanolin-like substance in the name. The description he provided in 

his notes depicts boils that crack in both directions before bursting. He said the 

Cherokee considered this a form of cancer. The remedy consisted of the bark of 

Platanus occidentalis, boiled and drunk. 

yutançteksö – ‘if tooth comes out’ 

This was the state when a child lost one of their baby teeth. There was no 

remedy involved. The child would throw the tooth on to the roof of the house and 

address the beaver to give them a new one (Mooney and Olbrechts 1932: 308). 

469

yöwi uni‛yak‛anöçi – no gloss 

This condition was similar to and was considered by Olbrechts have been 

synonymous with the conditions that were sent to rattle the resolve of the medicine man 

(see adansiludoi yune‛istanelö, aniskina uniyaktanöçi, and ayeligogi uniyelö‛nöçi). No 

remedies were included. 

yöwi tsunstia göwani skastane‛öi – ‘when the little people frighten them’ 

The little people were fairy-like spirits that inhabited the mountains, rocks, water, 

and forests that were only visible to a few gifted individuals (Mooney and Olbrechts 

1932: 25). The symptoms of this condition included feeling “queer, disturbed, lonesome, 

or dispirited.” Treatment consisted of the roots of Asarum canadense and Hepatica 

acutiloba and the bark of Amelanchier arborea pounded, steeped, and blown on the 

area over the heart (the seat of the soul) before dark for four consecutive evenings. The 

patient was not allowed to have human contact for four days. 

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ETHNOBOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM AND MEDICAL ...

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