Pluchea sericea
Encyclopedia
Pluchea sericea, commonly called Arrowweed, is a rhizomatous evergreen shrub
of riparian areas in the lower Sonoran Desert
and surrounding areas. It is common in the lower Colorado River
valley of California, Nevada and Arizona, as far east as Texas, and in northern Mexico where it often forms dense impenetrable thickets.
It was once used medicinally by Native Americans
as an antidiarrheal
and eyewash
. Other traditional uses include thatching
, arrow
making and food, especially the edible root
.
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
of riparian areas in the lower Sonoran Desert
Sonoran Desert
The Sonoran Desert is a North American desert which straddles part of the United States-Mexico border and covers large parts of the U.S. states of Arizona and California and the northwest Mexican states of Sonora, Baja California, and Baja California Sur. It is one of the largest and hottest...
and surrounding areas. It is common in the lower Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
valley of California, Nevada and Arizona, as far east as Texas, and in northern Mexico where it often forms dense impenetrable thickets.
It was once used medicinally by Native Americans
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
as an antidiarrheal
Antidiarrhoeal
An anti-diarrhoeal drug is any medication which provides symptomatic relief for diarrhoea.-Types:* Electrolyte solutions are used to replace lost fluids and salts in acute cases....
and eyewash
Eyewash
Eyewash is a fluid, commonly saline, used in the aid of rinsing of the eye. Eyewash may also describe the apparatus used to physically wash the eyes in the case that they may be contaminated by foreign materials or substances....
. Other traditional uses include thatching
Thatching
Thatching is the craft of building a roof with dry vegetation such as straw, water reed, sedge , rushes, or heather, layering the vegetation so as to shed water away from the inner roof. It is a very old roofing method and has been used in both tropical and temperate climates...
, arrow
Arrow
An arrow is a shafted projectile that is shot with a bow. It predates recorded history and is common to most cultures.An arrow usually consists of a shaft with an arrowhead attached to the front end, with fletchings and a nock at the other.- History:...
making and food, especially the edible root
Root
In vascular plants, the root is the organ of a plant that typically lies below the surface of the soil. This is not always the case, however, since a root can also be aerial or aerating . Furthermore, a stem normally occurring below ground is not exceptional either...
.