Facciola notes that most parts of the plants are edible; young shoots, raw or cooked; rootstocks and buds at ends of rhizomes, raw or cooked; pollen mixed with meal for breadstuffs; seeds ground for breadstuffs; Cheyenne ate inner part of stem raw (DEM; FAC).
• Chinese use the stem (with other plants) for cancer (JLH).
• Clallam Indians used them to ceremonially suck out the cause of sickness (DEM).
• Montana Indians chewed the roots to prevent thirst (DEM).
• Navajo use the plant as a ceremonial emetic (DEM).
• Thompson Indians applied ashes from burned stalks to baby's bleeding navel (DEM).
• Woodlands Cree poultice pith of stem on wounds to stop bleeding (DEM).
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