Ipomoea pandurata -(L.) G. Mey.-
wild potato, man-of-the-earth


Entry Type: Species

Species Name: Ipomoea pandurata -(L.) G. Mey.-

Common Name: wild potato, man-of-the-earth

Myaamia Name: kiinwaahkoohsia

Description:

Harvest Seasons: Winter, Summer, Spring

Harvest Comments:

Habitats: Dry Prairie grasslands, Wet Prairie grasslands with flooding, Conifer Shrubland and Forest, Deciduous Swamp no coniferous domts.

Uses: Food

Locations: Undetermined

Sources

Kinietz, V. 1938

Reference Type: Use - Food

Archival Data:

Waupeeseepina is the white potato, found growing in low prairies and the potatoe portion similar in appearance and taste to the commericial potato of the times ca.1938. Easily cooked and very good tasting, these roots are used much by the Miami, particularly when food is seasonally scarce.

Comments: N/A

Kinietz, V. 1938

Reference Type: Use - Food

Archival Data:

Tubers were gathered in wet prairies and eaten: "paneekee, wild potato, these are found in abundance in the wet prairies throughout the country and are gathered in hoeing time (June). They are easily boiled and when they wish to change the color the Indians throw a few leaves of the soft maple [into the cooking kettle] which turns them black".

Comments: N/A

Gravier, J. ca. 1700

Reference Type: Horticultural Info

Archival Data:

nimic8ah8aki , "I found some roots, potatoes, for example digging with a stick etc."

Comments: N/A

Gatschet, A.S. ca. 1895

Reference Type: Use - Food

Archival Data:

Wild potatoes are gathered in prairies, cooked and eaten: "pa'na, pena . . . Refers to one or more species of onion-like or turnip-shaped nutritious bulbs growing extensively upon the western prairies. This "pomme blanche" as named by the "coureurs des bois" look dark and are sweeter than our Irish potatoes. They cook in six hours and are usually called by these Indians [the Myaamia] nalauxki pa'naki".

Comments: N/A

Dunn, J.P. 1919

Reference Type: Use - Food

Archival Data:

Tubers were eaten [Perrot's "Indian potatoes" probably refers to this species or Helianthus tuberosus, Jerusalem artichoke].

Comments: N/A

Gatschet, A.S. ca. 1895

Reference Type: Description

Archival Data:

Kekanwa kuthiaki or kinwa kussia or paxkussia are the old Myaamia language terms for wild potatoes, also called batate. Now the shortened term kussia is used for commercial sweet potatoes.

Comments: N/A

Gleason, H.A. and Cronquist, A. 1991

Reference Type: Habitat

Archival Data :

Grows in dry woods and thickets throughout eastern and western Myaamia lands.

Comments: N/A

Moerman, D. 2003

Reference Type: Related Info

Archival Data :

Ipomoea pandurata is widely used by indigenous groups across North America, with most uses being medicinal, and only two records of use as a food, from the Cherokee as a starvation food source.

Comments: N/A

Kerr, J. 1835

Reference Type: Related Info

Archival Data:

The Miami-Illinois term "panick" means potatoes.

Comments: N/A

Gonella, M.P 2003-2006

Reference Type: Related Info

Archival Data:

The Miami term "ahpena" is used a number of types of potato-like tubers, including the cultivated, domesticated garden potato, Solanum tuberosum in contemporary times. However, ahpena was originally used for another edible tuber, Ipomoea pandurata, wild potato, as well as other tubers like that of Sagittaria latifolia.

Comments: N/A

Legends

  • L.: L. stands for Carl Linneaus, a Swedish botanist and zoologist living from 1707 - 1778, who formed the binomial nomenclature system for scientific naming of species (the two part name). His initial after a scientific name indicates he was the authority for that species name.
  • sp.: Indicates the actual species name cannot or need not be specified. Example: Lilium sp. indicates a single species in the genus Lilium that is not known or does not need to be specified.
  • spp.: (plural) indicates "several species", two or more species of the given genus. Example: Lilium spp. indicates 2 or more species in the genus that cannot or do not need to be distinguished.
  • Use - Unknown: A record for this plant exists but does not include explicit information about the plant's cultural use. It is probable the Myaamia used the plant.
  • Botanical Sources: Sources of any botanical data for this plant species that is not related to its cultural use or significance.
  • Related Sources: Data indirectly related to Myaamia ethnobotany, including non-Myaamia uses of the plant in contemporary and historic times.
  • Myaamia Archival Sources: All records of plant use obtained directly from a Myaamia tribal member in an interview, recorded by a second party or by self-recording.
  • Undetermined (Plant Use): There exists use or other information about a certain, unknown plant species, but the specific species has not yet been determined.
  • Medicinal: For the purposes of this database, medicinal uses of plants and medicinal knowledge are defined as: Commonly held communal knowledge regarding the use of plant-based substances that aid in maintaining a healthy mind, body or spirit, including tonics and teas.
  • Technology: For the purposes of this database, technological uses of plants are defined as: Plants used in the making of food processing, canoes, rafts, dyes, tools, utensils, weapons, hunting and fishing gear (i.e. net, weir, etc.), cordage, string, rope, fodder plant species, firewood, any plants used in trade, etc.
  • Material: For the purposes of this database, material uses of plants are defined as: Plants used in construction of dwellings (floor mats, roofing, side walls), furniture, baskets, storage items, musical instruments, games, crafts, jewelry, cordage used in crafts, etc.
  • Food: For the purposes of this database, food uses of plants are defined as: Plants used as consumed food, spices and seasonings, but not teas or tonics.
  • Customs: For the purposes of this database, customary uses of plants are defined as: Plants involved in a customary ceremony, ritual or traditional event, including ritual smoking, chewing tobacco, war rituals, special mats used to sit on during ceremonies. Customary uses of plants, in this database, does not including plants used for recreation (material), structures where ceremonies take place (material) or medicinal smoking (medicinal).
  • Eastern Myaamia Lands: Eastern Myaamia lands (eastern myaamionki) are centered around northern Indiana, and including western Ohio, eastern Illinois, southern Michigan, and the northernmost portions of Kentucky.
  • Western Myaamia Lands: Western Myaamia lands (western myaamionki) include western Kansas and northeastern Oklahoma.