Gathering the Desert

Gathering the Desert is an ethnobotanical feast!  Organpipe Cactus, Tepary Beans, Wild Gourds, Palms, and Mesquite are among the plants explored within the cultural contexts of Sonoran Desert peoples. Gary Paul Nabhan discusses how Devil’s Claw creates the distinctive dark design elements of Tohono O’odham baskets and how fiery chiltepine chiles have kept some desert dwellers cool.  Many plants have medicinal properties that can benefit everyone: Creosote leaf, for example, not only can be made into a tea that can help treat a cold but can be easily collected. So whether you’re interested in the the collection of Amaranth Greens; the historic relationship between Native Americans and Sandfood (a rare parasitic plant found buried in dunes); or the way to make the bootleg mescal bacanora of northern Mexico, this book is a great place to learn about the healing and nutritional values of Sonoran Desert plants. Lovely line drawings by Tucson artist Paul Mirocha decorate the text.