Ethnobotany is the scientific study of the relationship between people and plants. New Mexico ethnobotany specifically involves the uses of plants by both the indigenous peoples and the early Spanish settlers in the state. Some of the plants utilized were growing here when the earliest people came to the area and others were brought by those settling at a later date whether they be native Americans or Europeans. Plants in this category are currently or have had various daily uses.
Ethnobotanicals can be categorized into several groups depending upon their uses.
The Santa Fe Botanical Garden at Museum Hill currently grows several of these plants. Below is a list of the plants that are grown and a description of how they were or are currently used as either Food, Wood & Tools, Weaving & Dying or Medical.
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Food |
Medicine |
Other |
| Amaranth - Amaranthus spp. |
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| Aster, Hairy Golden - Chrysopsis villosa |
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| Aster, Purplestem -Symphyotrichum puniceum |
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| Aster, Sand - Chaetopappa ericoides |
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| Beeplant, Rocky Mountain - Cleome serrulata |
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| Bindweed - Convolulus arvensis |
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| Black-eyed Susan - Rudbeckia hirta |
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| Buffalo Gourd - Curcurbita foetidissima |
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| Burdock - Arctium spp. |
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| Chokecherry - Prunus virginiana |
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| Daisy, Paper - Psilostrophe tagetina |
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| Daisy, Spreading Fleabane - Erigeron divergens |
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| Daisy, Whiplash - Erigeron flagellaris |
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| Dandelion - Taraxacum officinale |
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| Dock - Rumex spp. |
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| Goldenrod - Solidago spp. |
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| Golden Smoke/Scrambled Eggs -
Corydalis aurea |
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| Goosefoot (Lamb's-Quarter) - |
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| Chenopodium spp. |
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| Groundcherry - Physalis spp. |
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| Gumweed - Grindelia spp. |
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| Horse-Nettle - Solanum elaeagnifolium |
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| Horseweed (Mare's Tail) - Conyza canadensis |
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| Hymenopappus, Fineleaf -
Hymenopappus fillifolius
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| Locust, New Mexico - Robinia neomexicana |
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| Milkweed - Asclepias spp. |
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| Mustard, Plains Slimleaf - Schoenocrambe linear |
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| Mustard, Western Tansy - Descurainia pinnata |
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| Paintbrush, Indian - Castilleja integra |
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| Penstemon, James - Penstemon jamesii |
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| Pepperweed - Lepidium virginicum |
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| Plum, Wild - Prunus americana |
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| Plantain - Plantago major |
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| Purslane - Portulaca oleracea |
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| Raspberry - Rubus spp. |
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| Rose, Wild - Rosa spp. |
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| Russian Thistle, Prickly - Salsola tragus |
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| Salsify - Tragopogon dubius |
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| Scorpionweed - Phacelia spp. |
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| Storks's-bill, Common - Erodium cicutarium |
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| Sunflower, Annual - Helianthus annuus |
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| Velvetweed - Gaura mollis |
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| Wolfberry - Lycium pallidum |
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