Sprouting Valley: Historical Ethnobotany of the Northern Pomo from Potter Valley, California

John W. Hudson, a medical doctor turned amateur ethnographer and collector for the Columbian Field Museum of Chicago, conducted extensive research among the Potter Valley Pomo of California from 1890 through the 1920’s. His unedited field notes, unpublished manuscripts and miscellaneous documents, held in the archives at the Grace Hudson Museum in Mendocino, include an unprecedented wealth of ethnobotanical information, constituting what may be the most complete record of plant use by any single indigenous group in California. At the same time, problems associated with the historical and idiosyncratic nature of his work made accessing these data difficult. Dr. Hudson’s original ethnobotanical data are now available for the first time after a careful systematization according to contemporary botanical nomenclature. In this book, the author interprets Hudson’s data, providing new insights into Pomo society and its relationship to the local landscape. Over 270 species of plants, fungi and algae are discussed. Cultural uses are presented for many of these species that are not elsewhere documented for the Pomo or other indigenous groups. The author’s treatment identifies how Hudson’s data contribute to contemporary discussions regarding landscape management, indigenous dietary economies, and ethnomedicine.