Sources & Bibliography
Last Updated: January 2026
Our archive is built upon the foundational work of generations of ethnobotanists, historians, and tribal elders who documented these traditions. Below are the primary sources used to compile the Spirit Native Foods database.
Primary Sources
- USDA Plants Database: Core botanical data and nomenclature.
- Moerman, Daniel E. (1998). Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press.
- Hart, Jeff. (1981). Montana Native Plants and Early Peoples. Montana Historical Society Press.
- Gilmore, Melvin R. (1919). Uses of Plants by the Indians of the Missouri River Region. Bureau of American Ethnology.
- Kindscher, Kelly. (1987). Edible Wild Plants of the Prairie: An Ethnobotanic Guide. University Press of Kansas.
- Kindscher, Kelly. (1992). Medicinal Wild Plants of the Prairie: An Ethnobotanic Guide. University Press of Kansas.
- Grinnell, George Bird. (1923). The Cheyenne Indians: Their History and Ways of Life. Yale University Press.
Methodology
Direct quotes and specific uses are attributed wherever possible. In cases where multiple tribes shared a common use, this is noted. We strive to maintain the distinction between historical record and modern application.