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Intuitive Hiker - Page 04
Page 04 - Along the Path
From the journal of JHThomas:
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Observations of the Natural World
One of the remarkable things about Thomas, while on his hikes, is his ability to observe so many small details in the environment around him. This page illustrates just a few, with a particular focus on the famous Sacred Datura, vision herb of the shaman.
Ubiquitous and brightly colored, this is just one of hundreds of Collared Lizards (Crotaphytus collaris) observed everywhere in northern Arizona. This inquisitive little reptile runs on his hind legs when in a hurry, a real sight to see. They also have an interesting way of waving their tail, much like a cat, before grabbing at prey. They are capable of hard bites, but generally aren't aggressive. Collareds are relatively long-lived lizards. On occasion you can come up on one that seems to show no fear. Thomas has photos as close as one foot of this great fellow's face. There are nine species of this animal in Arizona.
Here's two other reptile friends often seen along the pathway. This adult Gopher Snake (Pituophis catenifer deserticola), is found nearly everywhere, and certainly in the bottom of Thomas' favorite canyon. Specimens over six feet long have been observed by Thomas, particularly around the ruins at Wupatki. This animal likes to prey on small mammals, especially pocket gophers, wood rats, birds and their eggs, and occasionally lizards and insects. They are active during the day and at night during warm weather.
The smaller reptile, the Short Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma douglassii), is also found everywhere in the mountainous regions of northern Arizona. Short-horned lizards vary in color from tan to reddish to brown, with some large dark blotches and sometimes small light and dark flecks. They possess the gift of camouflage, often matching the ground or rock surface they are found on. These gentle creatures are often doomed by uneducated collectors. With the majority of their diet made up of ants it is often starvation that kills these animals when captive. When disturbed by predators, horned lizards occasionally squirt blood from the eyes for distances of up to 2-3 feet.
The all-time favorite plant for Thomas is the Sacred Datura, which is why they show up in so many of his paintings. Here's some of his reasons why:
There are approximately 25 different species of Datura throughout the world, including Europe, Africa, southeast Asia, Central and South America, Mexico and the United States. They are often called jimsonweed or "thornapple." The latter name refers to the spiny seed-bearing capsules. The common native Datura of the western United States, with rank-smelling foliage and large, white flowers up to 20 centimeters (8 inches) long is D. wrightii. Sometimes the flowers are tinged with purple and resemble oversized petunia or morning glory blossoms. It is a sprawling perennial with an enormous taproot that may extend more than 60 centimeters (2 feet) into the ground. D. wrightii has a large geographic range, including California, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.
The large, trumpet-shaped flowers of jimsonweed (Datura wrightii) are sometimes tinged with purple and resemble giant morning glory blossoms. It actually belongs to the tomato family (Solanaceae) along with petunias, potatoes and tomatoes. This remarkable plant is common along roadsides and riverbeds throughout the western United States, and is one of the largest and most striking of all native wildflowers.
The leaves, stem, root and fruits of Datura contain a battery of tropane alkaloids, the most potent of which are atropine, hyoscyamine and scopolamine. These alkaloids affect the central nervous system, including nerve cells of the brain and spinal cord which control many direct body functions and the behavior of men and women. They may also affect the autonomic nervous system, which includes the regulation of internal organs, heartbeat, circulation and breathing. The action of tropane alkaloids at the cellular level is complex. It is summarized by R.E. Schultes and A. Hofmann in the The Botany and Chemistry of Hallucinogens (1973) and in Medical Botany by W.H. Lewis and M.P.F. Elvin-Lewis (1977). Tropane alkaloids are found in many other poisonous plants, including henbane (Hyoscyamus niger), pituri (Duboisia spp.), and mandrake (Mandragora officinarum), all of which were used extensively in witches' brews and folk medicines. This may explain the Native American's use of it to induce trances during ceremony. It is interesting to note that the infamous tropane alkaloid, cocaine, is also a local anesthetic when injected into skin or muscle tissue. This property led to the discovery and synthesis of the more potent compound, novocain, widely used in dentistry. Depending on the dosages, several tropane alkaloids of Datura (when absorbed together) may have synergistic properties resulting in extreme hallucinations, delirium and death. Since the alkaloids are fat soluble they are readily absorbed through the skin and mucous membranes. Volumes have been written about the uses and properties of Datura in the Middle Ages. Most of the uses involved the consumption of potions or concoctions made from various parts of the plant.
Native Americans traditionally used sacred datura as a hallucinogen by soaking and steeping the leaves into a tea or chewing the seeds or roots. In one Zuni myth, "When the earth was still soft," two curious children spied on the gods and later gossiped about the secrets they saw. The Twin War Gods were so upset that they caused the earth to swallow up the children and, at the place where they disappeared, the sacred datura grew and blossomed for the first time. The use of the plant, even by experienced rain priests or shamans, is considered dangerous: Visions can turn into convulsions or death.
So, the fascination of this plant is its absolute beauty combined with its dangerous properties. It must NOT be experimented with, even though the Native Americans use it under strict religious conditions and seem OK
Further, it is common to find Datura plants growing inside and near the archaeological sites and ruins so prolific in this area. It's almost in homage of the memory of the people who revered them.
At times the ground in the vicinity of this canyon is so covered with potsherds it is difficult to walk without stepping on them. Each one of them tells a story, primarily with regard to WHEN the ancient occupation occurred.
One moonlit evening Thomas became aware that a nearby Datura plant was moving. Its blossoms were actually animated and changing their shape and color right before his eyes. Paying attention and repeating the observations over a few different evenings he was able to capture this series of time lapse photos of this extraordinary event. He also observed that just at the last moment when the blossom explodes full white it releases a cloud of euphoric lemony fragrance into the night air.
All of this leads one to ask two questions;
1. What did the Sinagua Shamans think of this animated phenomenon and the fragrance emited? Was this a great mystery of nature that contributed to their belief system and magic? Knowing that this plant provided the trance into which access into the spirit world could happen could only make this blooming event more wonderous, and frightening.
2. Biologically, however, it also means that something is happening in the dark. There is a reason that this great flower explodes with brilliance and fragrance as the sun is setting. A little research reveals that it's all about reproduction, sex in the night, with the help of a friend. The Datura is pollinated in the dark by the large Hawkmoth.
Then, when it is all over and the "thornapple" seeds are distributed, you find this "spent" husk in winter.
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