Saturday, September 1, 2012

Buffalo beans



Photo taken in RAM Natural History gallery 2012

According to the legend beside the picture, the pods of this poisonous plant produces a dye, used by Ukrainian settlers to colour Easter eggs.

Also called false lupine, this plant does resemble yellow lupine. It belongs to Leguminosae, the pea family. According to Alberta Plant Watch, the name buffalo bean is a reference to the first nations' name of the plant. Its time of blooming coincided with the appropriate time for the spring buffalo hunt.

In Borden, Saskatchewan, Buffalo Beans is the name of a shop that sells baby gear.

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