Ron May wrote:
>one of my research issues
>involved recovery of plant specimens, pressing them, identification, and
>testing to see if some of the plants were artificially brought into the area
>by prehistoric people for horticulture. We documented several varieties of
>nightshade in rockshelters, which admittedly could have been dropped from
>medicine bags. The best evidence were patches of Opuntia cactus planted at
>elevations 1000 feet higher than normal. These were directly in the center of
>the prehistoric camps. They exist in protohistoric camps too. Thus, I believe
>Opuntia is another example of archaeobotany.


You have to be careful with this line.  Many of these plants are
seed-bearing and birds and other animals love the fruit and therefore
transport the seeds to remote locations.  Normally the seeds would not
germinate or the plants would not survive for more than a generation or two
in these habitats, but the unique soils that form through human occupation
and action may provide that extra kick that they need to survive in
particular locations in an otherwise hostile environment.

I have never known anyone to plant sumac but countless old house sites I
know of have the stuff growing on it.  In cases like this they are more of
an opportunistic plant rather than a domesticate.

Nightshade is a wonderful opportunistic plant and the birds love it.

        Dan W.