Editing Apocynum cannabinum (section)

==Uses==
===Fiber===
Much like flax and hemp, ''Apocynum cannabinum'' contains long fibers in the stems, known as bast fibers, which can be extracted and used to create textiles. The fibers are very fine and strong, with a silky texture, and easier to process than hemp.<ref name="wenner"/> The stalks of this plant have been used as a source of fiber by [[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]]<ref name=coville/> to make [[Bow and arrow|bows]], [[Bow drill|fire-bows]], [[Net (device)|nets]], [[tie down straps|tie-down straps]], hunting nets, fishing lines, bags,<ref name=kalm/> and clothing.<ref name=heiser/> According to Craig Bates of the Yosemite Museum, five stalks of the plant are needed to make one foot of cordage. A large bag used for storing roots would take one to three months to complete.<ref>{{cite web |title=Indian hemp |url=https://plants.usda.gov/DocumentLibrary/plantguide/pdf/pg_apca.pdf |website=plants.usda.gov |publisher=United States Department of Agriculture}}</ref> The stems should be harvested in the fall, after the leaves have fallen and the stalks have turned a deep reddish-brown color. Since cutting the stalks promotes regrowth in the spring, as much as possible should be harvested. Unused stems are traditionally cleared away by burning, which causes the plant to grow back taller and straighter in spring.

===Food===
The [[seeds]] have an edible use as a meal (raw or cooked) when ground into a powder.<ref name=pfaf/>

===Chewing gum===
The plant's latex sap can be squeezed from the plant and allowed to stand overnight to harden into a white [[natural gum|gum]] which can be used (sometimes mixed with clean [[clay]]) as [[chewing gum]].<ref name=pfaf/>

===Phytoremediation===
''Apocynum cannabinum'' can be used to sequester [[lead]] in its [[Biomass (ecology)|biomass]] by taking it up from the soil through its roots. This process, called [[phytoremediation]], could help clean sites contaminated with lead.<ref name=lasat/>

===Medicinal===
[[File:Apocynum cannabinum 7.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|''Apocynum cannabinum'' showing sap from a broken leaf]]
It is used in [[herbal medicine]] to treat [[fever]] and to slow the pulse.<ref name=felter/> ''Apocynum cannabinum'' has been employed by various Native American tribes to treat a wide variety of complaints including [[rheumatism]], [[cough]]s, [[poxvirus|pox]], [[whooping cough]], [[asthma]], [[Human parasite|internal parasites]], [[diarrhea]], and to increase [[lactation]].<ref name=pfaf/> The root has been used as a tonic, [[cardiotonic]], [[diaphoretic]], [[diuretic]], an [[emetic]] (to induce [[vomiting]]), and an [[expectorant]].<ref name=felter/><ref name=pfaf/> It is harvested in the [[autumn]] and dried for later use. The fresh root is medicinally the most active part. A weak [[herbal tea|tea]] made from the dried root has been used for [[cardiac disease]]s and as a [[vermifuge]] (an agent that expels [[parasitic worms]]). The milky sap is a [[folk remedy]] for [[genital warts]].<ref name=pfaf/>
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