The Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma is encouraging tribal members to keep ancestral plants and vegetables alive.

The tribe has been collecting seeds from culturally significant plants and vegetables. More than 20 species have been identified.

"We have several varieties of corn, gourds and beans, as well as a few specialized plants such as tobaccos and squashes," Pat Gwin, the tribe's natural resources supervisor, told The Tulsa World.

About 600 people have signed up for the tribe's heirloom plant project, Gwin said.

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Sowing seeds of tribal history (The Tulsa World 3/4)