Are there any records of what kind of herb this was?

-- Jean-Pierre Huser (jpabcwine@aol.com), July 21, 2001

Answers

That was "Yerba Buena" (literally "good herb") which grew plentifully in the area when San Francisco was first discovered.

Here's a page on it. Has a lot of medicinal uses. http://stuartxchange.com/Yerba.html

-- Rosa Debonneheure (rosadebon@yahoo.com), July 22, 2001.

The Yerba Buena of San Francisco is 'Satureja douglasii' (formerly 'Micromeria douglasii') according to "Flora of the Santa Cruz Mountains" by John Hunter Thomas; Stanford, CA, 1961. It is a member of the mint family.

-- Don Martinich (dutchm@dcn.davis.ca.us), July 23, 2001.

The ohlone indians used it for tea and cooking.

-- rob wilson (rob@robsguide.com), August 01, 2001.

peshawar nights

-- Your Full Name (-- Jean-Pierre Huser (jpabcwine@aol.com)), September 16, 2003.

it's basically mint

-- (exchangelives@yahoo.com), March 11, 2005.