The western red cedar’s species name plicata and its leaf pattern evoke braided sweetgrass

Evidence

Looking closely, you can see the tiny overlapping leaves that shingle each twig. The species epithet plicata refers to their folded, braided appearance. The tight weave and golden-green sheen make the leaves look like tiny braids of sweetgrass, as if the tree itself was woven of kindness. — Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass, 1026

Categorization

• XREF: Links Mother Cedar explicitly to sweetgrass itself — the book’s titular image — weaving the whole text together; also connects to ch1’s braiding image.