I see it listed all over the place here in Japan as simply “indian flower.” I know the dogwood flowers are 4 petals but this 5 petal design with the round “button” in the middle has to be inspired by a specific flower as I’ve seen enough of the design with specific leaves and creepers on them as well.
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I have a lapis pendant with a similar flower. Mine has a small coral center. To me it looks similar to a tropical hibiscus. However, you mentioned vining which moves my train of thought to Clematis. It could also be a single rose as well as numerous other flowers. I’m not sure you can pin it down without asking the artist. Please also consider that I’m on the east coast and it may be a western plant that won’t grow in our climate. Maybe there is a western botanical expert in the group. Good luck!
I believe this shape is for the Forget-Me-Not flower. A symbol used for centuries in all kinds of art. Each generation of fashion has it’s own interpretation and I suppose sometimes the original meaning is lost along the way sometimes. I believe the creepers are a Native American aspect of the whips at the base of the feather quill. Perhaps just some other type of plantlife. Many times in trends, different aspects are copied and put together without rhyme or reason. I think this is especially true in the actual Native American art.
The true Forget Me Not… True Forget-me-Not, Myosotis scorpioides L.
The “squash blossom” so widely used in Native American jewelry is believed to be a pomegranate blossom. It looks much like the flower you are asking about.
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I can see what you’re saying but it seems more logical that these are based on a indigenous flower to the area.
Native variants of these exist in the Southwest so I think you may be right. Some embellishment on the designs is to be expected but the same 5 petal design with button center is pretty distinct from the 4 petal dogwood flower designs.
Definitely not a squash blossom. It’s quite different. I’m aware of the pomegranate blossom theory you’re referencing but I think the squash blossom in Navajo jewelry is simply a squash blossom. No doubt, they became more popular after contact with the Spanish who used a very similar pomegranate blossom design on all kinds of things. What debunks that theory (for me anyway) is the fact that (unlike many other designs taken from the Spanish) the squash blossom design in Navajo culture predated the Spanish contact. To a Navajo seeing the pomegranate blossom design on Spanish gear back then you have to imagine the interpretation would be “we have squash here too!” (and the ensuing confusion when the Spanish were shown squash instead of pomegranates) As a Navajo/Apache mutt, living in Japan, there are endless examples I can give of how these kinds of “imported” things go down and get magnified to cultural norms when the miscommunication appears in the media or advertising. It’s just a more simple answer that the design already existed and when the Spanish came in using what they thought was the same design, it became popular again.
https://www.usu.edu/weeds/plant_species/nativespecies/yarrow.html
The Yarrow flower may give the meaning you’re searching for.
Primrose looks something like this and is used as well in healing of the body.
I would not rule out the Forget Me Not. It’s used to make blue dye, for healing the body -and as a powerful healer of the soul through its meanings and symbols.
The maker of your pendant may not of had a specific flower in mind but instead it was a form seen in earlier days and passed-on from other people. It has been fun looking into your mystery : ) Thank you for the post. Sara