Eswatini's Flora - siSwati Names and Uses
Compiled by Chris Long, © December 2005
SiSwati names and uses, arranged by alphabetically by botanical name:
| Aponogeton | |
| junceus | |
| Food: | Aquatic leaves, flowers & tubers are edible. |
| Ascolepis | |
| capensis inkhokabovu, lubote, lubuti, lubuzi, sidzayi, umdzayana, umuzi, | |
| Cultural: | Widows head dress |
| Household: | Beer strainers & mats |
| Aneilema lidzangamane, | |
| aequinoctiale (Clinging Aneilma) idangamane, idwangubane, indvwangubane, | |
| Fodder: | Fodder. Pig's food |
| Food: | Edible leaves & tuberous roots. |
| dregeanum | |
| Fodder: | Fodder. Pig's food |
| Medicinal: | Medicinal |
| hockii | |
| Fodder: | Fodder. Pig's food |
| Androcymbium | |
| longipes | |
| Medicinal: | Earache |
| melanthioides subsp. transvaalense | |
| Medicinal: | Earache |
| striatum | |
| Medicinal: | Earache |
| Aloe emadzima, inhlaba, imfe yemacoco lemako, | |
| affinis | |
| Medicinal: | Snuff |
| albida (Aloes) inhlatjana, | |
| Medicinal: | Snuff & roots for toothache |
| arborescens (Krantz Aloe) imbovane, incena, | |
| Cultural: | Good luck |
| Medicinal: | Leaf sap for burns, X-ray burns, wounds, bruises & skin abrasions. Leaves for high blood pressure &diabetes. |
| barberae | |
| Cultural: | Planted around homesteads for hut protection. |
| Medicinal: | Snuff & roots for toothache |
| castanea | |
| Insecticidal: | The ash left after burning leaves is used as weevil repellent. |
| chabaudii var. chabaudii (Chabaud's Aloe) libhamali, | |
| Medicinal: | Snuff & roots for toothache. Antibiotic |
| chortolirioides (Aloes) inhlatjana, | |
| Medicinal: | Snuff. |
| var. chortolirioides | |
| var. woolliana | |
| cooperi (Cooper's Aloe) lisheleshele, lisheshelu, | |
| Medicinal: | For easy birthing. |
| Food: | Edible leaves |
| subsp. cooperi | |
| subsp. pulchra | |
| cryptopoda | |
| Dyes: | Dye for wool - reddish brown or purplish-red. |
| Medicinal: | Snuff & roots for toothache. Antibiotic |
| dewetii | |
| Medicinal: | Snuff & roots for toothache |
| Food: | Edible |
| dominella | |
| dyeri (Aloes) lidzema, | |
| ecklonis (Broad-leaved Grass Aloe) lisheshelu, | |
| Food: | Edible leaves, fruit & other portions |
| ecklonis (Ecklon's Aloe) lisheshelu, | |
| Cultural: | Protective charm for girls. |
| Medicinal: | Tuberculosis |
| Food: | Edible leaves & flowers |
| greatheadii var. davyana | |
| Medicinal: | Leaf sap for urns & wounds. Antibiotic |
| Food: | Vegetable |
| integra (Aloes) lisheshelu, | |
| Food: | Edible leaves & fruit |
| kniphofioides (Grass Aloe) inhlatjana, | |
| Medicinal: | Medicinal snuff. |
| linearifolia | |
| Medicinal: | Medicinal. |
| maculata (Common Soap Aloe) emahala, lihala, | |
| Cultural: | Dlamini does not eat but plants on grave |
| Medicinal: | Medicinal for colds, wounds, & ringworm. |
| Food: | Edible heart & leaves. |
| marlothii (Mountain Aloe) mallotti, umhlaba, | |
| Medicinal: | Leaves for snuff, stomach cramps & antibiotic. Roots & leaves for toothache & roundworm. |
| subsp. marlothii | |
| subsp. orientalis | |
| minima (Pink Grass Aloe) inhlatjana, | |
| Medicinal: | Antibiotic |
| Food: | Edible shoots & flowers |
| mudenensis | |
| myriacantha | |
| parvibracteata (Aloes) emahala, | |
| Fodder: | Monkeys, rhino & antelope eat leaves & flowers |
| Medicinal: | Snuff & roots for toothache |
| Food: | Edible parts |
| pretoriensis | |
| rupestris (Bottlebrush Aloe) inkalane, | |
| Medicinal: | Snuff & roots for toothache |
| spicata | |
| Medicinal: | Snuff & roots for toothache. Enema for babies. |
| suprafoliata | |
| Medicinal: | Snuff & roots for toothache |
| tenuior | |
| Cultural: | Used for protective charms. |
| Medicinal: | Medicinal for tapeworms. |
| vanbalenii (Van Balen's Aloe) lihala, | |
| Cultural: | Dlamini does not eat but plants on grave |
| Food: | Edible leaves & fruit |
| zebrina | |
| Medicinal: | Antibiotic |
| Agapanthus hlakahla, | |
| caulescens | |
| Medicinal: | Medicinal. Emetic. |
| subsp. angustifolius | |
| subsp. caulescens | |
| inapertus subsp. intermedius | |
| Cultural: | Good luck charm. |
| Medicinal: | Medicinal. Emetic. |
| nutans | |
| Medicinal: | Roots for chronic penile ulcer & vulva infections. |
| Albuca | |
| fastigiata (Spreading White Albuca) umaphipha-intelezi, | |
| Cultural: | Used as protective charm. |
| setosa (Small White Albuca) gibi'z'phoso, ingcina, mfazothethayo, | |
| Cultural: | Ritual cleansing & to end quarrels. Lightning protection. |
| Medicinal: | Medicinal |
| Asparagus | |
| aethiopicus | |
| Food: | Edible shoots |
| angusticladus | |
| Food: | Edible shoots |
| asparagoides (Cape Smilax) ibutha, inkunzimbili, | |
| Cultural: | Charm to increase fertility of cattle. |
| Medicinal: | Medicinal for sore eyes |
| cooperi (Wild Asparagus) lubane, | |
| Medicinal: | Kidney & stomach complaints & infections |
| Food: | Edible shoots |
| falcatus (Yellowwood Asparagus) imbelekazana, | |
| Fodder: | Fruits & leaves eaten by monkeys, birds, & antelopes |
| Medicinal: | Root is antibiotic, aphrodisiac, nerve tonic & antispasmodic |
| macowanii (Zulu Asparagus) silevu sembuti, | |
| Cultural: | Traditional. Used for divination. |
| Medicinal: | Medicinal. |
| plumosus | |
| Food: | Edible shoots |
| racemosus | |
| Medicinal: | Root is antibiotic, aphrodisiac, nerve tonic & antispasmodic |
| ramosissimus (Cascade Asparagus) ibutha, | |
| Cultural: | Protective charm against snakes. |
| Medicinal: | Treatment of colic |
| Food: | Edible roots |
| setaceus (Wild Asparagus) mahlabane, silevu sembuti, umutsi wekubeleka, | |
| Cultural: | Used in love charms. |
| Medicinal: | Roots used for hypotonic labour. |
| Food: | Edible shoots |
| suaveolens | |
| Medicinal: | Roots used medicinally |
| Food: | Edible shoots. |
| virgatus (Broom Asparagus) umshanveto, | |
| Cultural: | Protective charms. |
| Household: | Crafts |
| Medicinal: | Syphilis & intestinal worms |
| Apodolirion | |
| buchananii (Natal Crocus) icukudwane, indwa, | |
| Medicinal: | Stomach complaints |
| Ammocharis | |
| coranica (Ground Lily) icukudo, incukudwane, isidiya, umbhodiya, | |
| Cultural: | To treat ailments caused by witchcraft |
| Fodder: | Leaves browsed by stock. Bulb is poisonous. |
| Household: | Bulb for paste to waterproof pots. Men's head rings. |
| Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 | |
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I |
| J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R |
| S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
Search for flora information: Enter any name or part of a name in the appropriate box:
Search for photos/illustrations: Enter any name or part of a name in the appropriate box:
Website hosting sponsored by the Natural History Society of Eswatini
