Eswatini's Flora - siSwati Names and Uses
Compiled by Chris Long, © December 2005
SiSwati names and uses, arranged by alphabetically by botanical name:
| Bolboschoenus | |
| maritimus | |
| Food: | Edible fruit |
| Bulbine | |
| abyssinica (Spreading Bulbine) ibhucu, | |
| Medicinal: | Medicinal for burns, wounds, bilharzia & dysentery. |
| capitata | |
| Medicinal: | For burns & wounds |
| frutescens | |
| Insecticidal: | Aromatic pesticide |
| Household: | Aromatic used for soaps and cosmetics. |
| Medicinal: | Leaf sap for mosquito bites, abrasions, burns, wounds & rashes. |
| Food: | Edible leaves and stalks. |
| Bowiea | |
| volubilis (Climbing Potato) gibizisila, | |
| Cultural: | Love charm. |
| Medicinal: | Medicinal for sore eyes,skin complaints, dropsy, headaches, STDs |
| Behnia | |
| reticulata (Forest Smilax) isigoba, izaza elimhlophe, | |
| Cultural: | Used in love potions |
| Boophone | |
| disticha (Bushman Poison Bulb) incumbe, siphahluka, | |
| Household: | Sour-milk plugs. Decorative body ornaments. |
| Medicinal: | Hallucinogen. Bulb as antiseptic & pain relief. Poisonous. |
| Brunsvigia lilula, | |
| natalensis | |
| Medicinal: | Straighten child's bones |
| radulosa | |
| Medicinal: | Straighten child's bones & treats barrenness in women. Poisonous. |
| Bonatea | |
| porrecta sibhunge, | |
| Brachycorythis | |
| ovata subsp. ovata | |
| Cultural: | Protective charm. |
| Medicinal: | Medicinal for madness. |
| Boerhavia | |
| diffusa * | |
| Food: | Leaves edible when cooked. Roots edible raw or cooked |
| var. acuta * | |
| var. diffusa * | |
| Boscia siphiso, | |
| albitrunca (Shepherd's Tree) ingwavuma, ingwavuma-lensikati, ingwayuma, umphitsi, | |
| Cultural: | Traditional in folklore and much respected. If wood is burnt only male calves will be produced. |
| Fodder: | Leaves & twigs are nourishing & nutritious fodder for game and stock. |
| Household: | Tough, durable wood use for household utensils. Spoons & bowls. |
| Medicinal: | Leaves & roots used as emetic & epilepsy remedy. Also for haemorrhoids. Bark for women vomiting. |
| Food: | Edible leaves & roots for beer & coffee substitute. Fruit used for juice. |
| foetida (Smelly Shepherd's Tree) ingcotho, umpheme, umphisi lomncane, | |
| Cultural: | Medicinal & magical properties protect against lightning. |
| Food: | Roots for porridge or coffee substitute. Edible fruit. |
| subsp. filipes | |
| subsp. rehmanniana | |
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