Eswatini's Flora - siSwati Names and Uses
Compiled by Chris Long, © December 2005
SiSwati names and uses, arranged by alphabetically by botanical name:
| Cyperus incoshane, | |
| albostriatus | |
| Household: | Making mats |
| articulatus (Sedge) inchoboza, | |
| Household: | Sleeping mats & handicrafts |
| congestus | |
| Fodder: | Cattle grazing |
| Household: | Ropes and baskets |
| Food: | Edible bulb. |
| difformis | |
| Household: | Grinding mats |
| dives (Giant Sedge) likhwane, | |
| Household: | Sleeping mats & handicrafts |
| esculentus var. esculentus (Yellow Nut Sedge) umhlata, | |
| Medicinal: | Tubers for indigestion. Tonic & to hasten inception of menstruation. |
| Food: | Edible tubers with a nutty taste. Invasive & allelopathic. |
| fastigiatus (Sedge) insikane, | |
| Household: | Grinding mats |
| latifolius (Sedge) likhwane, | |
| Household: | Sleeping mats & handicrafts |
| leptocladus (Sedge) likhwane, | |
| Household: | Sleeping mats & handicrafts |
| longus (Sedge) indawo, | |
| Medicinal: | Medicinal for colds & stomach ailments. |
| var. longus | |
| var. tenuiflorus | |
| marginatus (Monkey Bulb) inchoboza, | |
| Household: | Sleeping & grinding mats & handicrafts |
| rotundus | |
| Medicinal: | Rhizomes. Antifebrile & antipyretic. World-wide weed & allelopathic. |
| subsp. rotundus | |
| subsp. tuberosus | |
| semitrifidus | |
| Household: | Grinding mats |
| sexangularis | |
| Household: | Grinding mats |
| Coleochloa | |
| setifera (Scurvy Grass) lutindzi, | |
| Cultural: | For necklace worn after appearance of Mlentengamunye |
| Household: | Handicrafts, baskets, mats & ropes |
| Commelina | |
| africana (Yellow Commelina) lidzangamane, | |
| Fodder: | Fodder & forage |
| Medicinal: | Root for menstrual cramps, venereal diseases & other ailments. |
| Food: | Vegetable |
| var. africana | |
| var. krebsiana | |
| var. lancispatha | |
| benghalensis (Wandering Jew) idambiso, idangabane, idemadema, idlebendlele, | |
| Medicinal: | Infertility, burns, sore throats, dysentary, leprosy |
| Food: | Vegetable. Leaves are a famine food for some. |
| diffusa | |
| Food: | Vegetable. Edible leaves. |
| subsp. diffusa | |
| subsp. scandens | |
| eckloniana (Dayflower) idangabane elincane, | |
| erecta (Blue Commelina) idangabane, | |
| Cyanotis | |
| speciosa (Doll's Powder Puff) ingonga, inkombo, insonga, udabulamafu, umakotigoyile, | |
| Cultural: | Protective & love charm. |
| Medicinal: | Roots for menstrual cramps & infertility. |
| Food: | A Zulu famine food. |
| Chlorophytum | |
| comosum (Green Hen-and-chickens) iphamba, umhlambezo, | |
| Medicinal: | A root remedy ensures a healthy baby. |
| Clivia hlakahla wemahlatsi, | |
| caulescens | |
| Medicinal: | Medicinal. Analgesic |
| gardenii (Major Garden's Clivia) mayime, | |
| Medicinal: | Medicinal |
| miniata (Orange Lily) mayime, | |
| Medicinal: | Leaves and rhizomes help child birth, and are used for snakebites & fever. All parts ar poisonous. |
| var. citrina | |
| var. miniata | |
| Crinum | |
| bulbispermum (Orange River Lily) umnduze, | |
| Cultural: | Planted to protect home from evil. |
| Medicinal: | Roasted bulbs for rheumatism, poultices & easy birthing. |
| graminicola | |
| Medicinal: | Urinary tract problems |
| macowanii (River Lily) lijoye, | |
| Cultural: | Protective charm. |
| Medicinal: | Bulb for tuberculosis, rheumatic fever, Kidney & bladder diseases. |
| paludosum | |
| Fodder: | Leaves browsed by stock |
| Cyrtanthus umpimpilizi, impimpilizi, | |
| bicolor (Fire Lily) ummoimpiliza, | |
| Food: | Edible flower & leaves |
| breviflorus | |
| Food: | Edible flower & bulbs. |
| contractus | |
| Cultural: | A protective charm. |
| Household: | Hollow stems used as whistles. |
| Food: | Edible flower & leaves |
| galpinii | |
| Food: | Edible flower & leaves |
| nutans | |
| Food: | Edible flower & leaves |
| stenanthus var. major | |
| Cultural: | Protective charm against lightning |
| Food: | Edible flower & bulbs. |
| tuckii | |
| Food: | Edible flower & leaves |
| var. transvaalensis | |
| var. tuckii | |
| Crocosmia | |
| aurea var. aurea (Falling Stars) dvwendvweni, udwendweni, umlunge, | |
| Medicinal: | Corms are medicinal for dysentary. |
| paniculata (Falling Stars) umlunge, | |
| Medicinal: | Medicinal for dysentary & infertility |
| Corycium | |
| nigrescens (Black-faced Orchid) umabelembuca, | |
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