Eswatini's Flora - siSwati Names and Uses
Compiled by Chris Long, © December 2005
SiSwati names and uses, arranged by alphabetically by botanical name:
| Cotula | |
| anthemoides | |
| Food: | Eaten as a herb in Transkei. |
| Crassocephalum | |
| crepidioides | |
| Food: | Edible leaves. |
| Chrysanthemoides | |
| monilifera (Bush-tick Berry) itholonja, umtholombe, | |
| Medicinal: | Leaf infusions for fevers. Fruit juice for impotence & to purify blood. |
| Food: | Edible berries. Sweet & palatable. |
| subsp. canescens | |
| subsp. septentrionalis | |
| Cyathea | |
| capensis (Forest Tree Fern) impimpiliza, inkhomankhoma, umkhomo, | |
| Medicinal: | Medicinal |
| dregei (Grassland Tree Fern) impimpiliza, inkhomankhoma, | |
| Cultural: | Used to ward off evil spirits. |
| Household: | Thatching |
| Medicinal: | Zulus use in a tonic taken in pregnancy to ensure easy birth. Also roots for toothache. An anthelmintic. |
| Ceratopteris | |
| thalictroides | |
| Food: | Edible. Grown commercially in Asia. |
| Cheilanthes | |
| eckloniana | |
| Medicinal: | Smoke from burnt fronds for head & chest colds. Ashes for sores. |
| hirta | |
| Medicinal: | Decoction remedies sore throats, colds & asthma. Smoke for sleep. |
| quadripinnata (Four-pinnate Lip Fern) quphulaka, | |
| Cultural: | Can be used to drive away evil spirits. |
| Medicinal: | Crushed rhizomes mixed with milk for diarrhoea. |
| viridis (Common Lip Fern) quphulaka, | |
| Medicinal: | Ground fronds for burns, sores & skin complaints |
| var. glauca | |
| var. macrophylla | |
| var. viridis | |
| Cymbopogon | |
| excavatus (Turpentine Grass) lucungwa, sigeja, | |
| Fodder: | Grazing. |
| Household: | Thatching huts. |
| nardus (Tambuki Grass) lucungwa, sigeja, | |
| Household: | Thatching huts. |
| pospischilii lucungwa, | |
| Medicinal: | Medicinal |
| Cenchrus | |
| ciliaris (Buffalo Grass) lenchrus, | |
| Fodder: | Excellent source of natural grazing in times of drought. |
| Cynodon | |
| dactylon (Bermuda Grass) ngwengane, | |
| Soil Conservation: | Erosion control |
| Fodder: | Grazing. Ergot infestation can cause "tremors" in stock. |
| Medicinal: | For heartburn, wounds, indigestion & as blood purifer. |
| Food: | Leaves rich in vitamin C |
| nlemfuensis * | |
| Fodder: | Used for pasture and hay but tends to be invasive. |
| Chloris | |
| gayana (Rhodes Grass) umnyankhomo, | |
| Fodder: | Recommended by Cecil Rhodes for fodder & grazing. Planted pastures. |
| pycnothrix (Finger Grass) tjanibesiganya, | |
| Soil Conservation: | Erosion control |
| virgata (Sweetgrass) amafusine, | |
| Fodder: | Grazing |
| Medicinal: | Used by the Xhosa for colds and rheumatism |
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