Eswatini's Flora Database

Eswatini's Flora - siSwati Names and Uses

Compiled by Chris Long, © December 2005

SiSwati names and uses, arranged by alphabetically by botanical name:

Cissampelos
hirta
Food:	Leaves & ripe fruits are edible.
mucronata (Heart-leaved Vine) umbombo,
Medicinal:	Rhizomes for fever & sexual stimulant. Been used in arrow poisons.
torulosa (Kidney Leaf) ukhalimele-omkhulu, umthombo,
Medicinal:	Leaves for enema & to treat hallucinations
Cryptocarya
transvaalensis (Mountain Wild Quince) mkhonwana, umncabe,
Timber:	Light coloured, hard, tough wood.
woodii (Cape Quince) mthongwane, umcatsane, umncabe, umtfomgwane, umtfongwana,
Timber:	Close-grained hard timber
Cultural:	Magico-medicinal uses.
Medicinal:	Bark used in traditional medicine.
Cassytha
filiformis * (False Dodder) umkhunga,
Medicinal:	Medicinal for dysmenorrhoea.
Cleome
gynandra (Spider Wisp) umzonde,
Medicinal:	Medicinal cure for scurvy.
Food:	Leaves & flower buds cooked well as spinach. Seeds for mustard.
hirta
Food:	Edible leaves
monophylla (African Cabbage) isiwisa esiluhlaza,
Cultural:	Love charm emetic
Food:	Edible leaves. Seeds for mustard. A problem weed.
Cladostemon
kirkii (Three-finger Bush) imbita, imbiza, mandzekwane, umjono,
Medicinal:	Roots said to have medicinal properties. Used as cancer treatment.
Capparis liphambo,
brassii
Medicinal:	Medicinal - emetic.
fascicularis var. fascicularis (Wild Caper Bush) mabusane,
Medicinal:	Medicinal - emetic.
sepiaria var. citrifolia
Cultural:	Magical properties to protect from lightning and ward off evil.
Medicinal:	Medicinal - emetic.
tomentosa (Woolly Caper Bush) imphololwane, impololwane, indodebomvu, indodebovu, ingongola, inkunzibovu,
Cultural:	Traditional. Magico properties to prevent floods & ward off evil spirits.
Fodder:	Palatable fodder for game but also reported as poisonous.
Medicinal:	Roots & stems for chest pains & a wide range of ailments such as coughs, colds, barrenness & impotence.
Cadaba
natalensis (Natal Worm Bush) indondamnyama, indvodzamnyama,
Medicinal:	Medicinal
Cotyledon
orbiculata (Pig's Ears) imphewula,
Medicinal:	Leaf poultice for sore throat, to expel worms, boils & abcesses.
var. oblonga x C. campanulata
var. oblonga
var. orbiculata
Crassula umchobozovithi,
acinaciformis
Medicinal:	Medicinal
alba
Cultural:	Charm to make one invisible
var. alba
var. pallida
var. parvisepala
alpestris subsp. massonii
Medicinal:	Medicinal
arborescens subsp. arborescens
Medicinal:	Medicinal
Food:	Edible roots.
brevifolia subsp. brevifolia
compacta
Medicinal:	Medicinal
expansa
Medicinal:	Medicinal
subsp. expansa
subsp. fragilis
lanceolata
Medicinal:	Medicinal
subsp. denticulata
subsp. lanceolata
subsp. transvaalensis
orbicularis
Medicinal:	Medicinal
ovata
Honey:	Attracts bees
Medicinal:	Medicinal
Food:	Roots can be grated, cooked and eaten.
pellucida
Medicinal:	Medicinal
subsp. alsinoides
subsp. brachypetala
subsp. marginalis
perfoliata var. heterotricha
Medicinal:	Medicinal
sarcocaulis subsp. sarcocaulis
Medicinal:	Medicinal emetic.
setulosa
Medicinal:	Medicinal
var. rubra
var. setulosa forma latipetala
var. setulosa
swaziensis
Medicinal:	Medicinal
vaginata
Cultural:	Love charm.
Medicinal:	Medicinal for earache & bruises.
Food:	Edible roots. Famine food mixed with sour milk.
subsp. minuta
subsp. vaginata
Choristylis
rhamnoides (False Dogwood) liklolo,
Food:	Edible fruit and edible leaves.
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ESWATINI'S BIODIVERSITY

Eswatini's Flora - siSwati Names and Uses

Eswatini's Flora - siSwati Names and Uses