Eswatini's Flora - siSwati Names and Uses
Compiled by Chris Long, © December 2005
SiSwati names and uses, arranged by alphabetically by botanical name:
| Clausena | |
| anisata var. anisata (Horsewood) umbangadloti, umnukalampimba, umnukelambiba, umnukelambila, | |
| Cultural: | Traditional to hold new born Xhosa babies in the wood smoke to fumigate them and stop bad spirits. Swazi King uses to give strength. |
| Medicinal: | Steam & smoke as fumigant for heart, rheumatism & fevers. Also acts as a deodorant. Widely used medicinally for many internal ailments. |
| Food: | Edible fruit & leaves |
| Commiphora | |
| africana (Poison-grub Tree) liminyela, | |
| Timber: | Fence posts. |
| Fodder: | Forage & fodder |
| Insecticidal: | Termite insecticide. Diamphidia (poison arrow beetle) feast on it. |
| Medicinal: | Bark for snake bites. Fruit for stomach ailments. Resin for abdomen. |
| Food: | Edible roots, also water source. Leaves used but may be poisonous. |
| var. africana | |
| var. rubriflora | |
| glandulosa (Tall Common Corkwood.) liminyela, | |
| Household: | Wood used for household utensils. |
| Food: | Edible but bitter gum. |
| harveyi (Cork Tree) umbangandlala, umnumbi, | |
| Cultural: | Forbidden in home |
| Household: | Spoons & stools |
| Medicinal: | Bark medicinal. |
| Food: | Heartwood eaten in times of drought |
| neglecta (Green-stem Corkwood) liminyela, | |
| Timber: | Poles for fencing. |
| Food: | Roots are eaten like sugar cane as a source of water in droughts. |
| pyracanthoides (Firethorn Corkwood) liminyela, | |
| Household: | Household utensils |
| Food: | Edible roots & gum exuded by bark also edible but bitter. |
| woodii (Forest Corkwood) umnumbi, umubu, | |
| Firewood: | Twigs used to create fire by friction |
| Household: | Light wood used as fishing floats. |
| Croton | |
| gratissimus (Lavender Feverberry) mwulukwa, | |
| Timber: | Termite resistant wood used for construction. Stems for hut roofs. |
| Household: | Y-shaped branches used to make catapults. Leaves for perfume. |
| Medicinal: | Bark for bleeding gums & vomiting. Leaves coughs & fever. Poisonous. |
| var. gratissimus | |
| var. subgratissimus | |
| menyharthii (Rough-leaved Croton) mhuluka, mwulukwa, umkulaka, | |
| Cultural: | Roots for a good luck charm. |
| Medicinal: | Root decoction treats asthma.Leaves medicinal. |
| pseudopulchellus (Small Lavender Croton.) ihubeshane, | |
| Medicinal: | Decoction of root for asthma. Poisonous. |
| steenkampianus (Marsh Feverberry) mhuluka, mnyakeni, mwuluka, | |
| Cultural: | Bark a good luck charm for business. |
| Medicinal: | Bark used as emetic & for chest ailments. Steamed leaves releave aches. |
| sylvaticus (Forest Feverberry) nyakeni, | |
| Firewood: | Burns even when green. |
| Medicinal: | Leaf poultice for pleurisy. Bark for rheumatism. Poisonous. |
| Ctenomeria | |
| capensis imbabatane, | |
| Medicinal: | Bark used as emetic. |
| Clutia | |
| monticola var. monticola (Branching Clutia) licimamlilo, licishamilo, | |
| Medicinal: | Roots used to help in respiration. |
| pulchella var. pulchella (Lightning Bush) ikhambi lenkosi, umembesa, | |
| Medicinal: | Widely used medeicinally. |
| Food: | Plants crushed and used in milk in Lesotho. |
| Catha | |
| edulis (Bushman's Tea) mlomomnandzi, mlomomunandzi, umlomo-mnandzi, | |
| Timber: | Wood for rafters and building poles. |
| Household: | Household Items. Spoons & combs. |
| Medicinal: | Leaves are widely used stimulant brewed or chewed. (khat). A truth drug - stimulates mental capacity. Can become addictive. Roots used for fertility enhancement. |
| Food: | Leaf & twigs consumed fresh or made into tea. Nourishing stimulant. Excessive chewing of leaves can result in insanity. |
| Cassine | |
| peragua subsp. peragua (Cape Cherry) umboyi, umkhukhuze, | |
| Household: | Wood for sticks & handles |
| Food: | Edible fruit. Leaves may be toxic. |
| Cassinopsis | |
| ilicifolia (Lemon Thorn) sihloko, | |
| Cultural: | Branches used for King's hut. |
| Medicinal: | Bark remedy for dysentary |
| Food: | Fruit reported to be edible. |
| tinifolia (False Lemon Thorn) inyandezulu, inyandzetulu, | |
| Cardiospermum | |
| corindum | |
| Medicinal: | Sedative properties. |
| grandiflorum (Balloon Vine) uzipho, | |
| Cultural: | Wreaths worn by widows at funerals by Asante |
| Medicinal: | Medicinal. Sedative properties |
| halicacabum * (Balloon Vine) likhambilemamba, | |
| Food: | Leaves used as spinach. |
| Medicinal: | Medicinal for diarrhoea, catarrh & body sores. Sedative properties. |
| Cissus | |
| quadrangularis (Climbing Cactus) lidzambiso, sihlonhlwane, umhlafutfu, umhlahlamphetfu, umklalafutfu, | |
| Medicinal: | Stems & leaves for sores, wounds & for gonorrhoea. Roots used for sprians. Also used for veterinary purposes. |
| Food: | Seeds used for cooking oil. |
| rotundifolia (Bushveld Grape) lidlebendlovu, nyokane, umtsebulo, | |
| Household: | Roots are used a cleanser. |
| Medicinal: | Roots & leaves are medicinal |
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