Eswatini's Flora - siSwati Names and Uses
Compiled by Chris Long, © December 2005
SiSwati names and uses, arranged by alphabetically by botanical name:
| Drimia | |
| altissima (Tall White Squill) kutula, lukhovu, mahlanganisa, silulwane, ukutula, umhlabelo, unshlabelo, | |
| Cultural: | Used for magical-medicinal purposes. |
| Insecticidal: | Bulb is a molluscicide |
| Household: | Soap |
| Medicinal: | Bulbs for fractures & backaches. Leaves & roots for pregnancy oedema. |
| delagoensis (Itch-egg) mahlanganisa, | |
| Cultural: | Protective charm. |
| Medicinal: | Splints for bones. Bulbs are purgative. |
| depressa | |
| Cultural: | Traditionally used as good luck charm or to harm enemies. |
| elata (Satin Squill) gibizisila, gibi'z'phoso, | |
| Cultural: | Protective charm to treat bad luck. Panacea for evil spirits. |
| Medicinal: | Medicinal for pain reliief & colds.. Emetic. Poisonous qualities. |
| sphaerocephala | |
| Medicinal: | Treat external tumours. |
| uniflora | |
| Medicinal: | Bulbs for expectorants, emetics & diuretics |
| Dipcadi umgcobane, ncamjolo, | |
| ciliare | |
| Food: | Edible bulb |
| gracillimum | |
| Food: | Edible bulb |
| marlothii | |
| Cultural: | To induce good aim in hunters |
| Medicinal: | Medicinal for diseases of sexual organs |
| Food: | Edible bulb |
| rigidifolium | |
| Food: | Edible bulb |
| viride | |
| Cultural: | Protective charm against storms. |
| Food: | Edible bulb & leaves. |
| Drimiopsis | |
| maculata (Large-leaved Drimiopsis) injobo, ucibicibane, | |
| Medicinal: | Stomach trouble in children |
| Dracaena | |
| aletriformis (Dracaena) sikhonkhwane, | |
| Dioscorea | |
| cotinifolia (Wild Yam) ingwevu, lunyawo lwendlovu, sikhundla, umkhankha, umkhanya, | |
| Medicinal: | Bark is medicinal. Related to sources of fertility "pill". |
| Food: | Edible tubers. |
| dregeana (Wild Yam) ndiyaza, | |
| Cultural: | Lightening conductor |
| Medicinal: | Rhizomes are a sedative for hysteria & epilepsy. Poisonous. |
| Food: | Tubers need much preparation as a famine food only. Poisonous |
| quartiniana (Yam) lunyawolwendlovu, unyawo-lwendlovu, | |
| Food: | Tubers need much preparation as a famine food only. Poisonous |
| rupicola (Yam) lunyawolwendlovu, | |
| Food: | Tubers need much preparation as a famine food only. Poisonous |
| sylvatica (Elephant's Foot) ingwevu, intsani, lunyawolwendlovu, sikhundla, | |
| Medicinal: | Roots as blood purifiers & for chest conditions. Used in preparation of Cortisone. |
| var. brevipes | |
| var. sylvatica | |
| Dietes phayimashimane, | |
| flavida | |
| Cultural: | Roots worn as a charm to safeguard and strengthen the wearer. |
| iridioides | |
| Cultural: | Roots worn as a charm to safeguard and strengthen the wearer. |
| Dierama litsembu, | |
| adelphicum | |
| atrum | |
| elatum | |
| Household: | Making ropes for huts. |
| galpinii | |
| Household: | Making ropes for huts. |
| igneum | |
| Medicinal: | Medicinal enema. |
| insigne | |
| Household: | Making ropes for huts. |
| medium | |
| Household: | Making ropes for huts. |
| mobile | |
| mossii | |
| Household: | Making ropes for huts. |
| pictum | |
| Household: | Making ropes for huts. |
| robustum | |
| trichorhizum | |
| Household: | Making ropes for huts. |
| tyrium | |
| Household: | Making ropes for huts. |
| Disa | |
| aconitoides subsp. aconitoides ihlamvu, umashushu, | |
| Medicinal: | Roots to promote fertility in women |
| polygonoides | |
| Medicinal: | Tubers to restore voice after Illness |
| stachyoides ihlamvu elimpofu lasenkangala, | |
| Cultural: | Wards off evil spirits and storms |
| versicolor (Apple-blossom Orchid) ihlamvu elibomvu , | |
| Cultural: | Infusion guards against evil |
| Dianthus | |
| mooiensis subsp. kirkii (Frilly Dianthus) tjanibezwe, | |
| Cultural: | Used to make the Royal Soap for the King. |
| Medicinal: | Medicinal. Emetic. |
| Dichrostachys | |
| cinerea subsp. nyassana (Large-leaved Sickle Bush) umsilazembe, | |
| cinerea subsp. africana (Sickle Bush) lusekwane, | |
| cinerea (Sickle Bush) mzilazembe, umtsetane, umzilazemba, | |
| Timber: | Used for durable fence posts. |
| Cultural: | Fencing at Incwala ceremonies. Has medicinal-magico properties. |
| Fodder: | Forage & fodder. Pods and leaves are nutritous. |
| Firewood: | Fuel wood |
| Household: | Inner bark makes strong rope. |
| Medicinal: | Roots for local anaesthesia and snakebite antidote. Many traditional medicinal uses, maybe antibiotic & pain relieving. |
| subsp. africana var. africana | |
| subsp. africana var. pubescens | |
| subsp. nyassana | |
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