Fauna - Vertebrates

Eswatini's Flora - siSwati Names and Uses

Compiled by Chris Long, © December 2005

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

Euclea   umdlelanyamatane,
   crispa subsp. crispa    (Blue Guarri)  inchitsamuti,  indodennyama,  indvodzemnyama,  nyamatanemkhulu,  sijele,  umndlela,
      Firewood: Fuelwood
      Household: Stools & handicrafts. Branches used for craftwork.
      Timber: Timber for construction
      Dyes: Dark brown dye from roots used for basketry.
      Medicinal: Roots for epilepsy & an emetic also to pevent miscarriages. Bark & leaf for diabetes. Roots for constipation in children.
      Food: Edible but small fruit
   daphnoides    (Magic Guarri)  indvodzemnyama,
   divinorum    (Magic Guarri)  indlelanyamatane-lebovu,  indvodzemnyama,  sijelele,
      Dyes: Bark produce a brown dye used for basketry.
      Cultural: Wood reputed to have supernatural powers and so never used as fuel. Branches used as good luck charm.
      Household: Toothbrushes made from twig ends. Furniture from wood. Branches used for craftwork.
      Medicinal: Roots & bark for headache, toothache & convulsions. Fruits are a purgative.Roots to prevent miscarriage & baby cleansing.
      Food: Edible fruits can be used for beer. Fruits are also a purgative.
   linearis   
      Food: Edible sweet fruit.
   natalensis    (Hairy Guarri)  inchitsamuzi,  indvodzemnyama,  nkunzemnyama,  umchitamuzi,
      Dyes: Bark produce a brown dye used for basketry.
      Medicinal: Powdered roots for headache & toothache. Dental care. Also for sexual stimulation.
      Food: Some say fruits edible some say poisonous.
          subsp. acutifolia
          subsp. angustifolia
          subsp. natalensis
   polyandra   
   schimperi    (Bush Guarri)  inchitsamuti,  indvodzemnyama,
      Timber: Hard heavy wood. Previously used for wagon wheels.
      Firewood: Firewood
      Medicinal: Medicinal. Analgesic
      Food: Edible fruit.
   undulata    (Common Guarri)  santinyana,
      Timber: Wood useful for fence posts and for joinery
      Cultural: Forbidden at home
      Fodder: Leaves as fodder for stock.
      Medicinal: Roots are strong purgative, used for toothache. Bark for headaches.
      Food: Edible fruit
Evolvulus
   alsinoides   
      Medicinal: Medicinal
Ehretia
   amoena    (Sandpaper Bush)  bungela,  libhungela,  umklele,
      Timber: Fence posts.
      Household: Pestles for grinding grain. Handicrafts.
      Medicinal: Roots used for vomiting.
      Food: Edible fruit
   rigida subsp. nervifolia    (Puzzle Bush)  bhungela,  bhungele,  umcele,  umklele,  umxele,
      Cultural: Good luck charm. Protection from hailstorms and many other uses. Good luck for hunters.
      Fodder: Useful fodder for game and stock.
      Household: Wood used for fishing baskets, pestles and spear shafts.
      Medicinal: Powdered roots on skin cuts to relieve pain & also for toothache.
      Food: Edible fruit
Ethulia
   conyzoides subsp. conyzoides *    (Blue Weed)  umsokosoko,
      Honey: A honey plant.
      Medicinal: Treats colic, intestinal parasites & madness.
Eclipta
   prostrata *    (Eclipta)  ungcolosi,
      Cultural: An annual weed used for love charms and sorcery.
      Medicinal: Medicinal for skin infections & hepatitis.
Equisetum
   ramosissimum   
      Cultural: A charm to drive caterpillars from maize fields.
      Medicinal: Cooked rhizomes enhance fertility in women. Poisonous properties.
Echinochloa
   colona   
      Fodder: Fodder
      Food: Cereal food
   crus-galli   
      Food: Cereal food
   holubii   
      Fodder: Grazing
   pyramidalis   
      Fodder: Natural or cultivated pasture.
      Food: Cereal food.
   stagnina   
      Food: Edible grain. A famine food.
Eragrostis   tjani,  umsingitane,
   aethiopica    (Bush Asparagus)  umsungutane,
      Medicinal: Medicinal. Antibiotic
   aspera   
   barbinodis   
      Fodder: Forage grass.
   barrelieri *   
   caesia   
   capensis   
      Soil Conservation: Erosion control
      Fodder: Early spring pasture.
   chapelieri   
      Soil Conservation: Erosion control
   chloromelas   
      Fodder: Reasonably good pasture.
      Food: Edible grain perhaps a famine food.
   cilianensis   
      Soil Conservation: Erosion control
      Food: Making bread & beer. Cereal food
   ciliaris   
      Fodder: Pasture
   comptonii   
   curvula   
      Soil Conservation: Erosion control
      Fodder: Cultivated pasture and fodder.
      Food: Making bread & beer. Cereal food
   cylindriflora   
   desolata   
   gummiflua   
      Household: Domestic use. Brooms.
   heteromera   
      Fodder: Average pasture.
   hierniana   
      Soil Conservation: Erosion control
   inamoena   
   lappula   
      Fodder: Palatable pasture & fodder
   micrantha   
   patens   
      Fodder: Sign of overgrazing
   patentipilosa   
   patentissima   
   pilosa *   
   plana   
      Soil Conservation: Erosion control
      Fodder: Autumn pasture.
      Household: Handicrafts, hats, necklaces, & bangles.
      Medicinal: Medicinal in Lesotho
      Food: Making bread & beer
   planiculmis   
   racemosa   
      Soil Conservation: Erosion control
   rigidior   
      Fodder: Fodder & grazing.
   rotifer   
      Fodder: Fodder & grazing.
   sclerantha   
          subsp. sclerantha
          subsp. villosipes
   superba   
      Soil Conservation: Erosion control
      Fodder: Palatable and drought resistant pasture. Good hay.
   tenuifolia   
   trichophora   
   viscosa   
Eustachys
   paspaloides   
      Fodder: Fodder & grazing.
Eleusine
   coracana subsp. africana    (African Finger Millet)  umnyawothy,  unyawothu,
   coracana subsp. africana   
      Medicinal: Medicinal for leprosy and liver diseases.
      Food: Edible grain for porridge or beer. A commercial crop or famine food.G1096
   indica   
      Medicinal: Medicinal cough remedy
      Food: Edible grain. Perhaps a famine food. Maybe poisonous to stock.
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