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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