Eswatini's Flora - siSwati Names and Uses - CAPPARACEAE
Compiled by Chris Long, © December 2005
| Cleome | |
| gynandra (Spider Wisp) umzonde, | |
| Medicinal: | Medicinal cure for scurvy. |
| Food: | Leaves & flower buds cooked well as spinach. Seeds for mustard. |
| hirta (Spider Wisp) | |
| 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 (Three-finger Bush) | |
| Medicinal: | Medicinal - emetic. |
| fascicularis var. fascicularis (Wild Caper Bush) mabusane, | |
| Medicinal: | Medicinal - emetic. |
| sepiaria var. citrifolia (Wild Caper Bush) | |
| 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. |
| Boscia siphiso, | |
| albitrunca (Shepherd's Tree) ingwavuma, ingwavuma-lensikati, ingwayuma, umphitsi, | |
| Cultural: | Traditional in folklore and much respected. If wood is burnt only male calves will be produced. |
| Fodder: | Leaves & twigs are nourishing & nutritious fodder for game and stock. |
| Household: | Tough, durable wood use for household utensils. Spoons & bowls. |
| Medicinal: | Leaves & roots used as emetic & epilepsy remedy. Also for haemorrhoids. Bark for women vomiting. |
| Food: | Edible leaves & roots for beer & coffee substitute. Fruit used for juice. |
| foetida (Smelly Shepherd's Tree) ingcotho, umpheme, umphisi lomncane, | |
| Cultural: | Medicinal & magical properties protect against lightning. |
| Food: | Roots for porridge or coffee substitute. Edible fruit. |
| subsp. filipes | |
| subsp. rehmanniana | |
| Cadaba | |
| natalensis (Natal Worm Bush) indondamnyama, indvodzamnyama, | |
| Medicinal: | Medicinal |
| Maerua | |
| angolensis (Bushveld Bead-bean) umenwayo, ummenwayo, umvitsi, | |
| Medicinal: | Medicinal but fruit may be poisonous. |
| cafra (Bush Cherry) untswantswane, | |
| Food: | Edible fruit. Root a chicory substitute. |
| edulis (Blue-leaved Bush-cherry) inswaniswani, | |
| Insecticidal: | Leaves are pesticidal & aromatic. |
| Food: | Fruits said to be edible when boiled but has poisonous elements. |
| parvifolia (Dwarf Bush-cherry) mnogonogo, | |
| Food: | Root has sweet taste. Used a substitute for chicory. |
| racemulosa (Forest Bush-cherry) idungamuzi elicane, imphunziso, umphunzizo, | |
| Medicinal: | Roots are medicinal. |
| Food: | Food is prepared from the root or bulb. |
| rosmarinoides (Needle-leaved Bush Cherry) mankhweni, umzane, umzawe, | |
| Cultural: | Roots used as good luck charm. |
| Medicinal: | Medicinal roots. |
| Thilachium | |
| africanum (Cucumber Bush) vuma, | |
| Medicinal: | Roots are medicinal. |
| Food: | Edible fruit. |
SiSwati names and uses, arranged by botanical name - families:
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