Eswatini's Flora - siSwati Names and Uses - CELASTRACEAE
Compiled by Chris Long, © December 2005
| Maytenus | |
| acuminata var. acuminata (Silky Bark) umnama, | |
| Household: | Handsome wood makes good sticks. |
| Medicinal: | Bark used for stomach complaints. |
| mossambicensis var. gurueensis (Red Forest Spike-thorn) umgungulutane, | |
| Food: | Edible fruit |
| peduncularis (Cape Blackwood) umboyi, | |
| Cultural: | Sticks are wielded by dancers at Incwala ceremonies |
| Household: | Wood used for fighting sticks & knobkerries & household utensils. |
| undata (Koko Tree) sibiyabandla, umbatacwepe, umbatancwephe, | |
| Cultural: | Branches used in traditional ceremonies. |
| Firewood: | Fuel wood |
| Household: | Wood used for spoons, tools & carving. |
| Putterlickia | |
| verrucosa (False Forest Spike-thorn) mhlatjwa, | |
| Medicinal: | Medicinal plant |
| 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. |
| Pterocelastrus sehlulamanye, | |
| echinatus (White Candlewood) incocodzi, lishasha, | |
| Medicinal: | Heavily used medicinally in Transkei. Roots &bark are analgesic. |
| rostratus (White Candlewood) | |
| Medicinal: | Medicinal bark used with other substances for spinal problems. |
| tricuspidatus (White Candlewood) | |
| Dyes: | Bark is rich in tannic acid. Was once used for tanning purposes. |
| Firewood: | Fuelwood. Produces much heat. |
| Medicinal: | Bark used medicinally. |
| Cassine | |
| peragua subsp. peragua (Cape Cherry) umboyi, umkhukhuze, | |
| Household: | Wood for sticks & handles |
| Food: | Edible fruit. Leaves may be toxic. |
| Pleurostylia | |
| capensis (Mountain Hard pear) umtfunyelelwa, | |
| Household: | Wagon construction |
| Gymnosporia | |
| buxifolia (Common Spike-thorn) sibhubhu, sibhuku, sihlangu, sihlangulesimnyama, | |
| Timber: | Timber. Hard strong useful wood. |
| Cultural: | Magical properties. Good love charm. |
| Firewood: | Firewood |
| Household: | Tool handles & utensils |
| Medicinal: | Medicinal for angina pectoris. Roots for stomach cramps. |
| glaucophylla (Blue Spike Thorn) sihlangu, sihlangwe, sihlangwe simnyama, simnyama, umboyi, | |
| Timber: | Timber |
| Firewood: | Firewood |
| Medicinal: | Snakebite cures. Roots given to pregnant women. |
| heterophylla (Angular-stemmed Spike Thorn) sihlangu (white), sihlangulesimnyama, | |
| Medicinal: | Bark used as snakebite cure. |
| maranguensis (Angular-stemmed Spike Thorn) | |
| Household: | Used for tool handles |
| markwardii (Spike Thorn) sihlangu, | |
| Medicinal: | Snakebite cures |
| mossambicensis ingqwangame yehlathi, ingqwangane, | |
| nemorosa (White Spotted Spike-thorn) mzubanacansi, sihlangu, | |
| Medicinal: | Spines are medicinal. |
| senegalensis (Red Spike Thorn) sibhubhu, sihlangu (black), sihlangulesimhlophe, | |
| Timber: | Timber |
| Firewood: | Firewood |
| Medicinal: | Roots & bark - wide variety of ailments including mental illness. Leaves yield snakebite cure. Root chips in beer are an aphrodisiac. |
| Mystroxylon | |
| aethiopicum (Transvaal Kooboo-berry) ingulutane, lishasha, sehlulamanya, sehlulamanye, umboyi, umgungulutane, | |
| Cultural: | Believed helpful in winning a law case. Branches for fighting sticks in Incwala. |
| Household: | Crafts & household items. Xhosa fighting sticks & knobkeries. |
| Medicinal: | Bark as emetic |
| Food: | Sweet, edible fruit but sometimes sour. |
| subsp. aethiopicum | |
| subsp. burkeanum | |
| subsp. schlechteri | |
| Elaeodendron | |
| croceum (Forest Saffron) ingultane, ingulutane, | |
| Timber: | Wood is hard, tough & useful. |
| Medicinal: | Bark is used as emetic. |
| transvaalense (Transvaal Saffronwood) ingwavuma, | |
| transvaalense (Transvaal Saffronwood) umgugudo, | |
| transvaalense (Transvaal Saffronwood) ingulutane, mcabango, mgungulutane, mkimgulutane, ngcotfo, umcabango, | |
| Dyes: | Bark used for tanning. |
| Household: | Fighting sticks. Wielded by dancers at Incwala ceremonies. Wood used for cattle troughs, spoons, headrests & tobacco pipes. |
| Medicinal: | Roots & bark for stomach pain, diarrhoea, rashes & as emetic. A tea made from it is a famous African medicine - ingwavuma. |
| Food: | Edible fruit |
| Robsonodendron | |
| eucleiforme (White Silky Bark) sasatja, umbatancwephe, usasatja, usasatja, | |
| Salacia | |
| gerrardii (White Silky Bark) | |
| Food: | Edible fruits |
SiSwati names and uses, arranged by botanical name - families:
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