Agapanthus: medicine and beauty

Agapanthus africanus (L.) Hoffmanns (Syn. Agapanthus umbellatus) Agapanthaceae / Amaryllidaceae Common Names Blue Lily, African Lily, Lily of the Nile; bloulelie / haaklelie (Afr), isicakathi (Xhosa), leta-la-phofu (Sotho), ubani (-oluncane) / uhlakahla (Zulu). Name Meanings Bloulelie = blue lily; haak = to catch / hook; isicakathi = antenatal / postnatal medicine; leta-la-phofu = saliva of … Continue reading →

Salvia africana-lutea – luscious lipped African Brown Sage

Salvia africana-lutea Lamiaceae Family Common Names Bruinsalie, Geelblomsalie, Sandsalie (Afr.); Brown Sage; Beach, Dune or Golden Salvia (Eng.) Name Meanings Salvia is from the Latin salvere which means to heal or to save. Africana means from Africa and lutea is yellow. This gives Yellow African Sage Classification & Taxonomic Relationships A Southern African member of … Continue reading →

Easter Lily – the sweet, soft, gentle, gracious Amaryllis belladonna

This beautiful sweet smelling flower is to be seen all over Cape Town at the moment. It flowers around Easter and so has become known as the Easter Lily or March Lily. I like its other name – Naked Ladies! It is a beautiful, soft, feminine plant that flowers at a tough time of the … Continue reading →

Pelargonium sidoides – more than just a medicine for upper respiratory problems?

Pelargonium sidoides DC. Geraniaceae (Cranesbill or Storksbill Family) Kalwerbossie. Rabassam. “Umckaloabo”. This plant has a basal rosette of more-or-less heart-shaped greyish green leaves that are gently hairy. It produces small sweet-scented typical Pelargonium-shaped flowers that are unusually dark purple, almost blackish in colour. The plant produces elongated, swollen roots that are reddish-brown internally. Herbal medicines are … Continue reading →

Polygala myrtifolia

  Polygala myrtifolia “myrtle-leaved muchmilk” September bush (Eng.); Augustusbossie, blouertjie, langelede (Afr.) Polygalaceae – the milkwort family This beautiful pink butterfly-flowered plant opens the senses and causes awareness of the physical body. It goes to the hands, wrists and feet and to the metacarpophalangeal joints of the great toes, in particular. It has potential as … Continue reading →

Seriphium plumosum “Slangbos”: an ill-fitting name for a tough but graceful plant

Seriphium plumosum (syn. Stoebe plumosa) Asteraceae Snake Bush, Grey Bush. Khoi Bedding Plant. Names not really suited to this interesting member of the  Daisy Family, although its Latin binomial is slightly better “feathery serif” is closer to the mark. “The origin of the word serif is obscure, but apparently almost as recent as the type style. In The … Continue reading →