Southern Africa has a rich floral heritage that includes 215 medicinal plant families, 1 240 genera, and 3 689 taxa (species, subspecies and varieties), representing 15% of the regional flora. Of these, 771 taxa are actively traded. Field botany is the study of identifying plants and grouping them into categories based on shared anatomical characteristics. […]
Tulbaghia violacea | Muthi Flora of southern Africa
A condensed Tulbaghia violacea monograph, including its known uses in traditional medicine and its botanical information. Side note: This is the only details the references cited below have about Tulbaghia violacea; if you can provide any additional information, photos or reliable records, please leave a comment below or in The Muthi Flora of southern Africa […]
Is it Safe to Use Comfrey?
I’ve received a flood of emails regarding my previous article about comfrey speeding up the healing of a fractured finger. Most people were concerned about the safety and legality of comfrey. So in this article, I’ll try and debunk some of these safety issues. Comfrey is Banned in Foodstuffs Let’s start with comfrey’s status as a banned herb […]
9 Tulbaghia Species Used As Muthi In southern Africa
A condensed materia medica of the 9 members of the genus Tulbaghia [tul-BAG-ee-ah] used as muthi plants in southern Africa. – The Muthi Flora of southern Africa Tulbaghias belongs to the Alliaceae family. They are herbaceous, often clump-forming perennials with compact tuberous rhizomes bearing thick roots. Leaves are long and narrow and have an aroma […]
December Regional Herb and Veggie Sowing Guide
For southern Africa (Revised and updated December 2019) December Food Gardening Activities in a Nutshell There is much to enjoy in the garden in December. The second flush of roses and the early summer flowering annuals are just beginning to open, promising a beautiful summer garden. Christmas hydrangeas, liliums and daylilies add their enchantment to […]
The Top Traded Medicinal Plants of southern Africa
The trade in the medicinal plants of southern Africa is a vibrant and growing industry. It is an important livelihood option for rural women, and for those involved, it is a major contributor to household incomes. It is valued at R2.9 billion annually in South Africa and at least 133 000 households in South Africa […]
11 Hypoxidaceae (Star Lilies) Used As Muthi Plants
A condensed materia medica of the 11 members of the Hypoxidaceae family used as muthi plants in southern Africa. – The Muthi Flora of southern Africa The Hypoxidaceae family is relatively small with six of its nine genera occurring in southern Africa – the area south of the Kunene, Okavango and Limpopo Rivers, and includes […]