Names Of Leaves And Herbs And Some Of their Uses In Yoruba Herbal Medicine

This article was  compile By babalawo Fasina an Ifa apprentice under the tutelage of Babalawo Obanifa Ile ife osun state Nigeria. The article will discuss names of plant in Yoruba herbal medicine, it will also consider some of their Uses in curing Diseases. The Nigerian Names (Yoruba to be specific) as well as English or scientific name of them. Below are list of names of some plant commonly use in Yoruba herbal medicine.

•Sweet potato – oduku, anamo, edumsi, kukundunkun


•Colocasia esculenta – taro, dasheen – ikoko, kok, isu koko, koko, koko funfun

•Canna indica – edible canna – ido, okun

•Cyper esculentus – chufa, rushnut, earth

•almond – ofio, ofio omu, imumu ofio omu, erunsha

•Dioscorea alata – water yam, common yam – ewura duduku, kiamfa, arunfanfan, atti, egbodo

•Dioscorea bulbifera – potato yam, aerial yam – emina, guite sinde, guite sode, aparia isu, emina esi,

•Dioscorea cayenensis – yellow yam, negro yam – pansaga, agandan, aginipa, apepe, igangan

•Dioscorea dumetorum – Bitter yam – itakun isu

•Dioscorea esculenta – lesser yam – isu alubosa

•Musa paradisiaca – plantain – (banana fruit) ogede agbagba

•Zea mays – sweet corn – agbado

•Centella asiatica – asiatic pennywort, wild

•violet – ewe karo

•Crassocephalum crepidioides – hawksbeard velvetplant – ebolo, efodu, egusi

•Opuntia ficus-indica – prickly-pear, Indian fig – oro agogo

•Cucurbita pepo – summer squash, courgette, zucchini, marrow, pumpkin – elegbe, elegede, apala

•Lagenaria siceraria – bottle gourd,calabash gourd, white flowered gourd, white
•pumpkin – igba

•Luffa aegyptiaca – smooth loofah, discloth gourd, sponge gourd, vegetable sponde – run, erun kaankan

•Telfairia occidentalis – fluted gourd – egusi, iroko

•Trrichosanthes cucumerina – snake gourd – tomato elejo

•Arachis hypogaea – peanut, grouns nut, pea nut, chinese almond – egpa, epa gidi, ogodsia

•Cajanus cajan – pigeon pea, cajan pea,

•Conge pea, yellow dhal, cajan pea – otili, otimi

•Canavalia ensiformis – jack bean, horse bean – papanla, popondo, poponla

•Lablab purpureus – hyacinth bean, lubia bean, Indian bean – awuje

•Mucuna prurins – velvet bean, buffalo bean – werekpe, esin, esinfunfun, esise, ewe ina, here, wepe, werepe, yerepe

•Solanum melongena, eggplant – Igba aja

•Transvaal alchornea – yoruba: ijandu, ijandudu, gbaluwo, ijan pupa, sewo sese pepe, ijan, ijan funfun, pepe

•Christmas bush – yoruba: isin, ipa, epa, esin, asiyin, esin abata

•Yellow siris, yellow bean – yoruba: ayinreta, ayinre popo, ayunre, akudinrin, alota

•Lebbeck tree, siris tree, white siris tree, bastard lebbeck, tall albizia, white siris – Yoruba: ayinreta; Edo: ekpaghudo; Igbo: nyie avu

•Flat Crown – yoruba: ayinre, ayinre isingede, ayinre ogo

•Black currant tree – yoruba: aduigbo, asofeyeje, olowuko, yanya holo

•Tassel berry – yoruba: aponlojusese, aroro
White mahogany – yoruba: ifa okete

•Kola nut – yoruba: obi-abata, ogungun

•Zulu coshwood, vanquisher – yoruba: atewu-edun, orodo, ofun, fomu, obi-edun
Job’s tears, gromwell-read, pearl barley – yoruba: obi, obi ifin, obi pupa, obi abata

•African mahogany, counterwood – Yoruba : apa, ako apa, apa igbo

•Pond apple – afe
Soursop, prickly custard apple : eko oyibo, eko omode

•Wild custard apple, custard apple – abo, arere, afon

•Silk tree albizia, mimosa, mimosa tree, silk tree, silk sirirs, Persian acacia, pik siris tree – ayinre, ayinreye

•Pattern wood, alstonia – atikekereheyin, dagunro kekere

•Scrub ironbark, grey birch – ira odan, ira, iralodan

•Coastal goldenleaf, coast goldleaf – asaragba, asa gidi, aarasa, ira, fonu fonu

•Blighia konig sapindaceae, akee apple – isin odo, isin jise, isin oka, isin odan

•Triangle tops, Phialodiscus unijugatus, P. plurijugaturs, P. zambesiacus – isin ako, ako isin, odofin ile, akoisin

•Star apple – osan agbalumo, osan olomo wewe, onidosan, agbalumo olomo

•Satin leaf, Damson plum – osan edun, osan palambi, osanko

•Upas tree, antiaris – oriro, oro, oro efun, abori kefun, awase, oriro omo oluugbo

•Alligator weed – sawewe

•Sessile joyweed, sessile floweres globe amaranth – ewaowo, awo crede, moni roderode, sajeje

•leaves of Senecio biafrae – worowo in Yoruba

•fermented seeds of Parkia biglobosa, African locust beans in English, Igba/Iyere in Yoruba

•leaves of Talinum triangulare (water leaf) or Basella alba, Indian spinach in English, Amunututu in Yoruba

•West African black pepper/Ashanti pepper (Piper guineense, Uziza in Igbo and Ata iyere in Yoruba

•Phyllanthus amarus – ehin olobe or eyin olobe in Yoruba

•Celosia argentea – soko (yoruba)
Launaea taraxacifolia – African lettuce, wild lettuce – efo yanrin.

•Xanthosoa poeppigii – ewe koko
Citrus aurantiifolia – osanwene

•Anacardium occidentale – kasu
Vernonia amygdalina Delile – ewuroaja

•Bridelia ferruginea benth – ira

•Physic nut, termite plant, Barbados nut, fig nut – eto-mkpo

•Monodora myristica – abo lakoshe, arigho, eyinaghose

•Lawsonia inermis – henna, cypress shrub, egyptian privet, alkanna – laali in Yoruba, uhie inine in Igbo.

•Hybanthus Enneasprmus – abiwere in Yoruba Usolala-ocha in Igbo.

•Asparagus africanus – aluki, kadankobe

•Syzygium aromaticum – Clove – konofuru

•Holarrhena Floribunda – Holarrhenna –
Ako-ire, are-ibeji, areno, isai

•Alstonia Boonei – awun

•Shea butter tree – emi, emi-egidi

•Guava – guafa

•Solanum incanum L. – Bitter apple – ikan

•Brimstone tree – oruwo, owuru

•Garlic – Allium sativum – ayu

•Morinda lucida – Oruwo

•Enantia chlorantha – Awopa

•Alstonia boonei – Ahun

•Gossypium barbadense – cotton seed – Owu
Alstonia
boonei – Stool wood – Ahun
•Cymbopogon citratus – lemon grass – Ewe tea, Oko oba

•Carica papaya – pawpaw – Ibepe

•persea americana – avocado pear – Pia
Hymenostegia – ikun

•Emilia coccineus – Scarlet tassel flower – odundun-odo

•Peperomia pellucida – Silver bush – Renren

•Elaeis guineesis – Red oil palm – Ekuro

•Vitex grandifolia – Stool wood – Oori
Bryophyllum pinnatum – Life plant –
 Abamoda

•Cajanus cajan – Pigeon Pea – Otiili

•Vernonia amygdalina – Bitter leaf – Ewuro

•Nicotiana tabacum – Virginia tobacco – Ewe taba

•Allium ascalonicum – Onion – alubosa gambari, alubosa keta, elubasa

•Garcinia kola – Bitter kola – Orogbo

•Citrus aurantifolia – Lime – Osan wewe

•Citrus paradise – Grape – Osan nla

•Amaranthus spinosa – spiny amaranth – Tete elegun

•Amaranthus viridis – slender amaranth – tete- abalaye

•Bryophyllum pinnatum – mother of millions – Odundun Abamoda

•Calotropis procera – milkweed – Bomubomu

•Heliotropium indicum – scorpion weed – Ogbe ori akuko, Agogo igun

•Kalanchoe crenata – Eti eleti

•Manihot esculenta – cassava, tapioca,

•manioc, yucca – Gbaguda, Ege

•Momordica charantia – bitter melon, bitter
 gourd, balsam pear – Ejinrin were

•Ananas comosus – Pineapple – Ope-oyinbo

•Ocimum basilicum – Basil – Efinrin wewe, ofen, eferi, efinrin aruntantan, efinrin ata, efinrin marugbosanyan, efinrin aja

•Basil plant – Nchanwu in igbo

•Ricinus communis – Castor oil plant – lava pupa, Laa funfun

•Bambusa vulgaris – bamboo – oparun

•Anacardium occidentale – cashew nut tree – Kausu

•Cucuma doonestica valeton cucuma longe – •turmeric – atale, atale pupa

•Verbena – Verbena officinalisVerbena – Ewe Orukan,

•Parsley – Petroselinum crispum – Isako, Oshun

•Sage -Salvia officinalis – Kiriwi, Babaluaye, Obatala.


•Purslane, Pigweed, Little Hogweed – •Portulaca oleracea – Gbure

•Spinach – Spinacia oleracea – Obedo, Ewe tutu, Ede.

•Anise – Pimpinella anisum – Eweise, Ochiosi, Azowano.

•Sweet potato – oduku, anamo, edumsi, kukundunkun
•Colocasia esculenta – taro, dasheen – ikoko, kok, isu koko, koko, koko funfun
•Canna indica – edible canna – ido, okun
Cyper esculentus – chufa, rushnut, earth almond – ofio, ofio omu, imumu ofio omu, erunsha
•Dioscorea alata – water yam, common yam – ewura duduku, kiamfa, arunfanfan, atti, egbodo
•Dioscorea bulbifera – potato yam, aerial yam – emina, guite sinde, guite sode, aparia isu, emina esi,
•Dioscorea cayenensis – yellow yam, negro yam – pansaga, agandan, aginipa, apepe, igangan
•Dioscorea dumetorum – Bitter yam – itakun isu
•Dioscorea esculenta – lesser yam – isu alubosa
•Musa paradisiaca – plantain – (banana fruit) ogede agbagba
•Zea mays – sweet corn – agbado
•Centella asiatica – asiatic pennywort, wild violet – ewe karo
•Crassocephalum crepidioides – hawksbeard velvetplant – ebolo, efodu, egusi
•Opuntia ficus-indica – prickly-pear, Indian fig – oro agogo
•Cucurbita pepo – summer squash, courgette, zucchini, marrow, pumpkin – elegbe, elegede, apala
Lagenaria siceraria – bottle gourd,calabash gourd, white flowered gourd, white pumpkin – igba
•Luffa aegyptiaca – smooth loofah, discloth gourd, sponge gourd, vegetable sponde – run, erun kaankan
•Telfairia occidentalis – fluted gourd – egusi, iroko
•Trrichosanthes cucumerina – snake gourd – tomato elejo
•Arachis hypogaea – peanut, grouns nut, pea nut, chinese almond – egpa, epa gidi, ogodsia
•Cajanus cajan – pigeon pea, cajan pea, •Conge pea, yellow dhal, cajan pea – otili, otimi
•Canavalia ensiformis – jack bean, horse bean – papanla, popondo, poponla
•Lablab purpureus – hyacinth bean, lubia bean, Indian bean – awuje
•Mucuna prurins – velvet bean, buffalo bean – werekpe, esin, esinfunfun, esise, ewe ina, here, wepe, werepe, yerepe
•Solanum melongena, eggplant – Igba aja

•Lawsonia inermis – Henna plant – Laali, Lali
•Ficus exasperata -Ficus Tree – Epin
•Ficus asperifolia – Ipin
•Ficus capensis – Opoto
•Ficus elegans – Asoro
•Ficus mucuso – Odan-afomo
•Ficus thoningii – Odan-abaa
•Ficus vallis-choudae – Ogunro
•Vernonia amygdalina – Ewuro
•Phyllanthus amarus – stonebreaker or seed-under-leaf- Eyin-olobe
•Mucuna sloanei – Werepe
•Mucuna pruriens – Ewe-ina, Yerepe
•Alstonia congensis – Ahun
•Mangifera indica – Mango – Mangoro in yoruba
•Nauclea latifolia – Egbesi
•Sorghum bicolor – Poroporo okababa
•Senna fistula – Aidantoro
Erythophleum suaveolens – Erun obo, Olu-obo
•Ocimum gratissimum – Clove Basil- Efirin
•Telfaria occidentalis – Fluted gourd – Ugwu
Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides – Senegal prickly-ash or artar root – Orin ata
•Acalypha wilkesiana – Jiwini, Ewe larapupa
•Sida cordifolia – flannel weed – Iso-obo
Sida pilosa – Eesinle
•Sida rhombifolia – Iseketu pupa
•Thaumatococcus danielli – Ewe moi-moi
•Azadirachta indica – Neem, Nimtree or •Indian Lilac – Dongoyaro
•Aloe vera – Ahon-erin
•Aloe barteri – Eti-erin, Ida-egun, Ida-orisa
•Garcinia kola – bitter kola – Orogbo
•Ageratum conyzoides – Billygoat-weed, Chick weed, Goatweed, Whiteweed – Imi-esu
•Abelmoschus esculentus – Okra- Ila
•Abrus precatorius -jequirity, Crab’s eye, rosary pea, precatory pea or bean, John Crow Bead, Indian licorice – Oju-ologbo
•Abutilon mauritianum – Furu
•Acacia ataxacantha – Ihun, Ewon adele
•Acacia nilotica – Baani, Booni
•Acanthospermum hispidum – Bristly starbur, Goat’s head, Hispid starburr – Dagunro
•Acanthus montanus – Bear’s Breech or Mountain Thistle – Ahon-ekun, Irunmu arugbo
•Adansonia digitata – baobab – Ose
•Aerva lanata – mountain knotgrass – Efun-ile
•Aframomum melegueta – Grains of Paradise – Atare
Alafia barteri – Agbari etu
•Allium ascalonicum – The shallot – Alubosa elewe, alubosa onisu

•Fenugreek – ewedu in yoruba, hulba in Hausa
Hibiscus plant – Zobo
•Tamarind – tsamia
Tumeric –  ata Ile pupa in Yoruba
•Cayenne – Bawa
Chilli – Shombo in Yoruba
•Black pepper – iyere in Yoruba, Oziza in igbo
•Thorny pigweed/prickly amaranth – tete eleegun in yoruba
alternanthera nodiflora – Dagunro
•Butryospermum paradoxum – Shea tree – Ori
•Allium sativum -Garlic – Ayu in yoruba
•Capsicum frutescens – Tabasco pepper – Ata-wewe
•Lactuca capensis – Lettuce – Yanrin
•Bryophyllum pinnatum – Air Plant, Life •Plant, Miracle Leaf or Goethe Plant – Abamoda
Zingiber officinale – Ginger – Jinja, Atale in yoruba
Dioscorea dumetorum – Sweet Yam- Esuru
•Enantia chloranta – Awopa
•Khaya grandifoliola, K. senegalensis, K. ivorensis – Oganwo
•Sphenocentrum jollyanum – Akerejupon
Olax subscorpioidea – Ifan, Ifon
•Tetrapleura tetraptera – Aidan, Aridan
•Lecaniodiscus cupanioides – Akika
•Lippia multiflora – Efirin-gogoro, Efirin-oko
•Jatropha curcas – Botuje, Lapalapa

•Jatropha gossypifolia – cotton-leaf physicnut- Botuje pupa
Jatropha multifida – coral plant, physic nut or Guatemala rhubarb – Ogege
Cymbopogon citratus – lemon grass- Kooko-oba
•Pterocarpus erinaceus – Apepo, Agbelosun
Pterocarpus osun – Osun
•
Pterocarpus santalinioides – Gbengbe
Catharanthus roseus -Madagascar rosy periwinkle – Apabida pupa

•Carica papaya – Papaya – Ibepe

Dioclea scandens – Dasa

•Dioclea reflexa – Agbarin, Epe, Arin

•Alchornea cordifolia – Ipa

•Caesalpinia pulcherima – Barbados pride,
dwarf poinciana, Barbados flower-fence – Eko-omode


•Afzelia africana – Afzelia, Lenke, Lengue, or Doussi – Apa-igbo

•Alternanthera sessilis – sessile joyweed or dwarf copperleaf – Reku-reku

•Anacardium occidentale – Cashew – Kasu


•Anthocleista djalonensis, Anthocleista

•liebrechtsiana – Sapo, Shapo

•Arachis hypogea – peanut, or groundnut – Epa

•Bambusa vulgaris – Golden Bamboo, or Buddha’s Belly Bamboo – Oparun
•
Baphia nitida – African sandalwood – Osun, Irosun

•Allanblackia floribunda – tallow tree – Eku, Eso roro

•Byrsocarpus coccineus – Amuje wewe

•Calendula officinalis – pot marigold – ododo-Maria in yoruba

•Calotropis procera – Sodom apple – Bomubomu

•Canarium schweinfurthii – African elemi or canarium – Paapo, Origbo

•Canavalia ensiformis – jack bean – Sese-nla

•Carapa procera – Carapa – Abo-oganwo

•Cardiospermum halicacabum – balloon plant or love in a puff – Shaworo

•Celastrus indica – Ponju-owiwi

•Ceiba pentandra – Araba

•Cissampelos owariensis – Ewe jokoje

•Chromolaena odorata – Siam weed – Akintola, Awolowo

•Tetracarpidium conophorum – Nigerian walnut – Awusa, Asala

•Vernonia colorata – Ironweed – Eriro-Ijebu

•Xylopia aethiopica – Eeru, Erunje

•Tridax procumbens – Igbalode, Muwagun

•Waltheria indica – Ewe-epo

•Vitex doniana – Oori-nla

•Uvaria chamae – finger root or bush banana – Eruju

•Viscum album – mistletoe- Afomo in yoruba

•Uvaria afzelii – Gbongbose, Anikan wogba-arun

•Urena lobata – Ilasa-agborin, Ilasa-omode

•Uraria picta – Alupayida

•Voacanga africana – Ako-dodo

Argemone mexicana – Mexican poppy,

•Mexican prickly poppy, Flowering thistle, cardo or cardosanto – Egun arugbo, Ekan-ekun

•Artocarpus altilis – Berefurutu


•Boerhaavia diffusa – punarnava – Etiponla, Olowojeja

•Borreria verticillata – Irawo ile

•Carpolobia lutea – Osunsun

•Citrullus colocynthis – colocynth, bitter apple, bitter cucumber, desert gourd, egusi, or vine of Sodom – Egusi-baara

•Citrus aurantium – Bitter orange, Seville orange, sour orange, bigarade orange, or marmalade orange – Osan

•Aspilia africana – Yunyun

•Nicotiana tabacum – Ewe taba

•Lawsonia inermis – Henna plant – Laali, Lali

•Ficus exasperata -Ficus Tree – Epin

•Ficus asperifolia – Ipin

•Ficus capensis – Opoto

•Ficus elegans – Asoro

•Ficus mucuso – Odan-afomo

•Ficus thoningii – Odan-abaa

•Ficus vallis-choudae – Ogunro

•Vernonia amygdalina – Ewuro

•Phyllanthus amarus – stonebreaker or seed-under-leaf- Eyin-olobe

•Mucuna sloanei – Werepe

•Mucuna pruriens – Ewe-ina, Yerepe

•Alstonia congensis – Ahun

•Mangifera indica – Mango – Mangoro in yoruba

•Nauclea latifolia – Egbesi

•Sorghum bicolor – Poroporo okababa

•Senna fistula – Aidantoro

•Erythophleum suaveolens – Erun obo, Olu-obo
•Ocimum gratissimum – Clove Basil- Efirin

•Telfaria occidentalis – Fluted gourd – Ugwu

•Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides – Senegal prickly-ash or artar root – Orin ata

•Acalypha wilkesiana – Jiwini, Ewe larapupa

•Sida cordifolia – flannel weed – Iso-obo

•Sida pilosa – Eesinle

•Sida rhombifolia – Iseketu pupa

•Thaumatococcus danielli – Ewe moi-moi

•Azadirachta indica – Neem, Nimtree or Indian Lilac – Dongoyaro

•Aloe vera – Ahon-erin

•Aloe barteri – Eti-erin, Ida-egun, Ida-orisa

•Garcinia kola – bitter kola – Orogbo

•Ageratum conyzoides – Billygoat-weed, Chick weed, Goatweed, Whiteweed – Imi-esu

•Abelmoschus esculentus – Okra- Ila

•Abrus precatorius -jequirity, Crab’s eye, rosary pea, precatory pea or bean, John

•Crow Bead, Indian licorice – Oju-ologbo

•Abutilon mauritianum – Furu

•Acacia ataxacantha – Ihun, Ewon adele

•Acacia nilotica – Baani, Booni

•Acanthospermum hispidum – Bristly starbur, Goat’s head, Hispid starburr – Dagunro

•Acanthus montanus – Bear’s Breech or Mountain Thistle – Ahon-ekun, Irunmu arugbo

•Adansonia digitata – baobab – Ose

•Aerva lanata – mountain knotgrass – Efun-ile

•Aframomum melegueta – Grains of Paradise – Atare

•Alafia barteri – Agbari etu

•Allium ascalonicum – The shallot – Alubosa elewe, alubosa onisu