Table 5.
Local names of medicinal plants and their meaning (S–Silti; G–Guragigna; M–Mareqo; Q–Qebena), “*”–endemic
| Scientific name [Family] | Local name | Direct meaning of the local name in English | Meaning reflecting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acacia abyssinica Hochst. ex Benth. [Fabaceae] | Teme-gerar (S, G) | Black acacia | Trunk color |
| Acacia seyal Del. [Fabaceae] | Wacho-gerar (S, G) | Red acacia | Trunk color |
| Ajuga integrifolia Buch-Ham. [Lamiaceae] | Anamuro, ema telit (G) | Makes an infant hate breast feeding, used purposefully to stop breast feeding | Bitter taste |
| Aloe pubescens Reyonolds. [Aloaceae]* | Merdedeye (G) | Saw like (a tool with toothed blade) | Marginal teeth of the leaf |
| Artemisia abyssinica Sch. Bip. ex A. Rich. [Asteraceae] | Chiyanchiye (G) | Bad smell | Leaves with bad smell |
| Brucea antidysenterica J. F .Mill. [Simaroubaceae] | Yemoyet bosha (G) | Leaves of moyet (a social group known to exist in Gurage) that is used during cultural ceremony | Ceremonial use |
| Clematis simensis Fresen. [Ranunculaceae] | Yegawa wedero (G) | Fool’s rope | Climber growth form |
| Convolvulus sagittatus Thunb. [Convolvulaceae] | Minen debo (M) | Medicinal | Medicinal use |
| Crotalaria incana L. [Fabaceae] | Meza qutel (G) | Leave for wound | Medicinal use |
| Cucumis ficifolius A. Rich. [Cucurbitaceae] | Hulgerecho (M), Adene debaqula (Q), Yemeder qimbiba, Yafer-granger (G), Yale-tay (S) | Monkey’s genital organ (Q); Fruits running on the ground (G), | Fruit shape and growth form/arrangement |
| Cynoglossum coeruleum Hochst. ex A.DC. [Boraginaceae] | Yitebtiye (G), Bertetusa (Q), Hatemaqo (Q, S) | Sticky | The sticky nature of the fruits |
| Cyphostemma niveum (Hochst. Ex Schweinf.) Desc. [Vitaceae] | Yeseb eje (G) | Human hand | Leaf shape |
| Foeniculum vulgare Miller [Apiaceae] | Wet-ambo (G) | Stems hollow when mature | |
| Fuerstia africana T.C.E. Fr. [Lamiaceae] | Yegiye insosla (G), Nazoli (S), Hureda (M) | Insosla (Impatiens tinctoria) which is a dark red dye extracted from the tubers used as beauty treatment, Fuerstia africana is called for dog’s which is not similar to above mentioned species (G) | Color of the red juice squeezed from the leaves |
| Haplocarpha schimperi (Sch. Bip.) Beauv. [Asteraceae] | Ayene beda (G) | Takes the eyes | Poisonous to the eyes |
| Pavonia urens Cav. [Malvaceae] | Menatef (G) | Trigger vomiting when feeling sick | Medicinal use |
| Polygala sadebeckiana Gurke [Polygalaceae] | Shime-itere chiza(G), Shime yeter zebo (Q), Qiteriye(G) | Local name of antrax/blackleg (G, Q); Finger like (G) | Medicinal use, root structure |
| Plantago lanceolata L. [Plantaginaceae] | Yefur enzir (G) | Rat’s ear | Leaf shape |
| Rhoicissus tridentata (L. f.) Wild & Drummond [Vitaceae] | Yegawa wedero (G), dubi fizuta (Q) | Fool’s rope | Climbing nature |
| Rhynchosia minima (L.) DC. [Fabaceae] | Yefur enzir (G) | Rat’s era | Leaf shape |
| Thunbergia ruspolii Lindau [Acanthaceae]* | Yangacha qomet (G) | Cat’s Lagenaria siceraria | Resemble fruit and flower (corolla) shape of Lagenaria siceraria |
| Verbascum sinaiticum Benth. [Scrophulariaceae] | Yemar enzir (G), Huleten huta (M), Yumar amel ( S) | Donkey’s ear | Leaf shape |
| Xanthium strumarium L. [Asteraceae] | Yetey-soohe (G), Gereba uta (M) | Sheep’s spine | Sticky nature of the fruit, usually seen sticking on sheep’s fur |