Table 1.

Recorded ethnobotanical uses for the three medicinal, blue-flowered sages.

Species	Ethnobotanical Uses	Reference
Salvia africana	leaves: coughs, colds, chest troubles, uterine troubles, whooping cough; steam: infusion mixed with Epsom salts, lemon for abdominal troubles, diarrhoea, colic, flatulence, indigestion, veterinary (given to cows to expel placenta).	[20]
	leaves: coughs, colds, women’s ailments, abdominal troubles, fevers, measles,	[21]
	leaves: cough, colds, women’s ailments, chest ailments, fever, measles, stomach ailments, topical (bed sores, verrucose veins),	[22]
	leaves: coughs, colds, chest troubles, convulsions, stomach pain, flatulence, colic, woman’s ailments, diarrhoea	[14]
	leaves: coughs, colds, menstrual cramps, diarrhoea	[15]
	unspecified medicinal use	[23]
	leaves: tea, flavourant; flowers: nectar (snack)	[24]
	leaves: tea, flavourant; flowers: nectar (snack)	[25]
	leaves: burns, chest complaints, influenza, headache, fever, stomachache, stomach tonic, earache	[26]
Salvia chamelaeagnea	leaves: coughs, colds, bronchitis, diarrhoea, diaphoretic, female ailments, convulsions	[20]
	“also used medicinally”	[21]
	leaves: coughs, colds, chest troubles, convulsions, stomach pain, flatulence, colic, woman’s ailments, diarrhoea	[14]
	leaves: burns, chest complaints, influenza, headache, fever, stomachache, earache, dialarhoea	[15]
	leaves: colds, influenza, pain, inflammation, stroke, stomachache, topical (wash)	[27]
	unspecified medicinal use	[23]
	leaves: burns, chest complaints, influenza, headache, fever, stomachache, stomach tonic, earache	[26]
Salvia dentata	leaves and flowers: influenza	[28]
	leaves: influenza	[29]
Salvia dentata Cont.	leaves: leaf decoctions used for various ailments, often mixed with other herbs, general tonic, colds, backache, kidney diseases	[30]
	leaves: colds, influenza	[16]
	leaves: leaf decoctions used for coughs, colds, women’s ailments, diarrhoea	[31]
	leaves: colds, influenza, stomach complaints, unspecified medicinal use, measles; other: firewood	[17]
	unspecified medicinal use	[23]