August 26, 2019

Yoruba System of Plant Classification

The Yoruba system of plant identification and classification is very different from the European Carl Linnaeus system. In Yorubaland, odour of leaves, texture of leaves, reaction when touched and sensation felt on contact are taken into consideration when naming, defining and classifying plants.

One name in Yoruba often corresponds to several botanical names as shown below:

Ahọ́n ẹkùn (tiger’s tongue) - this is the name given to leaves with a raspy surface. It corresponds to: HIBISCUS SURATTENSIS; HIBISCUS ASPER; TETRACERA sp.; ACANTHUS MONTANUS.

Amùjẹ̀ (blood clotter) - there are two types - amùjẹ̀ ńlá (big blood clotter): HARUNGANA MADAGASCARIENSIS and amùjẹ̀ wẹ́wẹ́ (little blood clotter): BYRSOCARPUS COCCINEUS and CNESTIS LONGIFLORA. These plants have the property of stopping bleeding.

Bòbó àwòdì - this is the name given to SOLANUM DASYPHYLLUM and CAPPARIS THONNINGII due to the egg-plant shape of its fruits.

Bùjé is the name given to plants used in the preparations of tattoo and black hair dyes. It is classified as: MORELIA SENAGALENSIS; ROTHMANIA WHIFFIELDII and SORINDEIA WARNECKEI.

Dágunró (stop war) - is the name given to thorny plants belonging to three different families: dágunró gogoro (tall) for ACANTHOSPERMUM HISPIDUM; dágunró kékeré (little) for ALTERNANTHERA PUNGENS and dágunró ńlá (big) for TRIBULUS TERESTRIS.

Ẹ̀ékánná (claw) - this is the name given to plants that have thorns, èékánná adìyẹ (hen’s claw) for PORTULACA QUADRIFIDA Portulacaceae; èékánná ẹkùn (tiger’s paw) for ARGEMONE MEXICANA; èékánná magbo for SMILAX KRAUSSIANA.

Èèmọ́ - comes from the verb mọ́ (to stick) and the various plant thus designated all bear furry fruits which stick to clothing and animal fleece. They are: DESMODIUM CANUM; CENCHRUS BIFLORUS; SETARIA VERTICILATA; PUPALIA LAPPACEA; POUZOLZIA GUINEENSIS.

Èsisì - the name given to plant whose leaves and fruits are covered with scratchy hairs. Examples are: CNESTIS CORNICULATA; CNESTIS FERRUGINEA; MUCUNA PRURIENS; TRAGIA BENTHAMII; URERA MANNI; SIDA URENS.
The same name is given to LAPORTEA AESTUANS and LAPORTEA OVALIFOLIA, non urticating plants whose leaves resemble those of the nettle.

Ewúro (bitter leaf) - name given to leaves with a bitter taste belonging to various families such as VERNOIA AMYGDALINA, VERNONIA ADOENSIS, VERNONIA COLORATA, STRUCHIUM SPARGANOPHORA; SOLANUM WRIGHTII, SOLANUM ERIANTHUM and LUDWIGIA OCTOVALVIS.

Ìlasa - name given to plants which have mucilaginous characteristics such as ABELMOSCHUS ESCULENTUS for it fruits; URENA LOBATA for its seeds and TRIUMFETTA RHOMBOIDEA for its leaves.

Oróbẹ́ja (poison catches fish) - the name given to the plants THEPHROSIA VOGELII and DIOSPYROS PHYSOCALYCINA whose leaves and pods are used to stun fish in rivers and ponds.

Ọ̀dúndún - the name given to KALANCHOE CRENATA and also to EMILIA COCCINEA, also ọ̀dúndún etìdọ̀fé, ọ̀dúndún olókun or ọ̀dúndún odò. The name of ẹrú ọ̀dúndún (slave of ọ̀dúndún) is also given to àbámọdá or BRYOPHILLUM PINNATUM for the same reason.

Patọnmọ́ (keep thighs closed) - is the name given to those sensitive plants whose folioles close at the slightest contact. It is applied to MIMOSA PUDICA, MIMOSA PIGRA and BIOPHYTUM PETERSIANUM.

Ṣaworo (little bell) - is classified scientifically as TRILEPSIUM MADAGASCARIENSE, CARDIOSPERMUM GRADIFLORUM and CROTALARIA Sp. All these plants bear fruits with loose seeds in the pod that make a jingling noise when shaken.

References:
Pierre Fatumbi Verger: “Ewé. The use of plants in Yoruba Society” (1995).

Pierre Fatumbi Verger :”Awọn Ewe Ọsanyin” (1967).