Botanical Name of Plant Species | Common Name | Family Name | Life form | Uses of plant |
Microchloa kunthii | Kunth’s small grass | Poaceae | Grass | Protects the soil from erosion; also used as fodder. |
Eragrostis superba | Saw-tooth love grass | Poaceae | Grass | Livestock fodder. |
Indigofera arrecta | Barkelat (Tugen) | Fabacea | Shrub | Arthritis; fodder for livestock. |
Justicia betonica | Paper plume | Acanthaceae | Shrub | It is used as remedy for fevers, stomach pain, diarrhoea, inflammation and swelling. It has external wound healing and ulcer healing properties. |
Silene spp |
| Caryophyllaceae | Herb | Roots are used to prepare concoctions for various rituals. |
Leucas martinicensis | Whitewort | Lamiaceae | Herb | Used as mosquito repellent; manages infectious diseases, inflammatory conditions, rashes, diarrhoea, convulsions and epilepsy. |
Acacia senegal | Gum Senegal tree, Chemanga (Tugen) | Fabaceae (Mimosaceae) | Shrub | Its gum is used as a food additive. Seeds used as food by humans. It is nitrogen fixing and has medicinal value as it treats bronchitis, diarrhea, gonorrhea and leprosy. |
Oxygonum sinuatum | Wavy-leaf oxygonum |
| Herb | Used as a vegetable, the leaves are applied on boils, and stems are chewed to treat tonsillitis. |
Acalypha fruticosa | Copper leaf, Lokuru (Tugen) | Euphorbiaceae | Shrub | Eaten as a vegetable. Acts as an important browse plant for sheep/ goats. The stem can be used to make arrow shafts and the leaves are dried to make tea. |
Heteropogon contortus | Black spear grass |
| Grass | Used for thatching houses, making mats, and fodder for livestock. |
Kalanchoe densiflora |
| Crassulaceae | Herb | Treats infections, rheumatism and inflammation. Its extracts have immunosuppressive effects. |
Aeva persica | Desert cotton | Amaranthaceae | Herb | Used as a purgative, antidiarrheal, and anthelmintic. |
Ocimum gratissimum | Ram Tulsi |
| Herb | Treats colds, blocked nose, stamachache relief, sore eyes, as a disinfectant and insecticide. |
Aristida kenyensis | Needle grass | Poaceae | Grass | Used as cover grass, thatching houses, and livestock fodder. |
Aeva pinnata |
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| Herb |
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Brachiaria brizantha | Bread grass | Poaceae | Grass | Used as pasture for livestock. It is also grown as ornamental hedges and for erosion control. |
Cynodon dactylon | Couch grass, bermuda grass, quick grass and twitch grass | Poaceae | Grass | Controls erosion, farm pastures, used for indigestion and treatment of wounds. |
Erlangea marginata |
| Asteracea | Shrub | Skin, Stomach and oral cavity infection. |
Enteropogon macrostachyus | Needle grass | Poaceae | Grass | Used as livestock fodder. |
Eragrostis racemosa | Narrow heart love grass, | Poaceae | Grass | Used as a groundcover, forage for livestock; and as bee forage. |
Tribulus cistoides | Jamaican feverplant, puncture vine | Zygophyllales | Herb | Used as a ground cover, treats headache, nervous disorders and constipation. |
Acacia brevispica | Kornes (Tugen), Wait-a-bit thorn (Eng) | Fabaceae (Mimosaceae) | Shrub | Fibre from young bark makes strong ropes. Used as cattle feed and is browsed to a considerable extent by goats. |
Acacia nilotica | Nile thorn, Chebiywo (Tugen) | Fabaceae (Mimosaceae) | Tree | Twig used as a toothbrush. Used as animal fodder and as forage. Good fencing material and for hedging due to its thorns. |