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Table 3 Orchid species employed in herbal medicines in the MCR

From: Market trends and ethnobotany of orchids of Mount Cameroon

SN

Name of species

Common name

Use

Mode of application

Plant part used

Method of preparation

No of respondents

1

Ansiella africana Lindl

Ewomboh

Cough

Concoction

Pseudobulbs

Crush with leaves of Piper guinensis boil

11

Madness

Concoction

Pseudobulbs

In combination with other herbs that were not given is the main ingredient for the treatment of madness

08

Crush and boil

Diabetes

Decoction

Roots

3 leaves, 10 limes, and parasite boiled in 5 L of water and consume every morning

05

Leaves

Crush with bitter cola (Garcinia kola) consume as tea

08

Impotence

Concoction

Roots

Grind with dried seeds (7) of Piper guineense and apply

10

Macerate leaves and apply before going to bed

Side pain

Paste

Leaves

Paste act as short-term contraceptives

15

Nightmares (bad dreams)

Maceration

Leaves

Not specified

02

Pregnancy inhibitor

Paste

Pseudobulbs

 

05

Love charms

Not specified

Not specified

 

08

2

Angraecum augustipetallum Rendle

 

Snake repellant

Not specified

Whole plant

Not specified

0

Bone fortification in children

Maceration

Leaf apex

Macerated leaves with kernel oil (“manyanga”)

12

Abortion

Concoction

Whole plant

Crush plant and boil

04

3

Angraecum birrimense Rolf

 

Against sorcery

Not specified

Whole plant

Not specified

04

Snake repellant

Not specified

Whole plant

Not specified

02

4

Ancistrorhynchus seratus Summerh

Koh

Diabetes

Tea

Leaves

Dried leaves

06

5

Bulbophyllum melinostachyum Schltr.

 

Anti-poisons

Powder

Whole plant

Grind dried leaves to powder and consume

10

6

Bulbophyllum barbigerum Lindl.

 

Side pain

Paste

Whole plant

Grind with dried seeds of Piper guinensis and apply

12

Ear pain

Decoction

Leaves

Crush leaves with few drops of lemon or limes (stop mucor). Drop in the infected ear

07

7

Bulbophyllum intertextum Lindl.

Mpah

Side pain

Paste (smear)

Whole plant

Grind with dried seeds (7) of Piper guinensis and apply

10

8

Bulbophylum lupulinum Lindl.

Etumukwoboh

Against sorcery (protection)

Planted (not exposed)

Whole plant

Grown plants treated (sprinkled) once or twice a year with blood of a roster accompanied with spoken desires.

07

Night poisons

Concoction

Whole plant

Put a bottle of water and placed in the room

03

Whole plant

Boil with 7 heads of Ageratum conyzoides and take as tea

05

9

Bulbophyllum calyptratum Kraenzl

 

Skin diseases (measles, poxes abscesses, rashes)

Maceration

Leaves

Macerate leaves with yellow stone and kernel oil, then apply

12

Wounds

Decoction

Whole plant

Wash wounds with decoction

06

Burns

Paste

Whole plant

Apply paste on the burnt spot

10

10

Bulbophyllum simonii Summerh

 

Luck portion

Powder

Whole plant

Mix in body lotion and apply when need be

06

11

Bulbophyllum falcatum (Lindl.) Rchb.f.

 

Against thunder and sorcery

Not specified

Whole plant

Grown in compound

05

Predictions

Not specified

Leaves

Immediate necrosis young leave means not embarking on a seriously planned journey

07

12

Bulbophyllum pumilum (Swartz) Lindl.

Nnokoh

Epilepsy

Concoction

Whole plant

Boil with leaves of Ageratum cornyzoides and Piper guineensis take as bath and consume as tea

05

13

Calyptrochilum emarginatum (Afzel.ex Sw) Schltr.

 

Charms

Not specified

Leaves

Not specified

15

Good luck

Power

Leaves

Make power out of Tapinanthus bangwensis and orchids, mix with body lotion, and apply

06

14

Cyrtorchis acuata

 

Charms

Powder

Whole plant

Consume as tea

07

Diabetes

Infusion

Leaves

Dried leaves consume as tea

04

Skin diseases

Paste

Leaves

Mix a quantity at a time in body lotion and apply

05

15

Diaphananthe bidens (Afzel ex Sw.) Schltr.

Mbingwoh

Fertility

Powder

Whole plant

Powder of plant mixed in milk act as an aphrodisiac

03

Diabetes

Concoction

Whole plant

Boiled mixture of orchid and Piper umbellatum

08

16

Graphorkis laurida (Sw.) Kuntze

Nkelenkwokwo

Coughs

Concoction

Whole plant

Crush and boil with sweet alligator pepper (Piper guinenses) and ginger

13

Tuberculosis

Powder

Whole plant

Mix powder with black palm kernel oil and consume

09

Tooth maggot/tooth aches

Concoction

Whole plant

Crush and boil with back of pear

07

17

Habenaria procera (Afzel. ex Sw.) Lindl.

Ekuh

Blood purification

Powder

Whole plant

Dried leaves of plants are ground and consumed at such or mixed with lemon and taken as tea

12

Gastritis (chest and stomach pains)

Concoction

Whole plant

Plants boiled with leaves of Piper guinensis

05

Arthritis

Decoction

Pseudobulbs

Cush, boil and consume. Also massage body with crushed substance

10

18

Liparis nervosa (Thunb.) Lindl.

 

Burns

Paste

Entire plants

Crush and apply to spot

15

Ulcers

Concoction

Whole plant

Boil with Bidens pilosa and leaves of Piper guineense, take as tea

08

Stomach aches

Powder

Whole plant

Consume as tea

10

19

Listrostachys pertusa (Lindl.) Rchb.f.

 

Measles

Concoction

Whole plant

Crush and boil take as purgative

05

Constipation

Powder

Whole plant

Consume as tea

04

20

Polystachya concreta (Jacq.) Garay & H.R.Sweet

 

Rheumatism Arthritis

Not specified

Not specified

Not specified

01

21

Polystachya cultriformis (Thouars) Lindl. ex Speng.

Neshieh

Measles

Concoction

Whole plant

Boil plants with mistletoes (Tapinanthus bangwensis) and limes

05

Burns

Paste

Leaves

Grind leaves with seeds of Piper guineense and apply

04

22

Polystachya caloglossa Rchb.f.

Ntohpoupou

Rheumatism

Not specified

Not specified

Not specified

02

23

Tridactyle tridactylites (Rolfe) Schltr.

Madness

Concoction

Whole plant

Not specified

03