In his book Plants and Traditions of Africa Abbiw examines some of the cultural and symbolic uses and associations of forest plants.
The topic headings include:
Animals |
(symbolic plant associations with animals) |
Bees |
(e.g. plants used to protect against stings) |
Burglary |
(plants used to prevent or bring about burglary) |
Carvings |
(symbolic species associations) |
Cattle |
(e.g. to increase milk output) |
Ceremonial occasions |
(plants used in) |
Charms |
|
Childbirth |
|
Court cases |
(e.g. plants used to sway results) |
Death and dying |
|
Devil |
|
Disease |
|
Dwarves and fairies |
(e.g. plants which protect against) |
Evil |
|
Farming |
(e.g. plants which enhance production) |
Fertility |
(of people and livestock) |
Fetish |
|
Fishing |
|
Divination |
|
Spirits |
|
Graves |
|
Hunting |
(e.g. improving hunters abilities) |
Infants |
(e.g. make strong) |
Intelligence |
(e.g. improve memory) |
Journeys |
|
Juju magic |
|
Kinship |
|
Lactation |
|
Lightning/Thunder Love |
|
Luck |
|
Manhood |
|
Marketing |
(e.g. improve marketing success) |
Marriage |
(e.g. protect) |
Medicine |
|
Occult |
|
Ordeal, Trial by |
|
Popularity |
|
Protection |
|
Religion |
(plants associated with ceremonies) |
Sacred plants |
|
Secrets |
(those plants associated with secrecy) |
Shrines |
|
Slavery |
|
Snake bites |
|
Taboos |
|
Talismen |
|
Twins |
|
Walking |
(plants used to encourage children to walk) |
War |
|
Wealth |
|
Witchcraft |
(e.g. plants for and against witchcraft) |