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Description: B. natalensis, most commonly known as B. latifolia, is the largest perennial herb in the Bulbine genus. It shares the same traits as Aloe. It has rosette broad-leaves fleshy leaves that are succulent in nature, many small yellow flowers, and thick and fleshy tuberous roots that are orange or yellow in colour. The herbs are drought and heat resistant and can grow poor soils and occur in thicket habitat.

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Uses

• The leaves are used to treat skin ailments and conditions, such as burn, eczema, itches, and wounds. B.latifolia is often mixed with Eucomis automnalis to treat burns and wounds. 
• The juice from the leaves is styptic, to stop bleeding wounds. 
• The leaves are used in treating sores and cracked lips. 
• The leaf sap is used to treat eczema and itchy conditions.
• The roots are used to make umvusankunzi, a tonic that treats impotence and enhance vitality in men 
• The roots are sometimes used in strengthening and hastening walking in babies. The roots are rubbed on the legs of children who are late in walking. 
• The roots are used to treat convulsions in children.
• The roots are used to make tonic to purify the blood and to treat blood disorders caused by a poor diet consisting of fatty foods and excessive alcohol.
• The roots are used to make an infusion that is taken orally to stop vomiting and diarrhoea. 
• The roots are used to treat stomach aches, dysentery, and diarrhoea. 
• The roots are used to treat scrofula. 
• The roots are used to treat lumbago.
• The roots are used to treat rheumatism.
• The tubers are used to stop vomiting and bleeding wounds.
• The tubers are used to treat urinary tract infection. 
• The tubers are used as an antispasmodic.  
• The roots are used to make a decoction that is administered using enemas to treat urinary complaints and sexually transmitted diseases syphilis.
• The root and leaf infusion is given to people in the early stages of mental disorders.
• This plant is used to make a decoction that is taken as emetics by young boys entering the adolescent stage in purification rites believed to prevent antisocial behaviour. 
• The plant is used as a harmful charm by young men against the rival lover of their unfaithful girlfriends
• This plant is used for purification rites by young boys entering the adolescent stage at the same time it treats antisocial behaviour.

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Reference and further reading

• Appidi, J.R., Grierson, D.S. Afolayan, A., 2008. Ethnobotanical study of plants used for the treatment of diarrhoea in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences 11, 1961–1963.
• Adebayo, S.A. and Amoo, S.O., 2019. South African botanical resources: a gold mine of natural pro-inflammatory enzyme inhibitors?. South African Journal of Botany, 123, pp.214-227.
• Broster, J., 1982. Amagqirha-Religion. Magic and Medicine in Transkei. Via Africa, Cape Town.
• Bryant, A.T., 1966. Zulu medicine and medicine men. C. Struik, Cape Town (originally published in 1909 in the Annals of Natal Museum).
• Bryant, A.T, 1966. Zulu medicine and medicine men. C. Struik, Cape Town (originally published in 1909 in the Annals of Natal Museum).
• Gerstner, J. 1938. A preliminary checklist Zulu names of plants with short notes. Bantu Studies 12.
• Broster, J. 1982. Amagqirha-Religion. Magic and Medicine in Transkei. Via Africa, Cape Town.
• Hutchings, A., Scott, A.H., Lewis, G. and Cunningham, A. 1996. Zulu medicinal plants. Natal University Press, Pietermaritzburg.
• Pujol, J. 1990. Natur Africa: The Herbalist handbook. Lean Pujol Natural Healers Foundation, Durban.
• Smith, A. 1895. A contribution to the South African materia medica, second edition. Juta, Cape Town.
• Van Wyk, B.E, Van Oudtshoorn, B. and Gericke, N. 1997. Medicinal Plants of South Africa. Briza Publications, Pretoria.
• Watt, J.M. and Breyer-Brandwijk, M.G. 1962. Medicinal and poisonous plants of southern and eastern Africa, second edition. Livingstone, London.