Searsia lancea

Searsia lancea commonly known as karee, karree (Afrikaans), is an evergreen, frost hardy, drought resistant tree, which can reach up to 8 metres in height with a 5 metre spread. In North America, where it is naturalized, it is known as African sumac and willow rhus.[2] It is one of the most common trees on the Highveld and in the Bushveld in South Africa, but not found in the Lowveld.

Searsia lancea
Foliage detail
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Anacardiaceae
Genus: Searsia
Species:
S. lancea
Binomial name
Searsia lancea
Synonyms[1]
  • Rhus lancea L.f.
  • Toxicodendron lanceum (L.f.) Kuntze
A cluster of karees in Germiston, Gauteng

Description and uses

Bark
Wood
The small yellow flowers of a female tree

The tree has a graceful, weeping form and dark, fissured bark that contrasts well with its long, thinnish, hairless, dark-green, trifoliate leaves with smooth margins. It bears small yellow flowers followed on female trees by bunches of small yellow-green flattish fruits, which are relished by birds. In earlier times the fruits were pounded, water added and left to ferment, producing an evidently refreshing beer. The tree is a good shade tree for gardens, parks and pavements. It favours areas rich in lime in the Karoo and Namibia.

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gollark: The entire directory.
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gollark: Maybe I should do either more or less caching.

References

  1. The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species, retrieved 28 April 2016
  2. "Rhus lancea". Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS Database. USDA. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
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