Searsia laevigata

(L.) F. A. Barkley

White karee, Dune currant

Anacardiaceae Edible: Fruit 3,062 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

Searsia laevigata, the dune currant rhus, is a small, bushy, evergreen tree that occurs in rocky fynbos slopes and coastal shrub in South Africa.

Description

An erect shrub or small tree. It can grow up to 10 m tall. The bark is dark brown and rough. The leaves have 3 leaflets. These are green and sword shaped. The flowers are small and green to yellow. They are in many branched heads. The fruit are almost round.

Edible Uses

The fruit are eaten raw and are especially enjoyed by children. The fruit are also used as a yeast and to curdle milk.

Traditional Uses

The fruit are eaten. They are also used as a yeast and to curdle milk.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

It is a subtropical plant. It grows in dry soils near water courses. It can grow in arid places.

Where It Grows

Africa, South Africa*, Southern Africa,

Other Information

The fruit are enjoyed especially by children.

Synonyms

Rhus laevigata L.Rhus mucronata Thunb.Rhus viminalis Vahl

References (6)

Fox, F. W. & Young, M. E. N., 1982, Food from the Veld. Delta Books. p 78 (As Rhus laevigata)
Moffett, R. O., 2007, Name changes in the Old World Rhus and recognition of Searsia (Anacardiaceae). Bothalia 37,2: 165-175 (2007)
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (1999). Survey of Economic Plants for Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (SEPASAL) database. Published on the Internet; http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/ceb/sepasal/internet [Accessed 28th March 2011] (As Rhus laevigata)
Ruiters-Welcome, A. K., 2019, Food plants of southern Africa. Ph.D. thesis. Univ. of Johannesburg p 16
Welcome, A. K. & Van Wyk, B.-E., 2019, An inventory and analysis of the food plants of southern Africa. South African Journal of Botany 122 (2019) 136–179

Show all 6 references