Searsia tenuinervis
(Engl.) Moffett
Anacardiaceae
There has been considerable uncertainty amongst botanists as to the best way of treating the genus Searsia, with some viewing it as a genus distinct from Rhus, whilst others see insufficient differences and place it as a subgenus of Rhus. There seems to be a growing acceptance that Searsia is distinct and it is treated thus here.
Rhus amboensis Schinz
Rhus commiphoroides Engl. & Gilg
Rhus kwebensis N.E.Br.
Rhus tenuinervis Engl.
Common Name:
General Information
Searsia tenuinervis is a much-branched, sometimes thorny shrub or can become a rounded bushy tree; it grows from 1 - 8 metres tall[
308- Title
- Flora Zambesiaca
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://apps.kew.org/efloras/fz/intro.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online flora of plants from the Zambezi River basin. It lists a number of the plant uses as well as the habitats and botanical descriptions of the plants.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of wood.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
308- Title
- Flora Zambesiaca
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://apps.kew.org/efloras/fz/intro.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online flora of plants from the Zambezi River basin. It lists a number of the plant uses as well as the habitats and botanical descriptions of the plants.
Range
Eastern and Southern Africa - Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Angola, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, S. Africa.
Habitat
Wooded grassland and bushland, especially on rocky slopes, hardly in miombo; white sand soils; termite mounds; river banks; gravelly stations, Brachystegia woodland; open savannah with Albizia, Acacia; at elevations from 690 - 2,000 metres[
328- Title
- African Flowering Plants Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php
- Publisher
- Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques.
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map.
].
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Shrub |
| Height | 4.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Not known
Edible Uses
Leaves - raw[
729- Title
- Traditional African Vegetables
- Publication
-
- Author
- Guarino L. (Editor)
- Publisher
- International Plant Genetic Resources Institute; Rome, Italy.
- Year
- 1995
- ISBN
- 92-9043-322-1
- Description
- The proceedings of the IPGRI International Workshop on Genetic Resources of Traditional Vegetables in Africa: Conservation and Use 29-31 August 1995, ICRAF-HQ, Nairobi, Kenya
]. The crushed leaves have a strong, distinctive smell. They are sour and are chewed like khat (Catha edulis)[
328- Title
- African Flowering Plants Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php
- Publisher
- Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques.
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map.
].
Seed - raw[
328- Title
- African Flowering Plants Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php
- Publisher
- Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques.
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map.
]. The fruits are stripped off the branches, rubbed in the hands for a while, and after the dry seed shells are blown away, the remaining seeds are eaten[
775- Title
- Gemsbok Bean and Kalahari Truffle
- Publication
-
- Author
- Leffers A.
- Publisher
- Gamsberg MacMillan; Namibia.
- Year
- 2003
- ISBN
- 99916-0-491-X
- Description
- Details of the traditional uses of over 200 species of plants in northeastern Namibia. Written for the non-expert, there is usually at least one photograph with each plant entry.
].
Medicinal
A decoction of the root is used in the treatment of chest pains and severe coughing[
775- Title
- Gemsbok Bean and Kalahari Truffle
- Publication
-
- Author
- Leffers A.
- Publisher
- Gamsberg MacMillan; Namibia.
- Year
- 2003
- ISBN
- 99916-0-491-X
- Description
- Details of the traditional uses of over 200 species of plants in northeastern Namibia. Written for the non-expert, there is usually at least one photograph with each plant entry.
].
The grated outer layer of the root is rubbed into skin incisions in the cheek to treat toothache[
775- Title
- Gemsbok Bean and Kalahari Truffle
- Publication
-
- Author
- Leffers A.
- Publisher
- Gamsberg MacMillan; Namibia.
- Year
- 2003
- ISBN
- 99916-0-491-X
- Description
- Details of the traditional uses of over 200 species of plants in northeastern Namibia. Written for the non-expert, there is usually at least one photograph with each plant entry.
].
A decoction of the bark is taken in the treatment of chronic diarrhoea[
776- Title
- An Ethnobotanical Survey of Plants Used to Manage HIV/AIDS Opportunistic Infections in Katima Mulilo, Caprivi Region
- Publication
- Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 2010, 6:25
- Author
- Chinsembu K.C.; Hedimbi M.
- Website
- http://www.ethnobiomed.com/content/6/1/25/table/T1
- Publisher
- Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine
- Year
- 2010
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Medicinal herbs used in the treatment of AIDS-related health conditions. It can be downloaded in PDF format from the Internet.
].
Other Uses
The roots are very hard when dry and are used for carving arrowheads and arrow joints[
775- Title
- Gemsbok Bean and Kalahari Truffle
- Publication
-
- Author
- Leffers A.
- Publisher
- Gamsberg MacMillan; Namibia.
- Year
- 2003
- ISBN
- 99916-0-491-X
- Description
- Details of the traditional uses of over 200 species of plants in northeastern Namibia. Written for the non-expert, there is usually at least one photograph with each plant entry.
].
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
