Searsia pyroides (Burch.) Moffett
var. gracilis (Engl.) Moffett

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Camp Amalinda, Matobo Hills

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Synonyms:	Rhus conrathii Burtt Davy Rhus flexuosa Diels Rhus pyroides Burch. var. gracilis (Engl.) Burtt Davy Rhus villosa L. f. var. gracilis Engl. Rhus vulgaris Meikle
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Shrub or small tree, often thorny, with the young branches brownish hairy. Leaflets olive-green above, slightly paler below appressed hairy, often more or less densely so, sometimes nearly hairless; leaflets oblanceolate to elliptic, 3–8 cm long, rounded but with an ultimate point at the tip; lateral ones often narrower and shorter than the median; midrib and lateral veins, raised, particular beneath, reticulation very close, visible on both surfaces; margins mostly entire or with some teeth towards the apex; petiole about half as long as the median leaflet or shorter, slender, pubescent, slightly grooved above. Flowers small, glomerulate, yellowish, in branched terminal and axillary sprays. Drupe subglobose, c. 3 mm. in diameter, slightly compressed.
Notes:	A very variable species. Material from Zambia may in fact belong to var. pyroides.
Derivation of specific name:
Habitat:	In woodlands and forests of various types, thickets and on termite mounds.
Altitude range:
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Tanzania, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho and South Africa.
Malawi distribution:	C
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:	Ariathisa abyssinia (Larval food plant)
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Tuesday 2 March 2021
Literature:	Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 488. As Searsia pyroides gracilis Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 31. Coates Palgrave, K. (revised and updated by Meg Coates Palgrave) (2002). Trees of Southern Africa 3rd edition. Struik, South Africa Pages 580 - 581. as Rhus pyroides var. pyroides (Includes a picture). Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 22. Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 254. As Rhus pyroides Fernandes, R. & A. (1966). Anacardiaceae Flora Zambesiaca 2(2) Pages 604 - 605. Also as Rhus vulgaris Mannheimer, C. & Curtis B. (2009). Le Roux and Müller's Field Guide to the Trees and Shrubs of Namibia Macmillan Education, Windhoek, Namibia. Pages 288 - 289. as Searsia pyroides var. pyroides (Includes a picture). Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 17. as var. pyroides Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 21. as Rhus vulgaris Schmidt, E., Lötter, M. & McCleland, W. (2002). Trees and shrubs of Mpumalanga and Kruger National Park Jacana, Johannesburg, South Africa Pages 322 - 323. as Rhus pyroides var. gracilis (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. & Venter, F. (2003). Trees of Botswana: names and distribution SABONET Report No. 18 Southern African Botanical Diversity Network, Pretoria Page 26. as Rhus pyroides var. pyroides Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 38. as Rhus vulgaris Van Wyk, B. & Van Wyk, P. (1997). Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa. Struik, South Africa Pages 406 - 407. as Rhus pyroides (Includes a picture). Van Wyk, B. & Van Wyk, P. (2013). Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa (Second edition) Struik, South Africa Pages 468 - 469. as Searsia pyroides var. pyroides (Includes a picture). White, F. (1962). Forest Flora of Northern Rhodesia Oxford Univ. Press. Page 213. as Rhus vulgaris White, F., Dowsett-Lemaire, F. & Chapman, J.D. (2001). Evergreen forest flora of Malawi Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Page 125. as Rhus vulgaris

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Flora of Mozambique: Searsia pyroides var. gracilis
Flora of Zambia: Searsia pyroides var. gracilis
Flora of Zimbabwe: Searsia pyroides var. gracilis

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Searsia pyroides
African Plant Database: Searsia pyroides
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Searsia pyroides
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Searsia pyroides
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Searsia pyroides
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Searsia pyroides
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Searsia pyroides
JSTOR Plant Science: Searsia pyroides
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Searsia pyroides
Plants of the World Online: Searsia pyroides
Tropicos: Searsia pyroides
Wikipedia: Searsia pyroides