Searsia tenuinervis (Engl.) Moffett

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Photo: Lynn Read
Near Jacana Yacht Club, Lake Chivero

Photo: Bart Wursten
Kutsaga

Photo: Mark Hyde
25, Trafalgar Avenue, Sentosa, Harare

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Synonyms:	Rhus commiphoroides Engl. & Gilg Rhus kwebensis N. E. Br. Rhus tenuinervis Engl. var. meikleana R. Fern. & A. Fern. Rhus tenuinervis Engl.
Common names:	Commiphora rhus (English)
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	A much-branched shrub or small tree up to 8 m tall, sometimes thorny; branches with dull-greyish rough lenticellate bark, mostly hairless except when very young. Leaves 3-foliolate with leaflets discolorous, bluish-green or dull green above, paler and generally yellowish beneath, more or less pubescent on both surfaces, rarely almost hairless; midrib and lateral veins prominent beneath; median leaflet ovate, obovate, subcircular, ovate-oblong or elliptic, 2·5–11·5 cm long, rounded or truncate at the apex; lateral leaflets oblong-ovate to subcircular, 1·5–6 cm long; margin coarsely crenate in the upper 2/3 or rarely all entire; petiole 1–3 cm long, slightly grooved, more or less hairy. Inflorescences axillary and terminal, lax, up to 15 cm long. Flowers very small, yellowish. Fruit a brownish drupe, compressed, subquadrangular or subcircular in outline, up to 5 × 7 mm, covered in fine waxy powder.
Notes:	Specimens from Southern Malawi were formerly placed in var. meikleana R. & A. Fernandes
Derivation of specific name:	tenuinervis: with slender veins.
Habitat:	In various types of woodland sandy soils, termite mounds, rocky slopes and sometimes on riverbanks.
Altitude range:
Flowering time:	Jan - Apr
Worldwide distribution:	Angola, Katanga DRC, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa.
Malawi distribution:	C,S
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 490. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 31. As Rhus tenuinervis Coates Palgrave, K. (revised and updated by Meg Coates Palgrave) (2002). Trees of Southern Africa 3rd edition. Struik, South Africa Pages 583 - 584. As Rhus tenuinervis Coates Palgrave, M. (1989). Guide to the trees and shrubs of the Mukuvisi Woodlands ?publisher. Page 40. As Rhus tenuinervis Curtis, B.A. & Mannheimer, C.A. (2005). Tree Atlas of Namibia National Botanic Research Institute, Windhoek Pages 388 - 389. As Rhus tenuinervis (Includes a picture). Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 254. As Rhus tenuinervis Drummond, R.B. (1981). Common Trees of the Central Watershed Woodlands of Zimbabwe. Natural Resources Board, Harare. Pages 122 - 123. As Rhus tenuinervis (Includes a picture). Fernandes, R. & A. (1966). Anacardiaceae Flora Zambesiaca 2(2) Pages 599 - 600. As Rhus tenuinervis also as var. meikleana Heath, A. & Heath, R. (2009). Field Guide to the Plants of Northern Botswana including the Okavango Delta Kew Publishing Page 71. As Rhus tenuinervis (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 Rhus tenuinervis Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 22. As Rhus tenuinervis var. tenuinervis Roodt, V. (1998). Trees and Shrubs of the Okavango Delta Shell Field Guide Series: Part I Shell Oil Botswana, Gaberone. Pages 128 - 129. As Rhus tenuinervis (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 23. As Rhus tenuinervis 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 tenuinervis var. meikleana Timberlake, J.R. & Childes, S.L. (2004). Biodiversity of the Four Corners Area: Technical Reviews Volume Two (Chapter 5-15) Appendix 5-1: Plant Checklist Occasional Publications in Biodiversity 15 Page 196. As Rhus tenuinervis Van Wyk, B. & Van Wyk, P. (1997). Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa. Struik, South Africa Pages 408 - 409. As Rhus tenuinervis (Includes a picture). Van Wyk, B. & Van Wyk, P. (2013). Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa (Second edition) Struik, South Africa Pages 470 - 471. (Includes a picture).

Other sources of information about Searsia tenuinervis:

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Flora of Botswana: Searsia tenuinervis
Flora of Caprivi: Searsia tenuinervis
Flora of Mozambique: Searsia tenuinervis
Flora of Zambia: Searsia tenuinervis
Flora of Zimbabwe: Searsia tenuinervis

External websites:

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