4594.010 Searsia F.A. Barkley

RHUS L. p.p.

Moffett, R.O. (2007) Name changes in the Old World Rhus and recognition of Searsia (Anacardiaceae) Bothalia 37(2) 165-175

Description of the genus

Trees, shrubs or suffrutices. Leaves alternate, 3-foliolate. Panicles terminal, axillary or both. Flowers unisexual, rarely bisexual, very small (calyx segments usually less than 1 mm, petals usually less than 2 mm). Male flowers: calyx (4-)5(-6)-partite; petals (4-)5(-6), white, green or yellow; stamens 5; pistillode usually 0. Female flowers: calyx and petals similar to male; staminodes frequently present; ovary usually 1-locular. Styles 3. Fruit a spherical or ovoid and flattened drupe, frequently asymmetrical. Seeds ovoid or reniform, flattened.

Derivation of name: after Paul B. Sears, 1891-1990, who was a renowned stratigraphic palaeontologist, ecologist and head of the Yale School of Botany

Worldwide: c. 110 species in the Old World, specifically the Mediterranean, Africa and Asia

DRC: 1 taxon.

Insects associated with this genus:
Bombycomorpha bifascia (Pale eggarlet, Pepper-tree moth) Food plant
Cirina forda (Emperor moth) Food plant
Comostilopsis stillata (Pink-laced Emerald) Food plant
Eagris sabadius Larval foodplant
Rhodogastria amasis (Tri-coloured tiger) Food plant
Rhodometra sacraria (Vestal) Food plant
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Links to taxa:     View: living plant images - herbarium specimen images - all images for this genus

SpeciesFZ divisionsContent
kirkii (Oliv.) MoffettDescription, Image

Other sources of information about Searsia:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Searsia
Flora of Burundi: Searsia
Flora of Caprivi: Searsia
Flora of Malawi: Searsia
Flora of Mozambique: Searsia
Flora of Zambia: Searsia
Flora of Zimbabwe: Searsia
Flora of Zimbabwe: cultivated Searsia

External websites:

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

Copyright: , 2024-25

(2025). Flora of the Democratic Republic of Congo: Genus page: Searsia.
https://www.drcongoflora.com/speciesdata/genus.php?genus_id=883, retrieved 18 February 2025

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