Searsia dentata (Thunb.) F.A.Barkley

Anacardiaceae, Rosette Fernandes and A. Fernandes. Flora Zambesiaca 2:2. 1966

Morphology General Habit

Shrub 1–2·5 m. high or small tree up to 6 m. tall; old branches dull greyish-brown, smooth or slightly striated, lenticellate, glabrous, sometimes thorny; young branches and petioles reddish or fulvous, glabrous to ± densely pilose or hispid-villous, all the hairs very short and crisped or mixed with long patent ones.

Morphology Leaves Petiole

Petiole 0·6–4 cm. long, slender, dorsally convex, slightly canaliculate above.

Morphology Leaves Leaflets

Median leaflet 1·7–8(9) × 0·9–5 cm., lanceolate-elliptic, elliptic, or more frequently obovate, narrowing to a triangular-cuneate base, entire or with 1–4(5) obtuse or acute and mucronate teeth in the upper part; lateral leaflets 1–3 × 0·6–2·3 cm., rarely sub-equalling the median leaflet or 1/3–2/3 shorter, at a right or obtuse angle to the median one, narrowly to broadly elliptic, acute or obtuse at the apex, dull green on the upper surface, paler below, entire or with 1–3(4) teeth in the upper part, somewhat cuneate or rounded at the base, all membranous to ± rigid, glabrous or more frequently ± pilose or hispid mainly on the midrib and nerves; midrib impressed or prominulous above, prominent beneath; lateral nerves visible above but not raised, prominent beneath; reticulation inconspicuous above, immersed below.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Panicles terminal and axillary, shorter to longer than the leaves, dense, with the axis and branches glabrous or sparsely pilose to ± densely hispid, the patent hairs usually mixed with short crisped ones; pedicels 1·5–2 mm. long.

sex Male

Male flowers: calyx-segments 0·75 mm. long, triangular, hispid on the back; petals greenish-yellow, 1·5–2 mm. long, ovate, obtuse; filaments c. 1 mm. long; disk 5-lobulate, lobules crenulate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Female flowers: ovary subglobose; styles c. 0–5 mm. long, slightly connate at the base; stigmas capitate; disk cupuliform, 5-lobulate. Male flowers: calyx-segments 0·75 mm. long, triangular, hispid on the back; petals greenish-yellow, 1·5–2 mm. long, ovate, obtuse; filaments c. 1 mm. long; disk 5-lobulate, lobules crenulate.

sex Female

Female flowers: ovary subglobose; styles c. 0–5 mm. long, slightly connate at the base; stigmas capitate; disk cupuliform, 5-lobulate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Drupe reddish, shining, 4 mm. in diam., subglobose.