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Anacardiaceae FAMILY

Searsia natalensis

Searsia natalensis

Edibility
2/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Searsia natalensis is a many-branched, woody plant usually no more than a shrub up to 3 metres tall in the west of its range, but more commonly becoming tree-like and growing up to 8 metres tall in the east. It sometimes tends to scramble into other plants[ 332 Title The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa. Publication Author Burkil. H. M. Publisher Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew. Year 1985 - 2004 ISBN Description Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/ , 398 Title Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania Publication Author Ruffo, C.K.: Birnie, A. & Tengnas, B. Publisher Regional Land Management Unit; Nairobi. Year 2002 ISBN 9966-896-60-0 Description A very well presented, simple guide to growing and utilizing wild food plants in Tanzania, with line drawings of each plant, a description, habitat and range, non-food as well as food uses, plus basic information on growing the plants. ]. The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of various commodities. It is also sometimes grown to stabilize the soil on slopes and makes a good ornamental[ 303 Title World Agroforesty Centre Publication Author Website http://www.worldagroforestry.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical
Native RangeAfrica - Guinea to Somalia, south mainly through east Africa to S. Africa; Arabian Peninsula.
HabitatDeciduous and evergreen savannah bushland and woodland, riverine vegetation, forest edges, often on well-drained slopes, at elevations from sea level to 3,000 metres[ 398 Title Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania Publication Author Ruffo, C.K.: Birnie, A. & Tengnas, B. Publisher Regional Land Management Unit; Nairobi. Year 2002 ISBN 9966-896-60-0 Description A very well presented, simple guide to growing and utilizing wild food plants in Tanzania, with line drawings of each plant, a description, habitat and range, non-food as well as food uses, plus basic information on growing the plants. ].