Searsia leptodictya

Mountain karee
Habit in the Magaliesberg, North West
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Sapindales
Family:	Anacardiaceae
Genus:	Searsia
Species:	S. leptodictya
Binomial name
Searsia leptodictya (Diels) T.S.Yi, A.J.Mill. & J.Wen
Synonyms
Rhus amerina Meikle Rhus leptodictya Diels Rhus rhombocarpa R.Fern. & A.Fern.

Searsia leptodictya is known as mountain karee in English, bergkaree in Afrikaans, and mohlwehlwe in Sotho. An evergreen tree reaching a height of 5 metres and a similar spread, it is drought resistant but only semi frost hardy. It is an attractive small tree with a rounded crown and a pleasing weeping effect. It can be planted in full sun or in partial shade. The tree bears small white flowers, which on female trees turn into bunches of small berry type fruit, which attract birds who feed on the berries. The tree is an attractive tree for a small garden. The berries can be brewed into a beer.

Gallery

• 
  Sapling in the Waterberg, Limpopo
• 
  Close-up of foliage
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  Dense leafy canopy
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  Fruit
• 
  As ornamentals at a resort

External links

• "Searsia leptodictya". PlantZAfrica.com. Retrieved 2010-01-29.
• "Rhus leptodictya". Plant of the week: University of Oklahoma, Department of Botany & Microbiology. Retrieved 2010-01-29.
• "Mountain Karee". Gardening Eden. Retrieved 2010-01-29.

Media related to Searsia leptodictya at Wikimedia Commons