African Sumac
African Sumac
Searsia lancea
Plantae
UNCOMMON

Stats

Lifespan
Up to 100 yrs
Size
Large
Diet
Photosynthetic
Biome
Temperate grassland
Range
Sub-Saharan Africa
Movement
Sessile
Breeding
Seeds
Defense
Toxins
Status
Uncommon

About

The African sumac is an evergreen tree native to the rocky plains of southern Africa. Its trifoliate leaves secrete a sticky resin that traps small insects to keep them away.

Life cycle

  1. 1.
    seed
    A dormant seed waits for water and warmth before germinating.
  2. 2.
    sprout
    A first shoot emerges with cotyledon leaves and a tap root reaching down.
  3. 3.
    sapling
    A young plant grows true leaves and a stem or trunk, putting on height each season.
  4. 4.
    mature
    Fully grown, flowering or fruiting at adult size.

Learn more

Taxonomy

Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Family
Anacardiaceae
Genus
Searsia
Species
Searsia lancea