Kalahari taaibos, Commiphora rhus, Kalahari currant
Searsia tenuinervis

Family: Anacardiaceae

What it is like

A low shrub. It can grow to 6 m tall. The crown is dense with many branches. The bark is dark. It loses its leaves during the year. The leaves have a scent. The young twigs and leaves are hairy. Sometimes the leaf branches are spiny. The leaves have 3 leaflets that are softly hairy. The leaflets are egg-shaped. The point is blunt and they narrow to the base. The edges of the leaves are normally coarsely scolloped. The leaflets are 1.3-10 cm long by 0.8-5 cm wide. The middle leaflet is the largest. The leaflets are dark green above and paler or yellowish below. They turn red in autumn. The flowers are star like. The flowers are greenish-white. They occur in loosely branched sprays. They are in the axils of leaves and near the ends of branches. The fruit are small, round and pea-sized. The fruit are 6 mm across. They can be white or purplish-brown when ripe. They are edible.

There are about 200 Rhus species.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in areas that are sometimes waterlogged. It is usually in areas with a rainfall between 300-800 mm. It grows between 300-1,850 m above sea level. It grows in open woodland and on termite mounds. It can grow in arid places. It grows in various types of woodland and on rocky hillsides. It grows on the banks of rivers. It can stand some frost.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Botswana, East Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sudan, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten raw. The leaves are used as flavouring. The leaves are eaten raw. They are chewed then spat out. They are also used to flavour meat dishes. The fruit are also used for beer. The stems are used to flavour water.

The fruit are eaten especially by children.

Edible parts

Leaves - flavouring, stems, fruit, seeds

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds. Seeds grown easily. Seedlings can be transplanted. It grows quickly.

Its other names

Local names

Kemo, Kimosh, Kitheu, Morupaphiri, Nana berry, Omupombo, Qadhadhiya, Rhus

Synonyms

Rhus commiphoroides Engl. & Gilg.; Rhus kwebensis N.E. Br.; Rhus tenuinervis Engl.;