Searsia lancea African sumac

Searsia lancea branchlet with leaves and fruit. John Rawlings, ca. 2005.

An attractive small tree with drooping, narrow three-pronged leaves and dark bark that can be grown multitrunked. A specimen from about 1996 can be seen at 665 Alvarado Row. A group is at the entrance to Dining Services, Pampas Lane. Two specimens are on the east side of Campus Drive West between Santa Teresa Street and Searsville Road, several are on Quarry Road near the Psychiatry Building, and others are in the center divide of Campus Drive West near Welch Road. Two old specimens on the north side of Branner Hall were noted by Bill Parker as significant trees.

Name derivation: Rhus – Greek name for one of the species in the genus; lancea – lance-shaped.