Searsia lancea
Searsia lancea, commonly known as the Karee, is a versatile evergreen shrub native to southern Africa. Renowned for its glossy, lance-shaped leaves and hardy nature, it serves both ornamental and medicinal purposes. Traditionally, various parts of this plant are utilized in folk medicine to treat diverse ailments and inflammation.
- Scientific name: Searsia lancea
- Family: Anacardiaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it falls under the order Sapindales and the family Anacardiaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Searsia.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Sapindales | WCVP |
| Family | Anacardiaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Searsia | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Searsia lancea, is recognized by several different common names depending on the language spoken in its native regions. In Afrikaans, it is widely referred to as Karee, while in Sesotho, it is commonly known as Chisau.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| sn | Chisau | Wikidata |
| af | Karee | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a diverse geographical range that spans multiple regions across the African continent and Atlantic islands. Within the Macaronesia region, it can be found inhabiting the Canary Islands. Its distribution extends into South Tropical Africa, where it is specifically located in Zambia and Zimbabwe. Moving into Southern Africa, the species is also native to the territory of Botswana. Finally, its presence is noted within the Cape Provinces of the southern tip of the continent.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Macaronesia | Canary Is. | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Zambia | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Zimbabwe | WCVP |
| Southern Africa | Botswana | WCVP |
| Southern Africa | Cape Provinces | WCVP |
| Southern Africa | Lesotho | WCVP |
| Southern Africa | Namibia | WCVP |
| Southern Africa | Free State | WCVP |
| Southern Africa | Northern Provinces | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | Pakistan | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, commonly known as the Karoo rose, utilizes its leaves as a primary component in its medicinal applications. The leaves are characterized by their lanceolate shape and are often harvested to prepare infusions or decoctions used in traditional healing practices. By utilizing these specific leaf structures, practitioners can extract the bioactive compounds necessary for their therapeutic purposes.- Total parts
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 2
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| leaves | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Searsia lancea has 12 reported phytochemicals identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include alcohol, alkane, amide, anthraquinones, flavonoids.
- Total chemicals
- 12
- Scientific sources
- 12
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| alcohol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| alkane | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| amide | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| anthraquinones | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| flavonoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| gentisic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| naphthalene | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| phenols | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| sakuranetin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| steroids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Searsia lancea has 5 reported activities identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Anthelmintic, Anticancer, Antifungal, Antioxidant.
- Total activities
- 5
- Scientific sources
- 6
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antibacterial | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anthelmintic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anticancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antifungal | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Searsia lancea has 4 reported medicinal uses identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include fever, measles, sexually transmitted infections, wounds.
- Total uses
- 4
- Scientific sources
- 4
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| fever | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| measles | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| sexually transmitted infections | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| wounds | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |