Searsia chirindensis

Searsia chirindensis, the red currant or bostaaibos, is a shrub or small tree, occasionally becoming large and reaching 23 m in height (SA Tree List No. 380).

The trifoliolate leaflets are large and ovate-lanceolate. They are dark green, hairless with conspicuous lateral veins on the wavy leaves. Leaflet apices end in hair-like sharp points.

The flowers are small, yellow-green, growing in terminal or axillary heads. The fruits are spherical and red when ripe.

The species distribution of S. chirindensis is along the south and east coasts of South Africa. It also grows in the eastern parts of Mpumalanga and Limpopo, as well as in Swaziland, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and further afield in central Africa (Coates Palgrave, 2002).