Searsia incisa var. effusa

Searsia incisa var. effusa, commonly known in Afrikaans as the kalwertaaibos (calf sticky bush), is a much-branched shrub reaching heights of 1,5 m in drier terrain, sometimes double that (SA Tree List No. 385, shared with var. incisa). The stems have grey old bark, grey-brown to brown on young growth, fairly smooth with scattered lenticels.

This variety of the species is distributed in the Northern Cape, the Western Cape and the Eastern Cape. The photo was taken at Naries, west of Springbok.

The habitat is karoid, semi-arid to arid scrubland in winter and summer rainfall regions, often near rivers and streamcourses where the plants grow in clay soils. The plant is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century (Le Roux, et al, 2005; Coates Palgrave, 2002; Van Wyk and Van Wyk, 1997; iNaturalist; http://redlist.sanbi.org).