The genus Searsia was named after Paul B. Sears (1891-1990) who was head of the Yale School of Botany. The Anacardiaceae family is widespread in warmer parts of the world with about 111 species of Searsia occurring in southern Africa. Most of the species grown in southern Africa, belonging to the genus Rhus, have been placed in Searsia.

Searsia pentheri commonly known as Common Crow-berry is a South African indigenous species form the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces. It grows into a branched shrub or tree of up to 6 meters tall. It has dark green leaves. During autumn it bears small heads of flowers which are followed by glossy orange-brown fruit. It is synonymously known as Rhus pentheri.