syringa, noun

/səˈrɪŋɡə/
Forms:
Also seringa.
Origin:
EnglishShow more Transferred use of English syringa a name used of trees of the genus Philadelphus (mock-orange).
a. In full syringa tree: the shade tree Melia azedarach of the Meliaceae, bearing small, sweetly-scented lilac blossoms in clusters, and ochre-coloured poisonous round berries; Cape lilac sense (a), see Cape sense 2 a.
Note:
Introduced from India, the syringa was first recorded at the Cape in 1800.
1852 C. Barter Dorp & Veld 103 (Pettman)The watercourses..along which we had sown the seeds of the seringa-boom.
1859 R.J. Mann Col. of Natal 109Seringa-trees (a species of lilac) are planted along the sides of the streets.
1864 ‘A Lady’ Life at Natal (1972) 20In West-street an effort has been made to run a brick footway or pavement on either side, and..seringa trees have been planted along the outer edge.
1893 G. Nicholson in Cape Illust. Mag. Jan. 167Surrounded beyond by a curve of the Klip River, was the little town, the houses showing through the masses of syringa foliage.
1900 H. Blore Imp. Light Horseman 96In the seringa trees outside, one after another, the cicadas set up their shrill, incessant song.
1960 W. Plomer in D. Wright S. Afr. Stories 186At times the wind brought a hint of the perfume of a hidden syringa.
1967 E.M. Slatter My Leaves Are Green 1In Pietermaritzburg a bloom of purple lay across the syringa trees.
1985 D. Kramer in Cosmopolitan May 102On Friday after school I’d climb into the highest branches of the syringa tree and wait trembling with anticipation.
1989 Grocott’s Mail 17 Feb. 4Poisonous trees like syringas.
b. With distinguishing epithet:
red syringa, Burkea africana of the Fabaceae;
white syringa, Kirkia acuminata of the Simaroubaceae;
wild syringa, see red syringa (see above).
Note:
These are deciduous trees of the hot, low-lying areas of the northern interior.
1961 Palmer & Pitman Trees of S. Afr. 171The wild seringa is found from the Transvaal bushveld northwards to Abyssinia and Nigeria. It is a very common tree of the sandy areas of the dry open bushveld where it grows as a small tree of 8 to 20 feet high.
1988 A. Hall-Martin et al. Kaokoveld 12The vegetation of the northeastern escarpment zone..contains many species of plants that are..representative of the eastern mesic flora. Among the latter categories are the baobab (Adansonia digitata)..white syringa, jakkalsbessie..and the marula (Sclerocarya birrea).
1990 Clinning & Fourie in Fauna & Flora No.47, 9Here the dominant trees are the magnificent red syringa Burkea africana.
1993 Grocott’s Mail 6 Aug. 9Kirkia acuminata, White Syringa.
In full syringa tree:the shade tree Melia azedarach of the Meliaceae, bearing small, sweetly-scented lilac blossoms in clusters, and ochre-coloured poisonous round berries; Cape lilac sense (a), see Cape sense 2 a.
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swempi, nounn.sysie, nounn.
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