Burseraceae Kunth (1824)
The Burseraceae is a family of around 18 genera and 540 species of tropical woody plants from the New World, Africa and Asia, sometimes forming pachycaul trunks and including members that produce fragrant resins or oils in their bark (e.g. frankincense and myrrh), important since ancient times for use in incense, perfumes and as preservatives.
The type genus Bursera includes the Elephant Trees from the New World with thickened succulent trunks to store water, often with decorative peeling bark, and aromatic wood. They can be grown as bonsai in a warm greenhouse, but will not take significant frost. Plants are best started from seeds as cuttings may be slow to develop a caudex.
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Boswellia Roxburgh ex Colebrooke 1807
The genus includes 16 species of shrubs and trees from Northern Africa, Arabia and India. All species are resinous but just four species yield the aromatic resin, Frankincense.
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Boswellia sacra Flückiger 1867 (Frankincense, Olibanum Tree )
This scrubby tree grows up to 20ft tall in the driest conditions on rocky slopes and out of rock faces. The trunk has a papery, peeling bark. Tufts of deciduous compound leaves with an odd number of leaflets are produced along the branches.
Boswellia sacra is the main source of the aromatic resin, Frankincense, although similar resins are also obtained from other Boswellia species.
Frankincense has been used for thousands of years as an incense and in mummification. The resin is obtained by making incisions in the bark and collecting the hardened exudate. The quality of the resin is affected by the time of year and growing conditions. Collection is mainly from wild trees although attempts are being made to cultivate the incense trees.
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