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''Styrax officinalis'' is a species of
/ref> It has a simple, relaxed form, with very thin elliptical leaves long and wide, alternate and widely spaced on thin, reddish stems, with a tight, dark bark on basal stems. A small very light green, stalked axillary bud is associated with each leaf.
The inflorescence is short and few-flowered. The flowers are axillary, bell-shaped, white and fragrant, about long. The corolla has 5–7 petals and many yellow anthers, the calyx is 5-lobed. Flowering period extends from spring to summer (May–June).
''Styrax officinalis'' subsp. ''redidivus'', ''Styrax officinalis'' subsp. ''fulvescens'' (both native to California) and ''Styrax officinalis'' subsp. ''jaliscana'' (native to Mexico), were included here, but recent molecular analysis has suggested that they may be diverged to the point of being separate species.
shrub
A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...
in the family Styracaceae
The Styracaceae are a small family of flowering plants in the order Ericales, containing 12 genera and about 160 species of trees and shrubs. The family occurs in warm temperate and subtropical regions of the Northern Hemisphere.
The family is c ...
.
Description
''Styrax officinalis'' is a deciduous shrub reaching a height of .Plants for a Future/ref> It has a simple, relaxed form, with very thin elliptical leaves long and wide, alternate and widely spaced on thin, reddish stems, with a tight, dark bark on basal stems. A small very light green, stalked axillary bud is associated with each leaf.
The inflorescence is short and few-flowered. The flowers are axillary, bell-shaped, white and fragrant, about long. The corolla has 5–7 petals and many yellow anthers, the calyx is 5-lobed. Flowering period extends from spring to summer (May–June).
''Styrax officinalis'' subsp. ''redidivus'', ''Styrax officinalis'' subsp. ''fulvescens'' (both native to California) and ''Styrax officinalis'' subsp. ''jaliscana'' (native to Mexico), were included here, but recent molecular analysis has suggested that they may be diverged to the point of being separate species.
Distribution
This species is native to southern Europe and the Middle East. It prefers dry rocky slopes, woods and thickets at an elevation up to above sea level.
Uses
This plant is the "official" source ofstyrax
''Styrax'' (common names storax or snowbell) is a genus of about 130 species of large shrubs or small trees in the family Styracaceae, mostly native to warm temperate to tropical regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with the majority in eastern ...
, an herbal medicine known from ancient times. Some believe its oleoresin Oleoresins are semi-solid extracts composed of resin and essential or fatty oil, obtained by evaporation of the solvents used for their production. The oleoresin of conifers is known as crude turpentine or gum turpentine, which consists of oil of ...
to have been the stacte
Stacte ( el, στακτή, staktē) and nataph ( he, נָטָף, ''nataf'') are names used for one component of the Solomon's Temple incense, the ''Ketoret'', specified in the Book of Exodus (). Variously translated to the Greek term ( AMP: ) o ...
used together with frankincense
Frankincense (also known as olibanum) is an aromatic resin used in incense and perfumes, obtained from trees of the genus ''Boswellia'' in the family Burseraceae. The word is from Old French ('high-quality incense').
There are several species o ...
, galbanum
Galbanum is an aromatic gum resin and a product of certain umbelliferous Persian plant species in the genus ''Ferula'', chiefly ''Ferula gummosa'' (synonym ''F. galbaniflua'') and ''Ferula rubricaulis''. Galbanum-yielding plants grow plentifull ...
, and onycha
Onycha (, grc, ὄνυξ, ónux), along with equal parts of stacte, galbanum, and frankincense, was one of the components of the consecrated ''Ketoret'' (incense) which appears in the Torah book of Exodus (Ex.30:34-36) and was used in the Jer ...
to make Ketoret
The incense offering ( he, ) in Judaism was related to perfumed offerings on the altar of incense in the time of the Tabernacle and the First and Second Temple period, and was an important component of priestly liturgy in the Temple in Jerusale ...
, the Tabernacle
According to the Hebrew Bible, the tabernacle ( he, מִשְׁכַּן, mīškān, residence, dwelling place), also known as the Tent of the Congregation ( he, link=no, אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, ’ōhel mō‘ēḏ, also Tent of Meeting, etc.), ...
incense of the Old Testament.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1281140officinalis
''Officinalis'', or ''officinale'', is a Medieval Latin epithet denoting organisms—mainly plants—with uses in medicine, herbalism and cookery. It commonly occurs as a specific epithet, the second term of a two-part botanical name. ''Officinali ...
Flora of Lebanon
Flora of Israel
Flora of Turkey
Flora of Palestine (region)
Poisonous plants