''Commiphora'' is the most species-rich

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

s in the frankincense and myrrh family, Burseraceae. The genus contains approximately 190 species of

shrub A shrub or 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 by their multiple ...

s and

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, e.g., including only woody plants with secondary growth, only ...

s, which are distributed throughout the (sub-) tropical regions of

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, the western Indian Ocean islands, the

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India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

, and

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.Weeks, A. and Simpson, B.B. 2007. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of ''Commiphora'' (Burseraceae) yields insight on the evolution and historical biogeography of an “impossible” genus. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 42:62–79. The genus is drought-tolerant and common throughout the xerophytic scrub, seasonally dry tropical forests, and woodlands of these regions. The common name myrrh refers to several species of the genus, from which aromatic resins are derived for various fragrance and medicinal uses by humans. A previously unknown species belonging to this genus has been grown from a single ancient seed and tentatively identified as the biblical plant mentioned in the Bible as the source of a medicinal extract called ''tsori''.

Description

Leaves in ''Commiphora'' are pinnately compound (or very rarely unifoliolate). Many species are armed with spines. Bark is often exfoliating, peeling in thin sheets to reveal colorful, sometimes

photosynthetic Photosynthesis ( ) is a Biological system, system of biological processes by which Photoautotrophism, photosynthetic organisms, such as most plants, algae, and cyanobacteria, convert light energy, typically from sunlight, into the chemical ener ...

, bark below. Stems are frequently succulent, especially in species native to drier environments. Flowers are typically dioecious ( subdioecious) and

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants (angiosperms) that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which angiosperms disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particular have long propaga ...

s are drupes, usually with a 2-locular

ovary The ovary () is a gonad in the female reproductive system that produces ova; when released, an ovum travels through the fallopian tube/ oviduct into the uterus. There is an ovary on the left and the right side of the body. The ovaries are end ...

(one is abortive). In response to wounding, the stems of many species will exude aromatic resins.

Ecology and biogeography

''Commiphora'' can serve as a model genus for understanding plant evolution in the drier regions of the Old World tropics, particularly in eastern continental Africa and

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, where diversity in the genus is concentrated. The closely related sister genus to ''Commiphora'', '' Bursera'', has been used as a model genus to study patterns of evolution in the

New World The term "New World" is used to describe the majority of lands of Earth's Western Hemisphere, particularly the Americas, and sometimes Oceania."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: ...

seasonally dry tropical forests.

Use by humans

Products from many species of ''Commiphora'' have been used for various purposes, sometimes as timber, building material, and natural fencing, but more often valued for the aromatic resins produced by several members of the genus. " Myrrh", the common name for these dried resins, is fragrant and has been used both as fragrance and for medicinal purposes (e.g., Balsam of Mecca, ''C. gileadensis''). Use of myrrh resin is frequent and pronounced throughout historical texts of cultural significance, including the Bible.

Ancient seed

An ancient seed recovered from an archaeological site in the Judean Desert has been confirmed to be a member of ''Commiphora''. The 1,000-year-old seed has produced a tree growing at Louis Borick Natural Medicine Research Center.

Systematics and taxonomy

Studies using DNA sequence data have confirmed the monophyly of ''Commiphora''; however, this data suggests that previous classification of the genus into sections does not reflect monophyletic interspecific relationships.

Species

181 species are accepted: *'' Commiphora acuminata'' *'' Commiphora africana'' (A.Rich.) Engl. (syn. ''Heudelotia africana''), sometimes identified with ancient bdellium. Used indirectly by the San bushmen to poison their arrow tips for hunting *'' Commiphora alata'' *'' Commiphora alaticaulis'' J.B.Gillett & Vollesen *'' Commiphora anacardiifolia'' *'' Commiphora andranovoryensis'' *'' Commiphora angolensis'' Engl., also known as "sand commiphora", growing mainly in

Angola Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is a country on the west-Central Africa, central coast of Southern Africa. It is the second-largest Portuguese-speaking world, Portuguese-speaking (Lusophone) country in both total area and List of c ...

and

Namibia Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country on the west coast of Southern Africa. Its borders include the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south; in the no ...

*'' Commiphora angustifoliolata'' *'' Commiphora ankaranensis'' *'' Commiphora antunesii'' *'' Commiphora aprevalii'' Guillaumin, endemic to

Gallery

Commiphora simplicifolia 02.jpg, Commiphora simplicifolia 01.jpg, Commiphora marlothii, habitus, Skrikfontein, a.jpg, Commiphora mollis, habitus, Skrikfontein, c.jpg,

References

External links

Flora of Pakistan: ''Commiphora''
{{Authority control Burseraceae genera Dioecious plants Taxa named by Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin