Commiphora is the most species-rich genus of flowering plants in the frankincense and myrrh family, Burseraceae. The genus contains approximately 190 species of shrubs and trees, which are distributed throughout the (sub-) tropical regions of Africa, the western Indian Ocean islands, the Arabian Peninsula, India, and South America.Daly et al. 2011. Burseraceae. Families and genera of vascular plants. 10:76–104.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, bark below. Stems are frequently succulent, especially in species native to drier environments. Flowers are typically dioecious (subdioecious) and fruits are drupes, usually with a 2-locular ovary (one is abortive).Gillett, J.B. 1991. Burseraceae. In: Polhill, R.M. (Ed.), Flora of Tropical East Africa. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam. Pp. 1–95. 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 Madagascar, 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 seasonally dry tropical forests.De Nova, A. et al. 2011. Insights into the historical construction of species-rich Mesoamerican seasonally dry tropical forests: the diversification of Bursera (Burseraceae, Sapindales). New Phytologist. 193(1):276–287.
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).Musselman, L.J. 2007. Figs, Dates, Laurel, and Myrrh: Plants of the Bible and the Quran. Timber Press, Inc. Portland, Oregon. Pp. 194–197. 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;Weeks, A., et al. 2005. The phylogenetic history and biogeography of the frankincense and myrrh family (Burseraceae) based on nuclear and chloroplast sequence data. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 35:85–101. 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 and Namibia Commiphora angustifoliolata Commiphora ankaranensis Commiphora antunesii Commiphora aprevalii Guillaumin, endemic to Madagascar Commiphora arafy Commiphora arenaria Commiphora baluensis Commiphora benguelensis Commiphora berardellii Commiphora berryi Commiphora boranensis Vollesen Commiphora brevicalyx Commiphora buruxa Commiphora caerulea Commiphora campestris Commiphora capensis Commiphora capuronii Commiphora caudata (Wight & Arn.) Engl. Commiphora cervifolia Commiphora chaetocarpa Commiphora chevalieri Commiphora chiovendana Commiphora ciliata Vollesen Commiphora coleopsis Commiphora confusa Vollesen Commiphora corrugata J.B.Gillett & Vollesen Commiphora crenatoserrata Commiphora cuneifolia Commiphora cyclophylla Commiphora dalzielii Commiphora dinteri Commiphora discolor Commiphora drake-brockmanii Commiphora dulcis Commiphora edulis Commiphora elliptica Commiphora eminii Commiphora engleri Commiphora enneaphylla Commiphora erlangeriana Commiphora erosa Vollesen Commiphora falcata Commiphora foliacea Commiphora franciscana Commiphora fraxinifolia Commiphora fraxinoides Commiphora fulvotomentosa Commiphora gardoensis Commiphora gariepensis Commiphora giessii Commiphora gileadensis (L.) C.Chr. (syn. Commiphora opobalsamum), producing balsam of Mecca. Commiphora glandulosa Schinz Commiphora glaucescens Commiphora gorinii Commiphora gracilifrondosa Commiphora grandifolia Commiphora grosswelleri Commiphora guerichiania Commiphora guidottii Chiov. ex Guid. (syn. Commiphora sessiliflora), producing habak hadi, known as bisabol, opoponax, scented or sweet myrrh. Commiphora guillauminii Commiphora gurreh Commiphora hartmannii Commiphora harveyi (Engl.) Engl. Commiphora hereroensis Commiphora hildebrandtii Commiphora hodai Commiphora hornbyi Commiphora horrida Commiphora humbertii H.Perrier Commiphora kaokoensis Commiphora karibensis Commiphora kataf (Forssk.) Engl.(syn. Commiphora holtziana Engl, Commiphora erythraea (Ehrenb.) Engl.), producing habak hagar, known as sweet myrrh, sometimes sold as opoponax. Commiphora kerstingii Commiphora kraeuseliana Commiphora kua (R.Br. ex Royle) Vollesen (syn. Commiphora habessinica (O.Berg) Engl.) Commiphora kucharii Commiphora kuneneana Commiphora lacerata Commiphora lamii Commiphora lasiodisca Commiphora laxecymigera Commiphora leandriana Commiphora leptophloeos (Mart.) J.B.Gillett, the only species of Commiphora present in the Americas. Commiphora lobatospathulata Commiphora longibracteata Commiphora madagascariensis Jacq. Commiphora mafaidoha TRANS-MAD Development Parc National de Kirindy-Mite Commiphora mahafaliensis Commiphora marchandii Commiphora marlothii Commiphora merkeri Commiphora merkii Commiphora mildbraedii Commiphora mollis Commiphora mombassensis Commiphora monoica Vollesen Commiphora monstruosa Commiphora morondavensis Commiphora mossambicensis (Oliv.) Engl. Commiphora mossamedensis Commiphora mulelame Commiphora multifoliolata Commiphora multijuga Commiphora murraywatsonii Commiphora myrrha (Nees) Engl. (syn. Commiphora molmol), producing myrrh. Commiphora namaensis Commiphora namibensis Commiphora neglecta Commiphora oblanceolata Commiphora oblongifolia Commiphora obovata Commiphora oddurensis Commiphora omundomba Commiphora orbicularis Commiphora ornifolia Commiphora otjihipana Commiphora ovalifolia Commiphora paolii Commiphora parvifolia Commiphora pedunculata Commiphora pervilleana Commiphora planifrons Commiphora playfairii Commiphora pruinosa Commiphora pseudopaolii Commiphora pteleifolia Commiphora pterocarpa Commiphora pyracanthoides Commiphora quadricincta Commiphora quercifoliola Commiphora rangeana Commiphora razakamalalae Commiphora rostrata Commiphora ruquietiana Commiphora ruspolii Commiphora samharensis Commiphora sarandensis Commiphora saxicola Engl., Rock corkwood, a shrub endemic to Namibia Commiphora schimperi (O.Bergman) Engl. Commiphora schlechteri Commiphora schultzei Commiphora sennii Commiphora serrata Commiphora serrulata Commiphora setulifera Commiphora simplicifolia H.Perrier Commiphora shankarsinhiana Commiphora sinuata Commiphora socotrana (Balf.f.) Engl. Commiphora spathulata Commiphora spathulifoliolata Commiphora sphaerocarpa Chiov Commiphora spinulosa Commiphora staphyleifolia Commiphora stellatopubescens Commiphora stellulata Commiphora steynii Commiphora stocksiana (Engl.) Engl., known in Pakistan as bayisa gugal Commiphora sulcata Commiphora swynnertonii Commiphora tenuipetiolata Commiphora tetramera Commiphora truncata Commiphora tsimanampetsae Commiphora ugogensis Commiphora ulugurensis Commiphora unilobata J.B.Gillett & Vollesen Commiphora viminea Commiphora virgata Commiphora wightii (Arn.) Bhandari (syn. Commiphora mukul), producing gum guggul, sometimes identified with ancient bdellium. Commiphora wildii Commiphora woodii Commiphora zanzibarica
Gallery
References
External links Flora of Pakistan: Commiphora Biblical Burseraceae