Boswellia
| Boswellia | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Sapindales |
| Family: | Burseraceae |
| Genus: | Boswellia Roxb. ex Colebr.[1] |
| Species | |
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see Text | |
| Synonyms | |
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Boswellia is a genus of trees in the order Sapindales, known for its fragrant resin. The biblical incense frankincense is an extract from the resin of the tree Boswellia sacra, and is now produced also from B. frereana.[3] Boswellia species are moderate-sized flowering plants, including both trees and shrubs.
Description
Boswellia species are
Taxonomy
The genus name honors Scottish botanist John Boswell, 1710–1780 (incidentally, uncle of writer James Boswell).[6]
The genus was first published in Asiat. Res. 9 on page 379 in 1807.[2]
Species
As accepted by Plants of the World Online;[2]
- B. ameero Balf.f.
- B. asplenifolia (Balf.f.) Thulin
- B. bullata Thulin
- B. dalzielii Hutch.
- B. dioscoridis Thulin
- B. elongata Balf.f.
- B. frereana Birdw.
- B. globosa Thulin
- B. microphylla Chiov.
- B. nana Hepper
- B. neglecta S.Moore
- B. occulta Thulin, DeCarlo & S.P.Johnson
- B. ogadensis Vollesen
- B. ovalifoliolata N.P.Balakr. & A.N.Henry
- B. papyrifera (Del.) Hochst.
- B. pirottae Chiov.
- B. popoviana Hepper
- B. rivae Engl.
- B. ruspoliana Engl.
- B. sacra Flueck.
- B. serrata Roxb. ex Colebr. (type)
- B. socotrana Balf.f.
World Flora Online only accepts 20 species; B. ameero, B. bullata, B. carteri Birdw., B. dalzielii, B. dioscoridis, B. elongata, B. frereana, B. globosa, B. microphylla, B. nana, B. neglecta, B. ogadensis, B. ovalifoliolata, B. papyrifera, B. pirottae, B. popoviana, B. rivae, B. sacra, B. serrata and B. socotrana.[7]
Distribution
The genus is native to tropical regions of Africa and Asia. The distributions of the species are primarily associated with the tropics.[8] The greatest diversity of species presently is in Africa and India.[8] They are native to the countries (and regions) of Assam, Benin, Burkina, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Senegal, (island of) Socotra, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, West Himalaya and Yemen.[2]
Ecological status
In 1998, the
Frankincense
The four main species of Boswellia, B. sacra (synonyms B. carteri and B. bhaw-dajiana), B. frereana, B. papyrifera, and B. serrata,[3] produce true frankincense, and each type of resin is available in various grades. The grades depend on the time of harvesting, and the resin is hand sorted for quality.
References
- Saint Louis, Missouri: Missouri Botanical Garden. Archived from the originalon July 17, 2017. Retrieved November 24, 2012.
Type Specimens: T: Boswellia serrata Roxb. ex Colebr.
- ^ a b c d "Boswellia Roxb. ex Colebr. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
- ^ .
- ^ a b c d e f g Judd, W.S., Campbell, C.S., Kellogg, E.A., Stevens, P.F., and M.J. Donoghue. 2008. Plant Systematics: A Phylogenetic Approach 3rd ed. Sinauer Associates, Inc., Sunderland, Massachusetts.
- .
- ISBN 9780849326738.
- ^ "Boswellia Roxb". worldfloraonline.org. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
- ^ a b Weeks, A., Daly, D.C. and B.B. Simpson. 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.
- ^ Fobar, Rachel (13 December 2019). "Frankincense trees—of biblical lore—are being tapped out for essential oils". National Geographic. Archived from the original on December 13, 2019. Retrieved 16 December 2019.