Commiphora myrrha | |
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Commiphora myrrha | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
(unranked): | Angiosperms |
(unranked): | Eudicots |
(unranked): | Rosids |
Order: | Sapindales |
Family: | Burseraceae |
Genus: | Commiphora |
Species: | C. myrrha |
Binomial name | |
Commiphora myrrha (Nees) Engl. |
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Synonyms | |
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Commiphora myrrha, called myrrh,African myrrh,herabol myrrh,Somali myrrhor,common myrrh, or gum myrrh is a tree in the Burseraceae family. It is one of the primary trees used in the production of myrrh, a resin made from dried tree sap. The tree is native to the Arabian peninsula (Oman, Yemen) and to Africa (Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, Northeast Kenya).
Commiphora myrrha is very spiny and it grows to a height of about 4 m (13 ft). It grows at an altitude of between about 250 to 1,300 m (820 to 4,270 ft) with a yearly mean rainfall of about 23 to 30 cm (9.1 to 11.8 in). It does best in thin soil, primarily in areas with limestone.