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.
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).[4] 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 Worldseasonally dry tropical forests.[5]
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).[6] Use of myrrh resin is frequent and pronounced throughout historical texts of cultural significance, including the Bible.
Systematics and taxonomy
Recent studies using DNA sequence data have confirmed the monophyly of Commiphora;[3][7] however, this data suggests that previous classification of the genus into sections does not reflect monophyletic interspecific relationships.
Commiphora africana (A.Rich.) Engl. (syn. Heudelotia africana),[8] sometimes identified with ancient bdellium. Used indirectly by the San bushmen to poison their arrow tips for hunting [9]
Commiphora kataf (Forssk.) Engl.(syn. Commiphora holtziana Engl, Commiphora erythraea (Ehrenb.) Engl.), producing habak hagar, known as sweet myrrh, sometimes sold as opoponax.[10]
^Daly et al. 2011. Burseraceae. Families and genera of vascular plants. 10:76–104.
^ abWeeks, 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.
^Gillett, J.B. 1991. Burseraceae. In: Polhill, R.M. (Ed.), Flora of Tropical East Africa. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam. Pp. 1–95.
^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.
^Musselman, L.J. 2007. Figs, Dates, Laurel, and Myrrh: Plants of the Bible and the Quran. Timber Press, Inc. Portland, Oregon. Pp. 194–197.
^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.
