Commiphora

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). 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. ==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. ==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: 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 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 lobatospathulata • Commiphora longibracteata • Commiphora madagascariensis Jacq. • Commiphora mafaidoha • 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==

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