African myrrh
Commiphora africana

Family: Burseraceae

What it is like

A shrub or small tree. It grows 2-5 m high. It has many branches and is spiny. The trunk is grey and the bark does not peel. The young branches are densely hairy and with spines at the tip. The leaves are on long hairy stalks. The leaves are made up of 3-5 leaflets. These are usually hairy and have rounded teeth along the edge. The leaflet at the end has a narrow base and blunt point. It is the largest leaflet. The flowers are red and in short clusters in the axils of leaves. The flowers are produced before the leaves appear. The fruit are small and round. In fresh fruit the layer around the seed is red.

There are about 165-190 Commiphora species. They are common in Africa.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It favours low dry woodland. It grows on sandy flats or rocky ridges. In East Africa it grows between 50 and 1,800 m altitude. In Kenya it grows in regions with a rainfall between 400-1,000 m altitude. It can grow in arid places. It grows in the Sahel. It grows in Miombo woodland. In Brisbane Botanical Gardens.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa, Chad, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sahel, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The centre of the roots is eaten when food is scarce. It is eaten raw. It is sweet. Bark is used to make a tea. The young fruit is eaten raw. Caution: The leaves are eaten but may contain poisons. They are cooked with potash and groundnuts.

The roots are especially eaten by children.

Edible parts

Fruit, roots, leaves, bark, gum, seeds

How it is grown

It can be grown from seeds or cuttings. It can be grown from stakes. It can be planted as a live hedge.

It flowers and fruit throughout much of the year in Ethiopia. The rootstock is collected during the rainy season.

Its other names

Local names

Agarat, Anqua, Dashi, Dedeck, Ekadeli, Ekadili, Etopojo, Gafal, Hairy corkwood, Horgoog, Iminyela, Inchone, Itula, Kabi, Katagh, Khobo, Khozyo, Kidirigheta, Kitungu, Liminyela, Mbambara, Mogorokoko, Morophaphiri, Msilale, Mtono, Mturituri, Mubvuka, Muchabobo, Mugugudo, Mugugudu, Mukwendekwende, Munyera, Mutungu, Naamo, Orido, Osilalei, Poison-grub commiphora, Qahitta, Siponda, Tchindjove, Togoria, Za, Zanzachenana

Synonyms

Commiphora pilosa (Engl.) Engl.; Commiphora benadirensis Mattei; Commiphora calcicola Engl.; Balsamodendron africanum (A. Rich.) Arn.; Heudelotia africana A. Rich.;