Myrrh
Commiphora kua

Family: Burseraceae

What it is like

A spiny shrub or small tree. It grows 3-4 m tall. The outer bark peels off in strips. There is a gum resin. The long shoots have spine-tips that taper and are stout. The leaves are simple and on short shoots. They can have 3 different leaflets. These are 10-35 mm long by 5-25 mm wide. They have 5-9 sharp teeth on each side. The flowers are in clusters of 4-6 for male flowers and 1 or 2 for female flowers. The flowers are greenish-yellow. The fruit are 6 mm long by 4.5 mm wide.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows between 40-1,300 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Burundi, Congo DR, Djibouti, East Africa, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Middle East, Mozambique, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Socotra, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia

How it is used for food

The roots are chewed when thirsty.

Edible parts

Medicine, caution, stems, roots - moisture

How it is grown

Plants can be grown by seed or cuttings.

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Balsamodendron kua R. Br. ex Royle; Commiphora crenulata (A. Terracc.) Chiov.; Commiphora flaviflora Engl.; Commiphora habessinica var. crenulata A. Terracc.; and others