Sweet-root commiphora
Commiphora neglecta
Family: Burseraceae
What it is like
A slender tree. It grows up to 5 m tall. The stem is thick and greenish. The bark peels in small thin papery flakes. The branches often droop. They are slightly hairy when young and have spines at the tip. The leaves are composed of three leaflets. The leaves have a smell of resin when crushed. The leaflets are egg shaped and vary in size. The end leaflet is the largest. The leaflets narrow towards the base. The leaves are shiny and can be bright green or grey-green. The midrib is yellow and raised underneath the leaf. Leaves can be 7.5 cm long and 5 cm wide. The leaflets do not have stalks but the leaves have long slender stalks. The flowers grow on short side shoot. They flowers are small. The fruit are round or oval and about 1.3 cm across. They are green but turn red as they ripen and split to show the seed inside. There is a fleshy layer around the seed which has 4 wing like arms.
There are about 165 Commiphora species.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It grows on sandy flats and amongst rocks on hot slopes. It grows in areas with a rainfall between 500-700 mm per year. It can grow in arid places.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, East Africa, Eswatini, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe
How it is used for food
The skin of the roots is removed then the roots eaten like sugarcane. They are sweet.
A famine food. It is a significant occasional food in Mozambique.
Edible parts
Roots, leaves
How it is grown
It can be grown by seed or cuttings.
Its other names
Local names
Liminyela, Mu-kerenju, Neglected commiphora, Sweet-root corkwood