The myrrh genus, Commiphora, is the most species rich genus of flowering plants in the frankincense and myrrh family, Burseraceae. The genus contains approximately 190 species of shrubs and trees, which are distributed throughout the (sub-) tropical regions of Africa, the western Indian Ocean islands, the Arabian Peninsula, India, Vietnam, and South America. The genus is drought tolerant and common throughout the xerophytic scrub, seasonally dry tropical forests, and woodlands of these regions. 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. 
The common name corkwood indicates that the wood is soft, although it is suitable for carving household items and ornaments. The Afrikaans name kanniedood (‘cannot die') refers to the fact that cut branches or cuttings grow very easily when planted. 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. The stems of many species will exude aromatic resins when damaged. 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. Use of myrrh resin is frequent and pronounced throughout historical texts of cultural significance, including the Bible. Commiphora saxicola commonly known as Rock Corkwood in English and Kanniedood or Balsembos in Afrikaans is endemic to a narrow strip of western Namibia scrubland, and is a small shrub or tree with a short, swollen stem and smooth, grey bark. The deciduous, waxy, compound leaves, clustered on the tips of short shoots, appear after the small, yellow flowers. Individual plants are male or female, the latter produce fleshy, animal-dispersed fruits. When the stems are damaged a colourless, aromatic resin, rich in triterpenes and ethereal oils, flows copiously from resin ducts in the bark. The resin dries rapidly, forming a tough scab. Such features are associated with drought tolerance and the plant's ability to survive in rocky outcrops, where there is limited water and great diurnal temperature variation; days are hot and nights are cold. This Namibian Dessert native plant bears greenish yellow flowers and prefers well-drained soil with occasional water and lots of sun. 
|
