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Frankincense, also known as olibanum (/ oʊ ˈ l ɪ b ə n ə m /), [1] is an aromatic resin used in incense and perfumes, obtained from trees of the genus Boswellia in the family Burseraceae. The word is from Old French franc encens ('high-quality incense'). [ 2 ]
The tree has compound leaves and an odd number of leaflets that grow opposite to one another; the small, yellow-white flowers are gathered in axillary clusters composed of five petals, ten stamens, and a cup with five teeth; new leaves feature a downy covering. The fruit of the Boswellia sacra tree is a capsule approximately 1 cm (0.39 in) long.
Boswellia is a genus of trees in the order Sapindales, known for its fragrant resin. The biblical incense frankincense is an extract from the resin of the tree Boswellia sacra, and is now produced also from B. frereana. [3] Boswellia species are moderate-sized flowering plants, including both trees and shrubs.
The Burseraceae are also known as the torchwood family, [2] the frankincense and myrrh family, or simply the incense tree family. The family includes both trees and shrubs ; its species are native to tropical regions of Africa , Asia , Australasia , and the Americas .
The Land of Frankincense (Arabic: أرض البخور, romanized: ʿArḍ al-Bakhūr) is a site in Oman on the Incense Road. The site includes frankincense trees, Khor Rori and the remains of a caravan oasis , which were crucial to the medieval incense trade.
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, and South America.
Boswellia papyrifera, also known as the Sudanese frankincense, [2] is a species of flowering plant and frankincense that is native to Ethiopia, Eritrea and Sudan. The tree is cultivated in Ethiopia because of its valuable resin. The incense is characterized by a fresh lemon-pine scent [3] and is therefore highly esteemed.
In the West B. frereana is called "Coptic Frankincense" as this is the type and grade used by the Coptic Church of Egypt. 80% of B. frereana production is sold to Saudi Arabia where it is traditionally brought home by Muslim pilgrims. The remaining 20% is sold all around the world.