Boswellia papyrifera
(Delile ex Caill.) Hochst.
Burseraceae
Amyris papyrifera Delile
Boswellia chariensis Guillaumin
Boswellia occidentalis Engl.
Boswellia odorata Hutch.
Common Name: Elephant Tree
General Information
Boswellia papyrifera is a small evergreen tree with an open, spreading crown; it can grow 4 - 12 metres tall. The bole, which can be unbranched for 2 - 3 metres, is up to 50cm in diameter[
328- Title
- African Flowering Plants Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php
- Publisher
- Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques.
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map.
].
This is the chief gum resin producing tree in Ethiopia, where little effort has been done to domesticate it[
328- Title
- African Flowering Plants Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php
- Publisher
- Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques.
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map.
]. It has a very long history of human use, with evidence to show it being employed by the ancient Egyptians over 3,500 years ago[
238- Title
- Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Bown. D.
- Publisher
- Dorling Kindersley, London.
- Year
- 1995
- ISBN
- 0-7513-020-31
- Description
- A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
]. It is often cultivated and harvested from the wild for its aromatic resin[
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
Range
Tropical Africa - northern Nigeria to Ethiopia, Eritrea and Uganda.
Habitat
Stony hillsides, often dominant and forming pure stands; sandy valleys; dry, rocky or more or less shallow soils; on granite; dry Acacia, Commiphora woodland and wooded grassland; at elevations from 400 - 1,830 metres[
328- Title
- African Flowering Plants Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php
- Publisher
- Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques.
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map.
].
Properties
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Tree |
| Height | 8.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Cultivated, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Not known
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
A fragrant resin is obtained from the stems[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
]. It is used as an incense in churches[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
]. Most resin is obtained by making deliberate incisions into the bark of the tree. The milky liquid that exudes hardens on exposure to air into droplets or 'tears' which are then easily detached by the collector. Occasionally, some tears are produced by accidental injury or from splits which occur in the stems or branches of the tree
Propagation
Seed -
Cuttings
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
