Commiphora kataf
(Forssk.) Engl.
Burseraceae
Amyris kataf Forssk.
Commiphora allophylla Sprague
Commiphora erythraea (Ehrenb.) Engl.
Commiphora holtziana Engl.
Commiphora lughensis Chiov.
Commiphora pseudopaolii J.B.Gillett
Commiphora somalensis Engl.
Hemprichia erythraea Ehrenb.
Common Name:
General Information
Commiphora kataf is an unarmed, deciduous shrub or small tree, growing up to 8 metres, occasionally to 10 metres tall[
500- Title
- Flora of Somalia
- Publication
-
- Author
- Thulin M. (Editor)
- Publisher
- Kew Publishing, London.
- Year
- 1993
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Detailed information on the plants of the region, often adding notes on the plants uses.
]. The bole can be 30 - 50cm in diameter and unbranched for up to 5 metres[
396- Title
- Useful Trees and Shrubs in Eritrea
- Publication
-
- Author
- Bein. E.; Habte. B.; Jaber. A.; Birnie. A. & Tengnas. B.
- Publisher
- Regional Soil Conservation Unit: Nairobi
- Year
- 1996
- ISBN
- 9966-896-24-4
- Description
- A very well written and concise guide to almost 200 species. It gives a brief description of each plant together with its habitat, uses, propagation and cultivation. Line drawings of each plant are also included It can be downloaded from the internet
].
The tree yields a gum resin.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
500- Title
- Flora of Somalia
- Publication
-
- Author
- Thulin M. (Editor)
- Publisher
- Kew Publishing, London.
- Year
- 1993
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Detailed information on the plants of the region, often adding notes on the plants uses.
Range
Northeast tropical Africa - Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania.
Habitat
Acacia-Commiphora woodlands, wooded grassland and bushland and dry coastal bushland, often on rocky slopes, at elevations up to 1,500 metres[
396- Title
- Useful Trees and Shrubs in Eritrea
- Publication
-
- Author
- Bein. E.; Habte. B.; Jaber. A.; Birnie. A. & Tengnas. B.
- Publisher
- Regional Soil Conservation Unit: Nairobi
- Year
- 1996
- ISBN
- 9966-896-24-4
- Description
- A very well written and concise guide to almost 200 species. It gives a brief description of each plant together with its habitat, uses, propagation and cultivation. Line drawings of each plant are also included It can be downloaded from the internet
].
Properties
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Deciduous Tree |
| Height | 7.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
A plant of semi-arid areas in the tropics, where it is found at elevations from near sea level to over 1,500 metres[
500- Title
- Flora of Somalia
- Publication
-
- Author
- Thulin M. (Editor)
- Publisher
- Kew Publishing, London.
- Year
- 1993
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Detailed information on the plants of the region, often adding notes on the plants uses.
].
Requires a sunny position and a well-drained soil.
The plant can be pollarded or coppiced[
396- Title
- Useful Trees and Shrubs in Eritrea
- Publication
-
- Author
- Bein. E.; Habte. B.; Jaber. A.; Birnie. A. & Tengnas. B.
- Publisher
- Regional Soil Conservation Unit: Nairobi
- Year
- 1996
- ISBN
- 9966-896-24-4
- Description
- A very well written and concise guide to almost 200 species. It gives a brief description of each plant together with its habitat, uses, propagation and cultivation. Line drawings of each plant are also included It can be downloaded from the internet
].
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
The resin is used to treat stomach disorders[
396- Title
- Useful Trees and Shrubs in Eritrea
- Publication
-
- Author
- Bein. E.; Habte. B.; Jaber. A.; Birnie. A. & Tengnas. B.
- Publisher
- Regional Soil Conservation Unit: Nairobi
- Year
- 1996
- ISBN
- 9966-896-24-4
- Description
- A very well written and concise guide to almost 200 species. It gives a brief description of each plant together with its habitat, uses, propagation and cultivation. Line drawings of each plant are also included It can be downloaded from the internet
].
The plant is used medicinally[
396- Title
- Useful Trees and Shrubs in Eritrea
- Publication
-
- Author
- Bein. E.; Habte. B.; Jaber. A.; Birnie. A. & Tengnas. B.
- Publisher
- Regional Soil Conservation Unit: Nairobi
- Year
- 1996
- ISBN
- 9966-896-24-4
- Description
- A very well written and concise guide to almost 200 species. It gives a brief description of each plant together with its habitat, uses, propagation and cultivation. Line drawings of each plant are also included It can be downloaded from the internet
]. No more information is given.
Other Uses
The stems are probably a source of the gum resin 'Bursa Opopanax', which is used in perfumery, as an incense and as an insecticide[
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.
,
396- Title
- Useful Trees and Shrubs in Eritrea
- Publication
-
- Author
- Bein. E.; Habte. B.; Jaber. A.; Birnie. A. & Tengnas. B.
- Publisher
- Regional Soil Conservation Unit: Nairobi
- Year
- 1996
- ISBN
- 9966-896-24-4
- Description
- A very well written and concise guide to almost 200 species. It gives a brief description of each plant together with its habitat, uses, propagation and cultivation. Line drawings of each plant are also included It can be downloaded from the internet
].
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.
