NAME: Boswellia spp
FAMILY: Burseraceae
COMMON NAMES: Frankincense, Olibanum, Olibano, al-maṣṭikaالمصطكىs
LOCAL NAMES: Juguuhi
USEFUL PART(s): Bark
GENERAL USES:
Boswelia spp are used as a source of frankincense
It is used for religious activities
GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION
China
Somalia
India
South Arabia
Cameroon
Nigeria
WHY IS IT GREEN?
Boswellia spp medicinal values include
Anti-inflammatory
Anti snake venom
antiproliferative effect on tumors
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
FUN FACT
Boswellia spp are flowering plants of moderate-sized, consisting both trees and shrubs, and are indigenous to tropical regions of Africa and Asia
There are four major species of Boswellia which produce true frankincense; Boswellia carteri, Boswellia frereana, Boswellia papyrifera, and Boswellia serrata.
FURTHER READINGS
Attorre, F., Taleb, N., De Sanctis, M., Farcomeni, A., Guillet, A., & Vitale, M. (2011). Developing conservation strategies for endemic tree species when faced with time and data constraints: Boswellia spp. on Socotra (Yemen). Biodiversity and Conservation, 20(7), 1483–1499. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-011-0039-7
Younoussa, L., Nukenine, E. N., & Esimone, C. O. (2016). Toxicity of Boswellia dalzielii (Burseraceae) Leaf Fractions Against Immature Stages of Anopheles gambiae (Giles) and Culex quinquefasciatus (Say) (Diptera: Culicidae). International Journal of Insect Science, 8, 23–31. https://doi.org/10.4137/IJIS.S37188