Boswellia frereana Birdw.

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Type

Somalia, without precise locality, Playfair s.n. (K lecto.) Plate 4 B.

Vernacular

Yagar, yagcar (the tree); maidi, meydi (the gum-resin, but sometimes also used for the tree).

Morphology General Habit

Tree up to 8 m tall, the trunk base swollen and often disk-shaped; resin copious, milky, drying yellowish; twigs stout

Morphology General Bark

Bark pale yellowish-brown with outer flaking papery layers and a thick reddish-brown inner layer

Morphology Leaves

Leaves oblanceolate in outline, subglabrous, but usually with minute glandular hairs and a few longer eglandular hairs on the rhachis, 10–30 cm long, including a 1–5 cm long petiole, 9–15-foliolate or occasionally simple; leaflets undulate, entire or sinuate or with some irregular crenations on each side, truncate to cordate at the base, obtuse at the apex, usually ovate-orbicular, up to 5 x 3 cm or rarely larger, less often elliptic-oblong, with a slightly prominent network of veins beneath

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Flowers in dense glabrous to pubescent raceme-like thyrses 10–30 cm long, half being peduncle, lateral branchlets rarely over 5 mm long; pedicels 1–3(–4) mm long; bracts 1.5–6 mm long or the lower ones leaf-like

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Calyx c. 2 mm long, glabrous or pubescent; petals reddish or greenish-red, 3.5–5 x 1.5–2.5 mm; filaments glabrous, c. 1.5 mm long, linear but widened at the base; disk saucer-shaped, yellowish, greenish or purplish

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit (5–)6(–8)-celled, 5.5–9 x 3–7 mm, pear-shaped, glabrous; stones trigonous, narrowing to both ends and sometimes shouldered in the upper part, often slightly winged.

Distribution

N2, 3 not known elsewhere.

Ecology

Altitude range 5–750(–1000) m.

Use

The gum-resin of B. frereana is, apart from its use as frankincense, also chewed and used in traditional medicine. It is a major export commodity from Somalia.