Commiphora habessinica (Bekele-Tesemma, 2007)
| Commiphora habessinica (Bekele-Tesemma, 2007) |
Commiphora habessinica Burseraceae Indigenous
Common names
- Amargna: Anqwa
- Oromugna: Chalanga
- Tigrigna: Anqwa
Ecology
Found in association with Acacia and Balanites, in sandy to loamy and blackcotton soil in Bereha and Dry and Moist Kolla and Weyna Dega agroclimatic zones of Gonder, Gojam, Wolega, Shoa, Harerge, Ilubabor, Gamo Gofa, Sidamo and Bale. It is common on the Afar Plain and in Tigray and Welo regions, 150–1,900 m.
Uses
Firewood, live fence, myrrh or balm (resin).
Description
A spiny shrub or tree up to 4 m, side shoots spine-tipped.
- BARK: Grey-brown, black and cracked into squares on old trees, branchlets smooth, purple-brown. Peeling bark comes off in large papery strips across the underbark.
- LEAVES: Usually simple but 1–3 clustered together on spiny side shoots, narrow oval to 4 cm x 2 cm, the edge with small rounded teeth.
- FLOWERS: 1–3 together, very small, yellow-green-pink on cushion-like side branches.
- FRUIT: About 1 cm, oval to rounded with a small pointed beak, containing a stony seed.
Propagation
Seedlings, cuttings.
Seed
- Treatment: No need.
- Storage: Can be stored.
Management
Removing branching stems early on helps to develop leading trunk for better resin production.
Remarks
This species, C. erythraea and other Commiphora are all used locally for their fragrant resin. Another species, C. myrrha produces the best-quality myrrh collected commercially in southern Ethiopia, Somalia and the Arabian peninsula.
