Frankincense
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Boswellia sacra (commonly known as frankincense or olibanum-tree) is a tree in the Burseraceae family. It is the primary tree in the genus Boswellia from which frankincense, a resinous dried sap, is harvested. It is native to the Arabian Peninsula (Oman, Yemen), and northeastern Africa (Somalia).
Threats
Recent studies have indicated that frankincense tree populations are declining due to overexploitation. Heavily tapped trees have been found to produce seeds that germinate at only 16% while seeds of trees that had not been tapped germinate at more than 80%.
Animals in Oman often browse on the tree's foliage, flowers, and seedlings, resulting in scant regeneration; the mature trees that remain are apparently dying.
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