Resins & Gums
MYRRH Commiphora myrrha Species and Botanical Identity of a Burseraceae Resin
Key Properties
Introduction
Myrrh is the resin of Commiphora myrrha, a shrub or tree of the Burseraceae family. This page sets out the species concerned; how the resin is harvested and processed will be described once it rests on a primary source.
Species
| Binomial | Commiphora myrrha |
|---|---|
| Accepted name | Commiphora myrrha (T.Nees) Engl. |
| POWO status | accepted |
| Family | Burseraceae |
| Genus | Commiphora |
| IPNI identifier | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:127741-1 |
Source: Govaerts R. (éd.), World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, accessed on 21/09/2026.
About this page. It has been cut back. Harvest, processing, composition, uses and hazards will return once each fact rests on a primary source.
🌿 Botanical Identity
| Accepted name | Commiphora myrrha (T.Nees) Engl. |
| Family | Burseraceae |
| Synonym | Commiphora molmol (Engl.) Engl. ex Tschirch |
| Life form | Shrub or tree, in desert or dry shrubland |
| Native range | E. and SE. Ethiopia to NE. Kenya; SW. and S. Arabian Peninsula |
Source: Plants of the World Online, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew — Commiphora myrrha, Commiphora molmol, consulted 21/09/2026.
What this page sets out: the genus and family that produce myrrh.