It is an indigenous East African frankincense tree belonging to the Burseraceae family—the same family as myrrh.
Main characteristics
* Size: A slow-growing shrub or small tree, commonly reaching about 3–6 metres.
* Trunk: Thick and often irregular, with grey-brown bark that may peel.
* Leaves: Compound leaves with several small oval leaflets. It may shed its leaves during prolonged drought.
* Flowers: Small, usually white, cream or pale green.
* Resin: Produces aromatic frankincense gum-resin. Fresh resin can be pale but often darkens, hence the name black frankincense in some markets.