Shrubs or small trees, deciduous; branches and branchlets often spinescent. Leaves
alternate or fascicled, exstipulate, 3 - 7-foliolate, imparipinnate, membranous or chartaceous; leaflets sessile or shortly petiolulate , entire, crenate or serrate; lateral ones often
smaller than the terminal ones. Flowers sessile or subsessile, bisexual or unisexual,
solitary or in fascicles or paniculate dichasial cymes, crowded at ends of the branches.
Calyx campanulate, cupular or tubular, 4-lobed, rarely 5 -
6-lobed, persistent. Petals 4,
valvate, rarely 5 -
6, inserted on margin of disk, linear-oblong or oblong or oblanceolate,
reflexed and apiculate at apex. Disk cupular. Stamens usually 8, inserted on margin of
disk, in 2 rows, alternately long and short; filaments flat or filiform, often dilated at base;
anthers oblong, basifixed, dehising longitudinally. Ovary sessile, ovoid or oblong, 2 -
4
locular; ovues 2 in each locule; style short; stigma 2-lobed, rarely 3 -
4-lobed. Drupes
ovoid, globose or subglobose, apiculate, crustaceous or woody, splits irregularly at
maturity into 2 -
6 valves, leaving the pulp exposed; 1-seeded.
Arabia,Pakistan, India. Tropical and S. Africa; ca 185 species, 6 species in India.
Literature.
ENGLER, A.(1931). In: ENGLER, A. & K. PRANTL, Nat. Ptlanzenfam. ed. 2, 19a: 429.
ABEDIN, S. & S.I. ALI (1972). Burseraceae In: NASIR, E. & S.I. ALI, Fl. W. Pakistan 26: 1 - 4.
KEY TO THE SPECIES
1a. Plants armed; leaves 3-foliolate; terminal leaflets larger than the laterals; flowers solitary or
in fascicles
2
b. Plants unarmed; leaves imparipinnate with 2 -
3 pairs ofleatlets; terminal leaflet not much larger than
the laterals; flowers many, in panicles
