On the cover The Oak-leafed Commiphora, Commiphora wildii, known locally as omumbiri, is found in Namibia (almost certainly extending into Angola), and notable for its particularly pleasantly-scented sap. Used by the women of the local Himba tribes in their perfumes, the exudate is also harvested and exported for use in western fragrances. Anecdotally, it is reported that the men have been unable to reliably distinguish the correct species to harvest. Several other species of Commiphoro grow with C. wildii which are not so sweetly scented. The sap from these plants smells bad enough to earn them the name omumbungu, or 'the tree of the hyaena', which has apparently resulted in contamination of several batches of resin. The small specimen shown here was photographed on top of a hill west of Sesfontein in May 2005 by Tim Harvey, in frustration after having been unable to find anything more interesting after a long hike in considerable heat. |
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