Frankincense is the aromatic resin harvested from Boswellia trees that are found throughout India, East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Aside from the Biblical reference of the Three Wise Men, who brought frankincense, myrrh and gold to the infant Jesus, this resin has been used as incense for centuries. It was also once commonly used in cosmetics. In fact, charred frankincense provided the kohl that Cleopatra used to highlight her eyes, what we might consider the forerunner of modern eye liner.

a bit of botany

a little botanical information on frankincense

description
Frankincense is an aromatic resin obtained from trees of the genus Boswellia, particularly Boswellia thurifera, B. carteri, B.sacra, B. frereana and B. bhaw-dajiana, all of the Burseraceae family.

Boswellia plants are moderate-sized flowering plants, including both trees and shrubs. The plants are dioecious. The flowers may have 4-5 faintly connate but imbricate sepals with an equal number of distinct, imbricate petals. Also, the stamens, that may contain nectar discs, have distinct glabrous filaments that come in 1-2 whorls and in numbers equaling or twice the number of petals; the tricolporate pollen is contained within 2 locules of the anthers that open longitudinally along slits. The gynoecium contains 3-5 connate carpels, one style, and one stigma that is head-like to lobed. Each locule of the superior ovary has 2 ovules with axile placentation that are anatropous to campylotropous. The 1-5 pitted fruit is a drupe that opens at maturity. The endosperm is usually lacking in the embryo.

common names & nomenclature
The English word Frankincense is derived from old French franc encens (i.e. high quality incense).

Also known as:
frankincense tears, frankincense, olibanum