Boswellia scopulorum is found in few and isolated areas where they escape the goats atop huge limestone boulders and in vertical cliffs. Amidst this population one can find unusual individuals with confusing characters, of which this one is such an example.
Flowers in this individual are cream/yellow, not red as expected in Boswellia scopulorum.
Thus this is likely an eastern form of Boswellia bullata (the other Boswellia bullata populations is in the far west), but with cream and not red flowers, inflorescence is also narrowly elongated (seen here, and in western Boswellia bullata) opposed to flowers arranged in panicles with long spreading branches in Boswellia scopulorum. Unfortunately the flowers of this tree was too far off the cliff to reach, to get a close-up.
Miller & Morris (2004):
There is some variation: plants from the single population known in the east (this observation – my note) differ from trees from the west in having red (not greenish yellow) petals and leaves with fewer (9 to 13), more regularly and less deeply crenate-serrate leaflets.
22 October 2023 cyclone Tej hit Socotra, and with it extreme amounts of rain inundated every corner of the island. Almost two months later I am met with a green island where every species of plant is thriving and growing to their potential. The boswellias are no exception, all with shoots, lush canopies and many with flowers!
There are at least 9 species of Boswellia on Socotra, and they are all endemic.
Elevation: 229 meters.
This is the complete list of all the 10 Boswellia species found in the Socotra Archipelago:
Boswellia ameero
Boswellia asplenifolia
Boswellia bullata
Boswellia dioscoridis
Boswellia elongata
Boswellia nana
Boswellia popoviana
Boswellia scopulorum
Boswellia socotrana
Found only on the island of Samha:
Boswellia samhaensis
In addition there are numerous hybrids and varieties that will keep botanists busy.
Read more:
The challenges in seed regeneration of the endemic Boswellia species on Socotra.
Last updated on 8 November 2024