Burseraceae

=Family description=
 * Trees or rarely shrubs**. Bark with strong aromatic smell, sometimes with white sap.
 * Leaves** alternate, very rarely in pseudowhorls, compound (imparipinnate, rarely trifoliolate, sometimes 1-foliolate), leaflet margin usually entire except some //Canarium// species. Stipules absent (rarely pseudostipules or subulate stipules present). Petioles sometimes thickened at both ends.
 * Inflorescences** paniculate (or tending to racemose or spike-like).
 * Flowers** small, unisexual (male and female flowers on different plants) or bisexual (//Garuga//), regular. Sepals 3--5, usually connate. Petals 3--5, free. Stamens usually twice as many as the petals, in 1 or (2) whorl(s), free or more or less fused. Disc intrastaminal, variable in shape and size. Ovary superior, usually 3 or 5 locular, locules with 2 ovules; style simple; stigma globular, often slightly lobed.
 * Fruit** drupe-like with a non-dehiscent, mostly fleshy pericarp; locules with 1 seed. Seeds without endosperm; cotyledons containing oil.

=General info=
 * Distribution** About 18 genera with c. 540 species, throughout the tropical regions of the world. In Malesia rarely found above 1000 m altitude.
 * Ecology** Usually rather big trees in closed forests.
 * Uses** Timber (//Canarium// spp.); Resins and edible seeds.
 * Similar to** May be confused with Anacardiaceae, Simaroubaceae and/or Meliaceae, but can be distinguished from Meliaceae by the separate or more or less fused stamens, from Simaroubaceae by the absence of gland dots and from the Anacardiaceae by its colourless or white-yellow resin (which only rarely slowly turns into black).

=Treated genera=
 * Canarium
 * Garuga

[|Burseraceae.pdf]

Canarium hirsutum

Garuga sp