Kemenyan / Styrax benzoin Dryand


Kemenyan trees are trees that produce incense resin. Kemenyan trees are one of the trees native to Indonesia. This plant is naturally distributed on the islands of Sumatra, Java and Kalimantan. The resin (incense sap) produced from this plant has been traded since 5,000 years ago. Together with barus, frankincense has been a mainstay commodity in the archipelago for hundreds of years. Frankincense resin, which is traded for mystical, medical and cosmetic purposes, is produced by plants from the Styracaceae family, the genus Styrax. There are several plants from the Styrax genus that produce incense resin. However, the best known are Styrax benzoin Dryand, Styrax paralleloneurum Perkins, and Styrax tonkinensis (Pierre) Craib ex Hartwich.

Sumber: forda-mof.org ©2020 Merdeka.com

Frankincense trees have medium to large sizes with a diameter of between 20-30 cm and a height of 20 to 30 meters. It has straight stems with few branches and reddish bark. Frankincense has single leaves that are spirally arranged and oval in shape, round and elongated with tapered leaf tips. Frankincense fruit is round and oval in shape and is quite small in size. The brown seeds are encased in thick, hard flesh. The places where this incense plant grows vary, from the lowlands to the highlands at an altitude of 60 to 2100 meters above sea level. Frankincense plants do not require special requirements for soil type. Can grow on Podzolic, Andosol, Latosol, Regosol, and various other associations ranging from heavy to light textured soil and less fertile to fertile soil. This type of plant grows in soil that has high porosity so it absorbs water easily.

Kemenyan / Styrax benzoin Dryand
Kemenyan / Styrax benzoin Dryand

Recent research has shown that frankincense tree populations have declined, partly due to overexploitation. For example, very high tapping on Frankincense trees will produce seeds that can only grow 16%, while tree seeds that have not been tapped have a germination percentage of more than 80%. Additionally, burning, grazing, and attacks by Longhorn beetles have reduced tree populations. Conversion (Forest Clearing) of frankincense forests for agriculture can also pose a major threat.
Morphology

Frankincense is a large tree, can reach a height of 24-40 m with a diameter of 60-100 cm. Straight stem with little branching. The skin has not too deep grooves (3–7 mm), the skin is burgundy, [4] the outer skin is smooth to vertically cracked or finely grooved, the inner skin is soft, brown to red, pink or purplish red, the sapwood is white.
Leaf

Kemenyan / Styrax benzoin Dryand
Kemenyan / Styrax benzoin Dryand

Frankincense has single leaves and is arranged spirally, the leaves are round oval, elongated round (elliptical) with a round leaf base and a pointed tip. Leaf length can reach 4-15 cm, leaf width 5-7.5 cm, leaf stalk 5-13 cm , the leaf blade has 7-13 pairs of nerves. The leaves are smooth, the lower surface is slightly shiny, white to gray in color. The color of the leaves of the Toba frankincense type is darker brownish and thicker than the Durame type.
Flower

Frankincense flowers are androgynous where the flowers have long stems between 6-11 cm, the petals of the flower are 9-12 pieces with a size of 2-3.5 mm. Frankincense flowers regularly once a year. Flowering time starts in November, December and January. Compound flowers, in the form of bunches or panicles at the tips or axils of the leaves. Ripe fruit is round to slightly flat, 2-3.8 cm in diameter.
Fruit and Seeds

Kemenyan / Styrax benzoin Dryand
Kemenyan / Styrax benzoin Dryand

Frankincense fruit is round and oval measuring 2.5–3 cm. Frankincense seeds measure 15–19 mm, the seeds are whitish brown. The frankincense seeds are found in the flesh of the fruit which is quite thick and hard, this is evidence that the frankincense fruit is still normal and the fruit is not damaged even though it has fallen from the tree for several months. The shape of the frankincense fruit and seeds varies according to the type. Toba frankincense seeds are dark brown and darker than the Durame and Bulu types. The shape of the fruit and seeds can be used to distinguish the type of frankincense compared to other parts of the frankincense plant (leaves, stems and so on). Frankincense plants are propagated by seeds. The flowering and fruiting season for the Styrax Benzoin type is December – January. The ripe fruit is loved by squirrels, deer and wild boars. Frankincense seeds amount to 366 grains/Kg or 245 grains/Liter. Seed germination capacity is relatively small, namely ± 35%. The hard seed coat inhibits germination, therefore the usual treatment when germinating seeds is to water with hot water and soak before sowing.

Kemenyan / Styrax benzoin Dryand
Scientific Classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Ebenales
Family: Styracaceae
Genus: Styrax
Species: Styrax sumatrana
Spreads:
North Sumatra


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

error: Content is protected !!