Pistacia aethiopica

Botanical Description

Pistacia aethiopica is a spreading, evergreen tree (rarely, just a shrub), usually growing 5 - 15 metres tall but occasionally to 20 metres. It often has a multi-stemmed bole which can be up to 60cm in diameter[ 328 Title African Flowering Plants Database Publication Author Website http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php Publisher Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques. Year 0 ISBN Description Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map. ]. The tree is harvested from the wild for local use, supplying a gum, fuel, tooth cleaner etc. The gum is of high quality and is sometimes exported, especially from Somalia[ 328 Title African Flowering Plants Database Publication Author Website http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php Publisher Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques. Year 0 ISBN Description Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map. ]. The tree is sometimes grown as an ornamental[ 398 Title Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania Publication Author Ruffo, C.K.: Birnie, A. & Tengnas, B. Publisher Regional Land Management Unit; Nairobi. Year 2002 ISBN 9966-896-60-0 Description A very well presented, simple guide to growing and utilizing wild food plants in Tanzania, with line drawings of each plant, a description, habitat and range, non-food as well as food uses, plus basic information on growing the plants. ]. The tree produces a high-quality gum mastic and damage is frequently incurred from the tapping process. The species is fairly abundant in the main part of its range but the subpopulations around Nairobi are said to be wiped out from overexploitation and the species is also thought to be extinct in Eritrea. The plant is classified as 'Near Threatened' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(1998)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].