A genus of trees that produces frankincense, a fragrant resin used in perfumes and religious ceremonies since ancient times.
Named after James Boswell (1740-1795), the famous Scottish biographer of Samuel Johnson, following the Linnaean tradition of naming plants after notable people. The genus actually produces the precious resin that has been traded for thousands of years.
It's delightfully ironic that a botanical genus is named after Boswell, a man famous for documenting others' lives through writing, while the plant itself produces frankincense—one of the most documented trade goods in human history, mentioned in the Bible and ancient Egyptian records.
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