held for Commiphora kataf, but also as Aleurites laccifer (Euphorbiaceae), Ficus spec. (Artocarpeae), and Butea frondosa (Papilionaceae). Sanskrit kunkuma () is saffron (Crocus sativus). Balm of Mecca Peter Forsskål (1732–1763) found the plant occurring between Mecca and Medina. He considered it to be the genuine balsam-plant and named it Amyris opobalsamum Forsk. (together with two other varieties, Amyris kataf Forsk. and Amyris kafal Forsk.). Its Arabic name is or , which is identical to the Hebrew or . Bruce found the plant occurring in Abyssinia. In the 19th century it was discovered in the East Indies also. Linnaeus distinguished two varieties: Amyris gileadensis L. (= Amyris opobalsamum Forsk.), and Amyris opobalsamum L., the variant found by Belon in a garden near Cairo, brought there from Arabia Felix. More recent naturalists (Lindley, Wight and Walker) have included the species Amyris gileadensis L. in the genus Protium. Botanists enumerate sixteen balsamic plants of this genus, each exhibiting some peculiarity. There is little reason to doubt that the plants of the Jericho balsam gardens were stocked with Amyris gileadensis L., or Amyris opobalsamum, which was found by Bruce in Abyssinia, the fragrant resin of which is known in commerce as the "balsam of Mecca". According to De Sacy, the true balm of Gilead (or Jericho) has long been lost, and there is only "balm of Mecca". The accepted name of the balsam plant is Commiphora gileadensis (L.) Christ., synonym Commiphora opobalsamum. Cedronella Cedronella canariensis, a perennial herb in the mint family, is also known as Balm of Gilead, or Herb of Gilead. Flammability Balsam oil was too volatile and flammable to be used as fuel. In the Talmud, a case is cited of a woman planning and carrying out the murder of her daughter-in-law by telling her to adorn herself with balsam oil and then light the lamp (Shab. 26a). According to the 13th-century (?) Liber Ignium (Book of Fires), balsam was an ingredient of ancient incendiaries akin to Greek fire. References Bibliography Encyclopedias, dictionaries, lexica CBTEL – EI – EJ – GEL – HEL – NCE – OLD – SED – Other works External links Incendiary weapons Perfume ingredients Traditional medicine Resins Biblical archaeology Ethnobotany Gilead