kəmˈɪfoːɹə kæn sˈɜːv æz ɐ mˈɑːdəl dʒˈɛnəs fɔːɹ ˌʌndɚstˈændɪŋ plˈænt ˌɛvəlˈuːʃən ɪnðə dɹˈaɪɚ ɹˈiːdʒənz ʌvðɪ ˈoʊld wˈɜːld tɹˈɑːpɪks, pɚtˈɪkjʊlɚli ɪn ˈiːstɚn kˌɑːntɪnˈɛntəl ˈæfɹɪkə ænd mˌædəɡˈæskɚ, wˌɛɹ daɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi ɪnðə dʒˈɛnəs ɪz kˈɑːnsəntɹˌeɪɾᵻd.
Commiphora can serve as a model genus for understanding plant evolution in the drier regions of the Old World tropics, particularly in eastern continental Africa and Madagascar, where diversity in the genus is concentrated.