The feather-leaved corkwood or fynblaarkanniedood (fine-leaved-cannot-die) as Commiphora kraeuseliana is commonly known, grows naturally in the north-west of Namibia, close to but not at the coast. The habitat borders on the desert and is characterised by sandy grit soil on rocky, arid slopes. The compound leaves have six to eight pairs of very thin, thread-like leaflets plus a terminal one. The stems branch much and grow to a height of 1,5 m. The bark is light brown to greyish or yellow. There may be yellow pieces of peeling bark around the lower stem parts. The female flowers are pale orange, the male ones green; the fruits are globose (Coates Palgrave, 2002; www.bihrmann.com).

1668

Ivan Latti