A team of Israeli biologists has cultivated an extinct, or at least extinct, tree species in the genus Myrrh. Commiphora From ancient seeds discovered in the deserts of northern Judea in the 1980s.
Morphological characteristics of Shiba at different ages: (a) Ancient seeds before planting; (b) Developing seeds at 5 weeks. Shows developing cotyledons covered by epicotyl and seed coat. (c) Seedlings, 6 months old. (d) Peeled bark, 12 years. (e) Leaves with fine hairs, 12 years. (f) Mature tree, 12 years. Image credits: Guy Eisner / Elaine Solowy / Salon others., doi: 10.1038/s42003-024-06721-5.
This well-preserved, unidentified, ancient seed was discovered during archaeological excavations of a natural cave in Wadi el-Maqq from 1986 to 1989.
Radiocarbon dated to 993-1202 AD, the seeds were approximately 1.8 cm (0.7 inches) long and weighed 0.565 g.
2010 Hadassah Medical Institution Researcher sarah salon and her colleagues decided to plant it in a greenhouse facility at the Center for Sustainable Agriculture at the Arava Institute of Environmental Sciences in Kibbutz Keturah, Israel.
“The sapling, unofficially named Shiba, is now 14 years old and approximately 3 meters (10 feet) tall,” the biologists said.
“The bark is pale greenish-brown and peels off in thin paper-like sheets, revealing the dark green color beneath the bark.”
“The leaves are alternate, simple compound, with 3 to 5 leaflets, becoming sparse at maturity and sparsely covered with fine villous pubescence covering the leaves and young emerging stems.''
“This tree is deciduous and sheds its leaves during the cool months of December to April (local average temperature plus 24.8 degrees Celsius or 77 degrees Fahrenheit).”
“When the bark is damaged, a small amount of clear oleoresin is produced,” they noted.
“Minimal or no scent is detected in the leaves, bark, and resin.”
“Since the grass is not flowering, we currently do not have reproductive material to attempt to describe the species.”
According to the researchers, Shiva displayed typical characteristics. Commiphoraa species-rich member of the Frankincense and Myrrhaceae families Kansas family It is mainly distributed in Africa, Madagascar, and the Arabian Peninsula.
They used DNA sequencing, phylogenetic and phytochemical analyzes along with archaeological and historical materials to identify and develop various hypotheses that could explain the presence of Shiva in this region around 1,000 years ago. We investigated.
“We wondered if it was possible Commiphora gileadensiswhether it is a candidate for an ancient and valuable balsam, or whether it is an extinct or at least extinct species. Commiphora “Was it once native to this region, as early biblical texts suggest, and if so, whether its presence might have been associated with cultivation, commerce, and trade?” The scientists explained.
They found that the grasshopper was closely related to three species in southern Africa, but not to the grasshopper. Commiphora A species commonly harvested for its aromatic oleoresin. Commiphora gileadensis.
They suggest that it may represent: Commiphora The species was once native to this region, and its resinous extract “tsori” (Hebrew: stream/drip), mentioned in biblical texts, was considered a valuable substance associated with healing.
“First mentioned are early Biblical sources from the 18th to 16th centuries BC (Genesis 37:25, Genesis 43:11) and later writings (Jeremiah 8:22, 46:11, 51: 8, Ezekiel 27:17), the identity of the Biblical “tzori'' was long debatable until the 7th and 6th centuries BC,'' the authors said.
“Some opinions identify it as Judean balsam, but existing evidence is insufficient to prove this association.”
“The Biblical tsori was probably the product of a native species and was associated with the historic Gilead region in the Dead Sea-Jordan Rift Valley, an ancient mountainous region covered with rich forests. It is a mountainous region with fertile valleys that have been intensively cultivated throughout history.
“Located on the east bank of the Jordan River between the Yarmouk River and the northern tip of the Dead Sea, Gilead today occupies the northwestern part of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.”
“Shiva's identification with the Biblical 'Tsori' and thus its probable origin in this region is evidenced by the fact that Sheba is identified with the Biblical 'Tsori' and is therefore probably native to this region of the Dead Sea-Jordan Rift Valley, where 14.5% of the 800 native flora are currently classified as Sudan/Sudano. This is supported by discoveries in caves” – from the Zambezi. ”
a paper The findings were published in the magazine in September 2024 communication biology.
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S.Salon others. 2024. Characterization and analysis of Commiphora Seeds sprouting from ancient seeds suggest a connection to Biblical seeds. commune biol 7, 1109;doi: 10.1038/s42003-024-06721-5
Source: www.sci.news
