HERB - Resins

[Gaylin Walli]

Raisya asked:

>I bought frankinsence and myrrh at Pennsic this year, but didn't have a chance
>to label them immediately, and now I've forgotten which is which.  Does anyone
>here know?  One is yellow, the shade of butter, the other is brownish, the
>color of a darkish honey.  I think the yellow is frankinsence and the brown is
>myrrh, but I'm not sure.

The red-brown one is the myrrh. The yellow one is the frankinsence.

References:

"[Myrrh] flows as a pale yellow liquid, but hardens to a reddish-brown mass,
being found in commerce in tears of many sizes, the average being that of a
walnut."
(http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/m/myrrh-66.html)

"When the milk-like juice which exudes has hardened by exposure to the
air, the incision is deepened. In about three months the [Frankincense]
resin has attained the required degree of consistency, hardening into
yellowish 'tears.'"
(http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/f/franki31.html)

Hope this helps,

Jasmine
Jasmine de Cordoba, Midrealm, g.walli at infoengine.com

"Si enim alicui placet mea devotio, gaudebo; si autem
nulli placet, memet ipsam tamen juvat quod feci."
-- Hroswith of Gandersheim
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