Several representative species within the Burseraceae typify the economic and ethnobotanic significance of the family. First, "Dacryodes excelsa" of the Canarieae is an important old-growth species found in the Caribbean. Second, "Bursera simaruba" of the Burserinae is a fast-growing ornamental that is one of a few representatives of the primarily tropical family in the United States. Finally, the namesakes of the family "Boswellia carterii" (frankincense) and "Commiphora abyssinica" (myrrh) are important economically and medicinally in several parts of the world. Though this is a small subset of the large number of potentially important species, these four members exemplify the wide use and importance of the Burseraceae. The latter three are frequently cited in the literature for their renowned importance.