Black dammar (Canarium strictum)

Canarium strictum is the black dammar tree, karunkungiliyam in Tamil: a tall forest tree of the Western Ghats and north-east India whose wounds yield a dark, aromatic resin burnt as incense in temples and homes. Forest communities have tapped it for generations. Harsh tapping methods, including fire, have damaged many trees.

Botanical name: Canarium strictum Roxb.
Family: Burseraceae
Tamil: Karungungiliyam
Hindi: Kala damar
Parts used: Resin (historical; wild-tapped trade is a conservation problem)
Habit: Black resin Burseraceae; kungiliyam is a shop word
Last updated: 2026-10-25

How to recognise Black dammar

It is a tall, straight evergreen tree. The young leaves are a striking bright red, which makes a flushing tree easy to spot.

The mature leaves are pinnate, with several pairs of oval leaflets. The flowers are small and the fruit is an olive-like drupe, typical of the frankincense family, Burseraceae.

Resin oozes from wounds in the bark and hardens into dark brown to black lumps. That colour separates it from the pale white dammar of Vateria indica.

Salai, Boswellia serrata, is a smaller, dry-country tree whose pale resin is Indian frankincense.

Traditional use of Black dammar

Temple and household

The resin is burnt as incense and used as a varnish and caulk. It is sold under the broad word kungiliyam alongside other resins.

South Indian temple practice

Forest livelihoods

Tribal communities in the Western Ghats collect the resin as a non-timber forest product, an important source of cash income.

Western Ghats forest communities

Modern notes on Black dammar

Ecological studies in the Western Ghats found that setting fires at the base of trees to boost resin flow damages and eventually kills them. Gentler tapping methods have been developed with collectors.

Chemists have described terpenes in the resin, but the documented uses remain incense and varnish.

Black dammar safety

Burning resin indoors produces smoke, so ventilate the room. Do not swallow the resin.

Ecology and sourcing

It grows in evergreen and semi-evergreen forest of the Western Ghats and the eastern Himalaya, extending into southern China and Thailand.

Well-managed resin tapping can keep both the trees and the collectors’ incomes going. Destructive tapping removes the trees the trade depends on.

Related plants

Also in Burseraceae

Questions about Black dammar

Is Black dammar white dammar?

No. White dammar is Vateria indica. This is the black resin.

Is all kungiliyam from Black dammar tree?

No. The word covers several resins, including white dammar, sal and frankincense.

Why are the young leaves red?

Many tropical trees flush red; the pigment is thought to protect tender leaves.

Sources

Educational page about a plant. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell. Traditional use is historical. If you need care, ask a licensed clinician. Questions: hello@meevamed.com.