Boswellia nana

Origin and Habitat: Boswellia nana is a rare endemic plant from the, Soqotra island, Yemen. It is only known from two locations  with a total area of occupancy of less than 20 km².
Altitude range: 300–550 metres above sea level.
Habitat and Ecology: Boswellia nana grows in perfect camouflage in crevices on limestone cliffs and limestone pavement often covered by a thick coating of lichens, in dry, semi-deciduous woodland in the Northeast of the island. The plants grows as a small vertical shrub or sometimes totally prostrate together with Echidnopsis insularis, Gnidia socotrana, Acacia pennivenia, Acridocarpus socotranus, Anisotes diversifolius, Ballochia rotundifolia, Carphalea obovata, Commiphora socotrana, Cryptolepis intricata, Lannea transulta, Rhus thyrsiflora, and Croton pachyclados, just to cite a few of the more common. Several of the eight species of Boswellia known to occur on Socotra, all endemics, are restricted to limestone cliffs and huge boulders, mainly below about 600 m. These species, Boswellia bullata, Boswellia dioscorides, Boswellia nana and Boswellia popoviana possess swollen holdfasts roots which help to support the stems on walls, and rocks. By forcing their way into minute pores and crevices, they hold the plant firmly in place to even vertical cliffs in which they germinated.
Description: Boswellia nana is a prostrate or pendent dwarf tree, perhaps the most ornamental of the frankincense genus, with a very unusual, compact, bonsai-like habit, growing up to about 60 cm above the ground level or hanging 60-100 cm down the cliff-face.