English: Elephant tree.
Synonym: Elaphrium microphyllum; Terebinthus microphylla.
Spanish: Torote.
Region: southwestern United States, northwestern Mexico.
Habitat: most northerly and most xeromorphic of the
Burseraceae; desert-adapted; thrives in the extremely arid desert hills and mountains in northwest Sonora.
Use: red sap for treating skin disorders and other diseases; wood for boxes; ornamental, landscape plant.
BotanyTree, small; sarcocaulescent; to 10 m tall.
Stem: thickened, water-storing or caudiciform; distinctive sculptural form; relatively small branching structure; bark light gray to white, exfoliating, papery; younger branches having a reddish color.
Leaves: deciduous, when drought or cold weather; alternate; without stipules; once-pinnate or twice-pinnate, or unifoliate or trifoliate, composed, paired leaflets; light; long, straight, flat, legume-like leaves which are.
Flowers: small; star-shaped; white or cream; rounded yellow buds; flowers in June and July.
Fruit: drupe, flower in June and July; containing a single seed, yellow stone.
Dispersion: by birds, Gray Vireos, Ash- throated Flycatchers, rodents.