As was mentioned earlier, many of the aromatic plants used for incense and perfumes are also believed to have curative powers. The ones listed below are those that are used primarily for healing: aloe, castor bean, liquidambar, opobalsamum, rock rose, saffron crocus, and tragacanth.
To begin properly we must deal with definitions. As we said in the introduction to this chapter, the word “balm” is potentially confusing because it is used in a general sense as any oily or resinous substance used to treat injuries or reduce pain, but also as a particular species of plant and its derived resin, found in the Arabian Peninsula. We include it here in both senses. Note the heading above and the discussion of “balm” under Liquidambar (Oriental sweetgum, storax) and Opobalsamum (balsam, balm) below.