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Botanical Family · Santalales

Santalaceae

Sandalwood Family

3 speciesOrder Santalales3+ well-known plants

The Santalaceae family (Sandalwood Family) is a botanical family placed in the order Santalales. In the SASYA catalogue it spans 3 species across 3 genera. Its members are predominantly trees. Well-represented genera include Osyris, Santalum and Scleropyrum. Several members are valued in traditional medicine. Familiar examples include White Sandawood, Sandalwood Tree and Hard Pear Tree.

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Representative SANTALACEAE specimen
Representative specimen · Santalaceae
Key pattern

Simple, often leathery leaves on trees and shrubs that are root-hemiparasites, tapping into a host plant's roots underground while still photosynthesising themselves; small, inconspicuous flowers ripen into a drupe.

True sandalwood's fragrant heartwood — among the most valuable timbers by weight in the world — only develops its scent after decades of the tree quietly parasitising the roots of nearby host plants.

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Which Santalaceae species is this?

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Family identification method

To check whether a plant belongs to Santalaceae, compare the leaf arrangement, leaf type, flower symmetry, fruit type, and one distinctive marker together. A single feature can mislead; the family pattern is the combination.

Learn the full family-identification method

Typical leaf characters

  • ArrangementVariable
  • Simple type leaf characterTypeSimple
  • MarginVariable
  • VenationVariable

Characters typical of the family — individual species can vary.

Notable members

White Sandawood, Nepal TreeOsyris wightianaSandalwood Tree, White Sandal TreeSantalum albumHard Pear TreeScleropyrum pentandrum

Families that can look similar

Loranthaceae

Compare against Loranthaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.

Compare Loranthaceae

Olacaceae

Compare against Olacaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.

Compare Olacaceae

Balanophoraceae

Compare against Balanophoraceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.

Compare Balanophoraceae

Opiliaceae

Compare against Opiliaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.

Compare Opiliaceae

All 3 species in SANTALACEAE

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