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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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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

All 3 species in SANTALACEAE

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