Chimat / White Sandawood
Osyris wightiana
Also known as Nepal Tree
- Habit
- Shrub
- Flowering
- October-April
How to identify Chimat
Identify Chimat by combining habit, leaf characters, flower or fruit details, location, and its family pattern. Do not rely on one feature alone.
- Look for a shrub habit.
- Check the distinctive field mark: Small semi-parasitic shrub.
- In season, compare flowering and fruiting time: October-April.
- Confirm it sits within the Santalaceae family pattern, then compare close relatives before deciding it is Chimat.
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Osyris wightiana
- Genus
- Osyris
- Family
- Santalaceae
- Habit
- Shrub
- Habitat
- Semi-evergreen, dry deciduous forests and montane scrub jungles
- Distribution
- India, Sri Lanka, sub-tropical Himalaya
- Flowering & fruiting
- October-April
- Conservation status
- Not Evaluated (NE)
Leaf characters
Typical of the Santalaceae family — a field-mark hint, not measured for this exact species.
Local Names
- Kannada
- ಕುರಿಗಂಧ Kurigandha, ತಪರಾಲ Taparaala, ತಂಬರಲ್ಲಿ Tambaralli, ನಾಟಡಿಕೆ Naatadike, ಪೊಪ್ಲಿ Popli, ಬನಿಗನಿ Banigani
- Malayalam
- പുല്ലുരുവി pulluruvi, വെള്ളചന്ദനം Vellacandanam
- Marathi
- चिमट Chimat, लोटळ Lotal, पोपली Popali
- Nepali
- Jhuri, नुण्ढिकि Nundhiki
- Tamil
- Paral
About Chimat
A member of the Santalaceae family, White Sandawood (Osyris wightiana) is a shrub. It grows in semi-evergreen, dry deciduous forests and montane scrub jungles. Flowering and fruiting run from October to April.
Santalaceae
Sandalwood Family
Chimat belongs to the Santalaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
Explore the Santalaceae familySnap it. Know it.
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Common plant problems
If you are starting from symptoms instead of a diagnosis, use the plant disease symptom checker to narrow the cause before treating.
All plant problem & care guides