Santalum album

Santalum album

The sandalwood tree ( Santalum album ) is a species within the family of Sandelholzgewächse ( Santalaceae ).

Description

The sandalwood tree grows as the evergreen tree and can reach heights of growth of up to 20 meters. The reddish or almost black bark is smooth in young trees, in older she has deep vertical cracks. The against-constant leaves are divided into petiole and leaf blade. The furrowed petioles are 5-15 cm long. The leaf blade is ovate 3-5 cm in a size of 3-8 cm by, on the top and light green on the underside paler. The leaves have net-like veins and end pointed or rounded.

In a terminal or lateral paniculate inflorescences, up to six flowers together. The odorless violet, reddish or green flowers have a size of 4 to 6 mm. The spherical, single-seeded drupes are first red and later colored purple.

Ecology

Santalum album parasitized roots of other trees to provide themselves with water and inorganic salts. The host plants include Senna siamea and Drypetes lasiogyna.

In addition to the self-pollination it comes to pollination by different insects such as bees, butterflies and beetles. The seeds are mainly dispersed by birds that eat the fruit.

The sandalwood tree is susceptible to phytoplasma, which in extreme cases lead to the death of the tree, while the host plant pathogenic fungi such as Fusarium and Phytophthora can be attacked.

Occurrence and risk

The main deposits extend over the tropical areas of India, Australia and Indonesia. Santalum album thrives on moist, sandy soils and tolerates neither waterlogged nor frost.

The sandalwood tree is endangered according to the Red List of Threatened Species. The main cause is considered to over-exploitation (see section "Use").

Use

From the age of 15 years, the Sandalwood tree per year, makes about one kilograms heartwood, which is used because of the contained sandalwood oil for perfumery and as incense for religious ceremonies. This sub-optimal growing conditions favor a higher oil content in the wood. The main producer of sandalwood is India. As a result of overexploitation prices for the wood between 1990 and 2009 increased from 3800 euros per tonne to € 85000.

Swell

• Worldagroforestrycentre.org ( accessed on 18 May 2013)