SANTALACEAE
Morphological description
Usually woody root parasites. Sometimes trees with branched spines on stem, leaves alternate (Scleropyrum); trees with opposite leaves, wood aromatic (Santalum); leafless root parasites (Phacellaria).
Leaves
Leaves simple, entire, exstipulate; usually leaf venation subpalmate. Sometimes leaves alternate (Scleropyrum); trees with opposite leaves (Santalum); leafless (Phacellaria).
Inflorescence
Inflorescence.
Flowers
Flowers actinomorphic, simple perianth, usually perianth 4- or 5-lobed; stamens isomerous, opposite perianth segments, ovary inferior.
Fruit
Fruit.
Seed
Seed.
Different from: Olacaceae: calyx and corolla, ovary usually superior. — Loranthaceae and Viscaceae: stem parasites.
Distribution: The family world-wide. In Malesia 9 genera, incl.: - Dendrotrophe (Indo-Malesia, Pacific), climber, lowland and lower montane for-est; - Exocarpus (Indo-Malesia, Pacific), shrubby root parasite with phyllocladia; - Santalum (East Malesia, Pacific, Australia), trees, monsoon forest..
Notes: Santalum album (and other species of Santalum) yields the scented sandalwood and is often planted for that purpose.
Literature: B.H. Danser, Nova Guinea n.s. 4 (1940) 133-149; R. Pilger, in Engler, Nat. Pflanzenfam. ed. 2, 16b (1935) 52-91; H.U. Stauffer, Revisio Anthobolearum, Mitt. Bot. Mus. Zurich 213 (1959).
Spot characters (Van Balgooy): Santalaceae 59, 79, 92 - Cladomyza 11 - Dendromyza 11, 54 - Du-frenoya 11 - Exocarpos 11 - Phacellaria 8, 11 - Santalum 11, 54 - Scleropyrum 11, 12 - Thesium 11.
Illustrations: Fig. 149. Santalum album L.: a. habit; b. flower; c. fruit.
Image in PhytoImages for Santalaceae