Santalum freycinetianum

Botanical Description

Santalum freycinetianum is an evergreen shrub to medium-sized tree, most commonly growing from 1 - 9 metres tall but with specimens up to 25 metres recorded. The canopy can be almost as wide as the tree is tall. The bole is usually 25 - 30cm in diameter, but exceptionally up to 90cm[ 312 Title Traditional Trees of Pacific Islands Publication Author Elevitch. Craig. R. (Editor) Publisher Permanent Agriculture Resources, Hawaii Year 2006 ISBN 0970254458 Description Beautifully produced book with superb photos and detailed information on over 50 species of useful plants of the Pacific Islands. , 337 Title Tropical Tree Seed Manual Publication Author Vosso. J. Editor. Website http://www.rngr.net/Publications/ttsm Publisher USDA Forest Service. Year 2002 ISBN Description An extremely good guide, it can also be downloaded in its entirety from the address shown above. , 509 Title The Indiginous Trees of the Hawaiian Islands Publication Author Rock J.F. Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org Publisher Year 1913 ISBN Description A guide to the trees and forests of Hawaii. Rather dated, but a good work. It can be downloaded from the Internet. ]. A root hemi-parasite, it obtains water and nutrients from host plants growing close by and does not grow well in the absence of a host[ 312 Title Traditional Trees of Pacific Islands Publication Author Elevitch. Craig. R. (Editor) Publisher Permanent Agriculture Resources, Hawaii Year 2006 ISBN 0970254458 Description Beautifully produced book with superb photos and detailed information on over 50 species of useful plants of the Pacific Islands. ]. A valuable aromatic wood and a high quality essential oil are obtained from the wood. The trees were widely exploited in the early 19th century, greatly reducing their population. Although they have partially recovered, relatively few large trees are found and the distribution is more restricted than it was[ 337 Title Tropical Tree Seed Manual Publication Author Vosso. J. Editor. Website http://www.rngr.net/Publications/ttsm Publisher USDA Forest Service. Year 2002 ISBN Description An extremely good guide, it can also be downloaded in its entirety from the address shown above. ]. In the Hawaiian Islands, during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the aromatic lower trunks and rootstock of native Sandalwood species were harvested in great quantity and shipped to China, where they were used to make incense, fine furniture, and other desirable products. The trees were harvested almost to extinction. This extensive and often exploitative sandalwood trade in Hawaii was an early economic activity that adversely affected both the natural environment and the human population. Indeed, this activity represented an early shift from a subsistence to a commercial economy in Hawaii that was to have far­reaching and long­lasting effects in the islands[ 312 Title Traditional Trees of Pacific Islands Publication Author Elevitch. Craig. R. (Editor) Publisher Permanent Agriculture Resources, Hawaii Year 2006 ISBN 0970254458 Description Beautifully produced book with superb photos and detailed information on over 50 species of useful plants of the Pacific Islands. ]. The plant is classified as 'Endangered' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2016)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].