Santalum album L.

SANTALACEAE

 

Vernacular names:

Hindi             - Chandan

Kannada        - Srigandha

Malayalam      - Chandanam

Marathi          - Chandan, Krishna chandana

Sanskrit         - Chandana, Bhadrashri

Tamil             - Sandanam, Chandanam

Telugu           - Chandanam, Hari chandanam, Srigandham

 

 

Threat status:

Vulnerable (A 1 c,d) - KA

Endangered (A 1 c,d) - KL & TN

 

Habit: A partial root parasitic tree

 

Habitat: Plains, foothills and slopes of dry deciduous forests

 

Altitude: 50 - 1400 m

 

Distribution: Global: Peninsular India, Malaysia to Indonesia. National: Dry regions of peninsular India. Introduced into many parts of the country. Regional: Common in dry forests throughout Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. In Kerala, confined to dry deciduous forests.

 

Description: Medium sized trees, growing 6-15 m tall. Bark dark-grey, rough, about 0.5 cm thick, with irregular and indistinct vertical fissures. Heartwood brownish yellow, strongly scented. Sapwood white, odourless. Branches hairless, drooping. Leaves opposite rarely alternate, elliptic­egg-shaped, 4-8 x 2-4 cm, base rounded to acute, apex acute, margin entire, shiny, hairless, slightly leathery, dull bluish green below, distinctly stalked. Flowers bisexual, borne in axillary paniculate cymes, about 6 mm across, brownish-purple, mildly fragrant. Drupes globose, 1-1.5 cm across, with a persistent ring at top, smooth, shiny, fleshy, ripening purplish black. Seeds 1, white.

 

Phenology: Flowering & Fruiting: December to April; July to September. Stray flowers and fruits seen almost throughout the year.

 

Medicinal uses: Heartwood powder/decoction is used to treat intrinsic haemorrhage, bleeding piles, vomiting, diabetes, eye diseases, hiccough, inflammation, internal heat, white discharge, excessive thirst, itching, to improve the complexion of the skin and to induce happiness. Heartwood is also used in treating burning sensation, skin diseases, leprosy, forgetfulness, cardiac debility, hyperacidity, jaundice, bronchitis, dysentery, gastric irritability, intermittent fever and general debility. Oil from heartwood is used to cure dysuria, gonorrheal urethritis and cystitis.

 

Trade information: Local, regional, national and global. The pieces of heartwood are traded as Chandana or Sated Chandana at As. 80 to 650/Kg. (Market studies, 1999-2000).

 

Mode of propagation: By seeds

 

Special characters: Chocolate-coloured flowers and purplish black spherical fruits are striking field characters apart from the highly scented heartwood.