Scientific Name |
Osyris lanceolata Hochst.&Steud.ex A.DC. |
Trade Name |
African sandal |
Local Name |
Tanzanian sandal |
Family |
Santalaceae |
Tree Size |
Small |
Tree Height ( m ) |
1 - 7 |
Tree Diameter ( cm ) |
60 - 70 |
Tree Distribution |
Mainly in African countries |
Sapwood-Heartwood Distinction |
Distinct |
Sapwood Colour |
Reddish white |
Heartwood Colour |
Reddish brown in colour. |
Hardness |
Moderately hard |
Specific Gravity Based on Weight Over-dry and Volume Green |
0.77 |
Weight |
Heavy |
Weight(Kg)/cubic meter at 12% Moisture Content |
|
Texture |
Fine texture |
Grain |
Straight to slightly wavy grain. |
Growth Rings |
Distinct |
Porosity |
Diffuse porous |
Vessel Size |
Mostly solitary, very small not clearly visible with hand lens |
Vessel Arrangement |
Vessels solitary |
Vessel Diameter |
60 - 90 80 |
Vessel Element Lenght |
160 - 300 300 |
Perforation |
Simple |
Pit Outline |
Rounded |
Pit Size |
|
Vessel Ray Pitting |
Alternate with rounded pits and with much reduced border |
Ray Nature |
Very fine, closely spaced not clearly visible with the hand lens. |
Ray Arrangement/Type |
One to three cells wide, heterogeneous; body of ray cell made up of procumbent cells with one or two marginal rows of square cells. Uniseriate rays wholly made up of square cells |
Ray Number |
5 - 9 |
Ray Height |
150 - 310 220 |
Fibre Walls |
Thin to thick walled with minute pits on both radial and tangential walls. |
Fiber Length |
|
Modulus of Rupture in kg/cm2 (Green) |
|
Modulus of Elasticity in kg/cm2 (Green) |
|
Modulus of Rupture kg/cm2 (Dry) |
|
Modulus of Elasticity in kg/cm2 (Dry) |
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Uses |
Used for the extraction of essential oil and for carving. The wood is now widely used as an adulterant to Indian sandalwood (Santalum album Linn). |