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RE: sandalwood

>Santalum spp. are indeed parasitic plants
>known as root hemiparasites.
>Family: Santalaceae
>The seedling produces fine white roots
>that wrap around another tree or shrubs root
>producing a small blob called a haustarium (from memory)
>This is the organ that extracts the water and nutrients from the host
>plant.

How could I have gone so long without knowing the difference between a
hemiparasite and a parasite:  My botany text says 'Hemiparasite', a green
plant whose roots grow into the tissues of another plant.  Hemiparasites
photosynthesize but take some of their nutrients and water from the other
plant, i.e. misteltoe{!}, also known as semi-parasites.
'Parasite', an organism which takes all its nutrients from the tissues of
another organism, usually with harmful effects.





>There are a number of people in WA who are planting
>it in commercial quantities for future harvesting
>but it is a very slow grower and needs very specific conditions
>to germinate and also needs the host plant available in its pot
>when germinating.
>
>Seed of S. spicatum are hard to come by and very expensive.
>The more common Santalums are widespread and common
>and the fruit makes quite a nice jam.  They look like little apples
>when new, then the skin fall off and the nut looks like a little brain.
>Seed of the common spp. lie in piles on the roadsides under the trees.
>I've had a bowl of them on my table and convinced my young neices
>they were  mummified monkeys brains  :-)
>
>All are slow

OK, the aussies seem too difficult for the lady and almost certainly
available only from seed.  Acacias are highly allergenic, something that
has been a big issue in the American Southwest where so many elderly
retirees reside.  I'll check but I'd guess those acacias are not welcome in
Arizona.  It does seem as if the parasitic relationship is temporary so
maybe a mature specimen could exist independently.
But I wonder about the Hawaiian species.  I found six native Hawaiian
Santalum's at the Univ of Hawaii web site.  The lady might be willing to
fly to Hilo for a tree.  But then there's the California quarantine to
contend with.






>I'd never consider one for a garden, not that they are particularly
>damaging
>as a parasite but they are very slow and not that pretty, but thats my
>opinion.
>

>many Australian Acacias have earned a bad reputation overseas.
>
>Cheers, Rod
>

Thanks a bunch.  I'm sure I'll hear more on this subject later today when
the people on this side of the globe check in.
Jerry Heverly, Oakland, CA
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