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[syn. Santalum freycinetianum var. freycinetianum]Iliahi or Forest sandalwoodSantalaceaeEndemic to the Hawaiian Islands (Oahu only)Aiea Loop Trail, Oahu; a small leaved formFlowers and especially the heartwood have a pleasing sandalwood fragrance.The Hawaiian name lau ala literally means "sweet wood" or "fragrant wood." Though early Hawaiians may not have used iliahi wood extensively, it was still valued. Besides used as firewood, the light yellow wood was sometimes used to make kk or musical bow.Medicinally, the leaves were used as a shampoo for dandruff and head lice; and a drink from powdered material for male and female sex organs or "for sores of long duration."The fragrant heartwood and bark of iliahi was pounded to scent the smell of new kapa (tapa), and when added with coconut oil the would water proof the material.One older source (Charles Gaudichaud,1819) states that Hawaiians "used all fragrant plants, all flowers and even colored fruits" for lei making. The red or yellow were indicative of divine and chiefly rank; the purple flowers and fruit, or with fragrance, were associated with divinity. Because of their long-standing place in oral tradition, the leaves, new leaves (liko) and flowers of iliahi were likely used for lei making by early Hawaiians, even though there are no written sources.EtymologyThe generic name Santalum is derived from santalon, the Greek name for sandalwood.The specific epithet freycinetianum is named in honor of Captain Loius de Freycinet (1779-1840), commander of the French exploration on board of which was Charles Gaudichaud-Beaupre, the first Western botanist to come to the Hawaiian Islands.NPH00008
nativeplants.hawaii.edu/plant/view/Santalum_freycinetianum
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[syn. Santalum freycinetianum var. freycinetianum]Iliahi or Forest sandalwoodSantalaceaeEndemic to the Hawaiian Islands (Oahu only)Aiea Loop Trail, OahuThese mature fruits and leaves are from two separate trees. Left is from a typical very large tree; right is from a small tree with very narrow small leaves (iliahi lau lii) and tiny fruits. These two forms are found within a stones throw away from each other.The Hawaiian name lau ala literally means "sweet wood" or "fragrant wood." Though early Hawaiians may not have used iliahi wood extensively, it was still valued. Besides used as firewood, the light yellow wood was sometimes used to make kk or musical bow.Medicinally, the leaves were used as a shampoo for dandruff and head lice; and a drink from powdered material for male and female sex organs or "for sores of long duration."The fragrant heartwood and bark of iliahi was pounded to scent the smell of new kapa (tapa), and when added with coconut oil the would water proof the material.One older source (Charles Gaudichaud,1819) states that Hawaiians "used all fragrant plants, all flowers and even colored fruits" for lei making. The red or yellow were indicative of divine and chiefly rank; the purple flowers and fruit, or with fragrance, were associated with divinity. Because of their long-standing place in oral tradition, the leaves, new leaves (liko) and flowers of iliahi were likely used for lei making by early Hawaiians, even though there are no written sources.EtymologyThe generic name Santalum is derived from santalon, the Greek name for sandalwood.The specific epithet freycinetianum is named in honor of Captain Loius de Freycinet (1779-1840), commander of the French exploration on board of which was Charles Gaudichaud-Beaupre, the first Western botanist to come to the Hawaiian Islands.
nativeplants.hawaii.edu/plant/view/Santalum_freycinetianum
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An interesting, widespread, semi-parasitic native species (this is not the invasive/weedy toadflax) with an unfortunate common name. It doesn't have any special species preferences in terms of what roots it attaches itself to.Comandra umbellata (L.) Nutt. var. pallida (A. DC.) M.E. Jones has also been recognized as a subspecies rather than as a variety, i.e., Comandra umbellata (L.) Nutt. subsp. pallida (A. DC.) Piehl. The tepals in this family can form a fleshy cup as above. Despite having seen this taxon in flower a number of times before, this is the only time that I can recall seeing it in flower as shown above.June 7, 2009, Salt Lake County, Utah foothills, near top of northwestern facing, exposed, steep slope, at about 4,865 ft.
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Family: ViscaceaeDistribution: A leaf less ,dichotomously branched parasite on trees like Albizia, Manilkara and Acasia plants. It is a commonly found in forests of tropical South Asia.A stem parasite growing on trees; internodes angular, leaves reduced to small scles, flowers small, monoecious, fascicled in triads in the axils of leaves or at nodes, stamens as many as perianth lobes and adnate to them, ovary 1 celled, inferior, fruit a berry.Pase of the plant is applied to wounds.
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July 18, 2012, Rose Canyon, Santa Catalina Mountains, Arizona
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July 17, 2012, Rose Canyon, Santa Catalina Mountains, Arizona
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A local said the rosette becomes the local "matapolo" that kill orange trees. Sprouts or seedlings. It's unclear from the photo whether the fruit emerged from the stem or whether a frugivore left the seeds on a branch.
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La Democracia, Belize District, Belize
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A local said the rosette becomes the local "matapolo" that kill orange trees. Sprouts or seedlings. It's unclear from the photo whether the fruit emerged from the stem or whether a frugivore left the seeds on a branch.
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Found growing on a legume (probably Prosopis). Feb 12, 2010. Sabino Creek, Arizona.
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Sabino Creek, Arizona, February 12, 2010. Found growing on a legume (probably Prosopis). You can see the Phoradendron growing out of the Prosopis.
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Found growing on a legume (probably Prosopis). Feb 12, 2010. Sabino Creek, Arizona. Close up of berries. There is a bird called a Phainopepla that lives in an interesting relationship with this plant. The bird gets most of its nutrition from the plants fruit and in turn it spreads its seeds in its droppings when sitting on other legumes.
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Twentynine Palms, California, United States
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Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
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Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
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Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
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Jilpanger, Vic.