Osyris lanceolata is the African Sandalwood, used for its scented wood and to extract essential oil. The hemi- parasitic plant is found from South Africa to Zimbabwe and east Africa, including Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. It grows in rocky areas or along the margins of dry forest, but is usually not abundant in any one place.

The wood is over-exploited in parts of its range despite legal protection.

Uses

Essential oils used in the manufacture of perfumes are extracted from the bark and traded internationally.

A bark extract is used locally to treat diarrhoea, chest problems, joint pains. Some communities in the Kenyan Rift Valley use powdered bark as a substitute for tea.

The semi-processed products are exported to lucrative markets in Europe and Asia. The global cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry, scientists and conservationists and other stakeholders, including industrialists and local communities, are on the alert and are working on proposals to address various issues.

For this reason, several intervention measures have been put into place including ex situ seed conservation.