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Glite Dictionary
genus Santalum

genus Santalum

9.9
A group of trees like sandalwood that live partly on other plants for water and nutrients
  • noun
  • /ˈdʒɛnəs ˈsæntələm/
  • Specialized
translation icon : género Santalum
  • The genus Santalum includes several species of sandalwood.

Examples

  • The genus Santalum is a group of parasitic trees native to Indonesia and Malaysia.

  • Many perfumes use oils extracted from members of the genus Santalum.

  • Ecologists have studied the unique parasitic nature of trees in the genus Santalum.

  • The genus Santalum includes species well-known for their fragrant heartwood.

  • Did you know that genus Santalum is known for its aromatic wood?

  • The genus Santalum includes species well-known for their fragrant heartwood.

  • Many perfumes use oils extracted from members of the genus Santalum.

Synonyms

Santalum
vsgenus Santalum
  • Specialized
9.9

Trees from Indonesia and Malaysia that live partly on other plants and make fragrant sandalwood for oil

is the botanical genus found in Indonesia and Malaysia without noting commercial value

Surface Forms

genus Santalum singular
genera Santalum plural

Morphology

genus + Santalum

This is fully compositional: 'genus' denotes a biological grouping and 'Santalum' is the taxon name for sandalwood trees, so a learner who knows both constituents can infer it refers to the genus containing Santalum species. Taxonomic naming is a regular, cross-linguistic pattern rather than an idiom, making the meaning predictable to B1 learners who know the words.

Etymology

Genus Santalum takes its name from old Greek and Sanskrit words for 'sandalwood', the fragrant wood used in perfumes and temples. That's why Santalum refers to a group of trees known for their sweet-smelling wood.