The name of Osyris daruma is derived from the Greek word ozos which means branches, as this tree is bushy in nature and multi stemmed.

The small tree of Osyris daruma is distinguished as opposite leaves and terminal flower head.

This is African Sandalwood which is used for its scented wood and to extract essential oil which is used in various things cosmetics as well as medicinal purpose.

Many herbal products like lotion, cream, shampoo perfume are made by Sandalwood.

And it’s a multi-stem and an evergreen hardy shrub spread very largely but a small tree.

It has a smooth, dark brown to blackish bark, with young branches in brownish colour.

The leaves are alternate, about 13–50 mm long, sharp-pointed, blue-green, often with a waxy bloom, smooth, thick and leathery.

The fruit which starts ripening in early May to September are fleshy, small and yellow in color.

It grows in the rocky areas and dry forests of eastern parts of Africa.

Air layers were initiated on the young shoots 1–2 years old of mature O. daruma trees growing in catchment Forest.

After root initiation, which took 8 weeks, they were detached from the parents, potted in polyethylene tubes and reared at the nursery for a further three months.

The factors assessed in this experiment were the effect of time at which air layers were initiated and the influence of IBA as rooting promoter at three concentrations (50, 100 and 150 ppm).

The significance increase in root ability of air layers during June and September may be linked to the advantage of the dry season where reduction of plant development activities such as budding, leafing and flowering in the dormant dry season might have reduced resource competition and thus promoting the observed rooting.

Regional Soil Conservation Unit, Swedish International DevelopmentAuthority, Nairobi, Kenya.