Santalum acuminatum, the desert quandong, is a hemiparasitic plant in the sandalwood family, Santalaceae, which is widely dispersed throughout the central deserts and southern areas of Australia.
The species, especially its edible fruit, is also commonly referred to as quandong or native peach. The use of the fruit as an exotic flavouring, one of the best known bush tucker, has led to the attempted domestication of the species.
Image: Santalum acuminatum fruit 1
Image: Santalum acuminatum Flickr Kevin Thiele
A desert quandong nut on a piece of paperbark
Leaves and a fruit of quandong, detail of sketch by Olive Pink (1930)
Sandalwood is a class of woods from trees in the genus Santalum. The woods are heavy, yellow, and fine-grained, and, unlike many other aromatic woods, they retain their fragrance for decades. Sandalwood oil is extracted from the woods. Sandalwood is often cited as one of the most expensive woods in the world. Both the wood and the oil produce a distinctive fragrance that has been highly valued for centuries. Consequently, some species of these slow-growing trees have suffered over-harvesting in the past.
Santalum paniculatum (ʻiliahi), Hawaiʻi
A closeup of sandal saplings
Santalum album
Sandalwood leaf