Braidsdale Santalum

Information

1. Introduction: The Santalum Story in Western Australia

2. Taxonomy & Evolution of Santalum

3. Species Accounts (WA Focus)

3.1. Santalum spicatum – Australian Sandalwood

3.2. Santalum acuminatum – Desert/Sweet Quandong

4. Ecology & Hemiparasitism: Life on Borrowed Roots

5. History of Use & Trade: From 1840s Exports to Today’s Industry (S. spicatum)

6. Conservation, Policy & Management in WA (S. spicatum)

7. Cultivation & Restoration: Hosts, Germination, Plantations

8. Chemistry & Products: Oils, Nuts, Fruits

9. Field Guide: Identification, Distribution Maps, and Habitats

10. Case Studies & Research

11. Future Directions: Climate, Biodiversity and Ethical Economies

12. Glossary

13. Appendices

14. References & Further Reading

1. Introduction: The Santalum Story in Western Australia

Western Australia is home to two iconic native Santalum species: Santalum spicatum (Australian sandalwood), distributed across the southern two‑thirds of WA and into South Australia, and Santalum acuminatum (desert/sweet quandong), widespread from coastal Southwest to inland deserts and semi‑arid zones.

Sandalwood is among the State’s oldest export commodities, first shipped from Fremantle in the mid‑1840s, with millions of wild trees cut across the Wheatbelt and interior that shaped today’s conservation and licensing regimes.

DBCA’s Santalum spicatum (Sandalwood) Biodiversity Management Programme (2023) sets out contemporary policy and management approaches for wild populations across Crown and private land in WA, complementing the Forest Products Commission’s remit for commercial wild harvest.

2. Taxonomy & Evolution of Santalum

Santalum belongs to Santalaceae (order of Santalales), a family rich in hemi‑parasitic plants. Accepted taxonomy for S. spicatum follows A.P. de Candolle’s 1857 combination, with synonyms such as Fusanus spicatus and Eucarya spicata appearing in historical literature.

In Australia, Santalum comprises several species; WA’s flora includes S. spicatum and S. acuminatum, with S. lanceolatum prominent in northern/central Australia, S. murrayanum in southern semi‑arid regions, and S. obtusifolium in eastern creekline habitats.

3. Species Accounts (WA Focus)

3.1. Santalum spicatum – Australian Sandalwood

Names & status: Indigenously called wolgol/uilarac/waang and dutjahn; globally listed Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, and endangered in South Australia, while WA Florabase lists it as “Not threatened” in WA’s codes (distribution broad but condition variable). 

Description & ecology: A drought‑tolerant, salt‑tolerant shrub/small tree (typically to ~6 – 8 m) with grey‑green foliage and orange drupes with edible kernels; a hemiparasite forming haustoria on host roots to access water and nutrients.

Distribution in WA: Extensive but patchy across IBRA bioregions from Swan Coastal Plain to deserts and rangelands; Florabase maps occurrences in Jarrah Forest, Avon Wheatbelt, Coolgardie, Yalgoo, Murchison, Pilbara and many more subregions.

Conservation & threats: Historical overharvesting, land clearing in the Wheatbelt, grazing, altered fire regimes, feral animals, and illegal take have reduced population condition; WA’s BMP (Biodiversity Management Programme 2023) outlines monitoring, licensing, and sustainable take limits pending review of the Sandalwood Order by 2026. 

3.2. Santalum acuminatum – Desert/Sweet Quandong

Names & status: Known as the Native Peach and Indigenously known by many names icluding wolgol and Guwandhang; Population listed as unknown on the IUCN Red List, WA Florabase lists as “Not threatened” in WA’s codes and vunerable in the NT under the Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act. CSIRO-supported research has identified potential issues with genetic diversity in certain regions recommending careful seed collection for restoration projects. Overall considered vunerable as true examples of the species in WA are uncommon.

Description: An evergreen shrub/small tree (~4 – 6 m) producing vivid red drupes with thin tart flesh around a hard, pitted stone; widely recognized bushfood with significant cultural and culinary value.

Ecology & hemiparasitism: Relies on multiple hosts (often nitrogen‑fixing Acacia and Allocasuarina) in nutrient‑poor, free‑draining soils; haustorial connections provide xylem sap (water, minerals), not sugars.

Distribution (WA): From coastal Southwest through inland deserts (Great Victoria, Little Sandy, Gibson, Pilbara margins), and Wheatbelt plains, reflected in the extensive Florabase IBRA listing.

Research highlight: Classic ecophysiology work in south‑west WA shows quandong’s water/nitrogen dynamics relative to hosts, with conserved water use and parenchymatous haustorial interfaces.

4. Ecology & Hemiparasitism: Life on Borrowed Roots

All Australian Santalum species are root hemiparasites, forming haustoria to tap host xylem; multiple simultaneous hosts are common. Studies in south‑west WA document strong ties to N‑fixing hosts and seasonal haustorial turnover.

Floristic databases and management plans note broad habitat tolerance, from red sandy soils and rocky rises (S. spicatum) to coastal dunes and creek beds (S. acuminatum).

5. History of Use & Trade: From 1840s Exports to Today’s Industry (S. spicatum)

WA sandalwood exports began around 1844 – 1845, making sandalwood one of the State’s earliest and longest‑running industries; intensive wild harvest in the late 19th – 20th centuries transformed distributions, especially in the Wheatbelt.

Current frameworks divide responsibilities: DBCA sets biodiversity management and licensing criteria; the FPC manages commercial harvest (up to ~2,500 tonnes/year from rangelands, split between green and dead wood) with certified chain‑of‑custody systems.

6. Conservation, Policy & Management in WA (S. spicatum)

DBCA’s Sandalwood BMP (2023) consolidates conservation actions for wild S. spicatum under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016, with public comment summarized in 2023 reports; the department is reviewing wild take limits ahead of the 2026 Sandalwood Order expiry, with Traditional Owner consultation.

At the Commonwealth level, S. spicatum is under threatened listing assessment (due 30 Oct 2026 in the SPRAT database), and globally assessed Vulnerable by IUCN.

7. Cultivation & Restoration: Hosts, Germination, Plantations

Quandong propagation often requires scarification or careful cracking of the stone, plus proximity to suitable hosts; optimal germination temperatures are cool to mild, and multi‑host strategies improve establishment.

For sandalwood, WA’s response to Wheatbelt declines includes plantations, while restoration in conservation estates leverages host plantings and seed dispersal (including woylies/brush-tailed bettong historically dispersing sandalwood seeds).

WA licensing guidance outlines processes for taking, transporting, processing, and tracking sandalwood.

8. Chemistry & Products: Oils, Nuts, Fruits

Sandalwood oil from S. spicatum heartwood is valued for perfumery and therapeutics; kernels contain high oil fractions with unusual acetylenic fatty acids noted in ethnobotanical databases.

Quandong fruit (rich in vitamin C) is widely used in jams, pies, sauces; kernels are edible, sometimes roasted, with a long Aboriginal culinary history.

9. Field Guide: Identification, Distribution Maps, and Habitats

Key characters for S. spicatum: grey‑green opposite leaves; orange drupes; smoother stone than quandong; carrion‑scented small green‑red flowers; red sandy soils to rocky habitats.

Key characters for S. acuminatum: sickle‑shaped opposite leaves; bright red drupes with pitted stone; hosts include Acacia/Allocasuarina; habitats range from dunes to creek beds and plains.

Florabase distribution entries provide region‑level mapping and flowering/fruiting times for WA observers.

10. Case Studies & Research

Ecophysiology of hemiparasitism: Detailed host–parasite water/nutrient relations in south‑west WA coastal heathlands, highlighting quandong’s conservative water use and haustorial anatomy. JSTOR

Industry & conservation debates: Public submissions and conservation advocacy around the BMP, balancing ecological sustainability, wild harvest levels, plantation roles, and illegal take prevention. DBCAb, CCWA

Bushfood sector growth: National analyses show rapid growth of native foods with quandong prioritized by industry bodies, yet agronomic challenges persist. Where are all the Quandongs

11. Future Directions: Climate, Biodiversity and Ethical Economies

Climate warming and changing fire regimes may alter host availability and regeneration dynamics. Strategic restoration must integrate Traditional Owner partnerships, plantation offsets, and strict wild‑take governance—pathways codified in WA’s BMP and licensing reforms. DBCA

12. Glossary

Haustorium – A specialized organ connecting a hemiparasite to host roots to access xylem sap.
IBRA – Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia, used in WA Florabase maps.
BMP – Biodiversity Management Programme (DBCA), guiding conservation/management of wild sandalwood.

13. Appendices

Appendix A: WA host plant examples noted in literature (e.g., Acacia spp., Allocasuarina spp.; for sandalwood also Eucalyptus spp., Atriplex, Pittosporum) with habitat notes. ANBG, Worldagroforestry

Appendix B: Legislation & permits overview (BC Act 2016, FPC remit; licensing/chain of custody; Sandalwood Order timeline). DBCA

Appendix C: Synonymy & nomenclatural history for WA species. Kew

14. References & Further Reading

Key online sources cited in text: