Plants of
South Australia
Santalum acuminatum
Santalaceae
Quandong,
Native Peach
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Regional Species Conservation Assessments per IBRA subregion.
Least concern
Near threatened
Rare
Vulnerable
Endangered
Critically endangered
Extinct
Data deficient
Adelaide
Arkaroola
Ceduna
Coober Pedy
Hawker
Innamincka
Marla
Marree
Mount Gambier
Oodnadatta
Renmark
Wudinna
Keith
Yunta
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Botanical art

Kath Alcock paintings: 34

Prior names

Mida acuminata

Fusanus acuminatus

Eucarya acuminata

Common names

Quandong

Native Peach

Etymology

Santalum from the Greek santalon, which is derived from the Sanskrit chandana meaning fragrant, named for the Indian sandalwood. Acuminatum means tapering to a long point.

Distribution and status

Found scattered across all regions of South Australia except Kangaroo Island. Also occurs in Western Australia, Northern territory, Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. Common in South Australia. Common interstate.
Herbarium regions: North Western, Lake Eyre, Nullarbor, Gairdner-Torrens, Flinders Ranges, Eastern, Eyre Peninsula, Northern Lofty, Murray, Yorke Peninsula, Southern Lofty, South Eastern, Green Adelaide
NRM regions: Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges, Alinytjara Wilurara, Eyre Peninsula, Northern and Yorke, South Australian Arid Lands, South Australian Murray-Darling Basin, South East
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)

Plant description

Tall shrub or small tree to 5m high and semi-parasitic on other plants. Leaves are thick, leathery and olive green, arranged in pairs. Flowers are cream in pyramid clusters at the end of stems. Flowering can occur all year round. Fruits are round fruit with a thin layer of edible red flesh, to 3cm across. Seeds are hard round woody seed to 2.5cm across with a deep wrinkled surface.

Seed collection and propagation

Collect seeds between January and December. Fruits can be collected off the plant or from the ground under the plant. Collect fruits which are red with a hard seed inside. Clean the fruit as soon as possible because the flesh will be hard to remove once it has dried. When soft, the flesh can be easily peeled off the seed. Store the seeds with a desiccant such as dried silica beads or dry rice, in an air tight container in a cool and dry place. From one collection, the seed viability was high, at 100%. This species has physiological dormancy that need to be overcome for the seed to germinate (e.g. nicking the seed coat).

Seeds stored:
  Hide
LocationNo. of seeds
(weight grams)		Number
of plants		Date
collected		Collection number
Collection location		Date
stored		% ViabilityStorage
temperature
BGA335 (659.15 g)14-Oct-2004DJD14
Yorke Peninsula		28-Mar-200672%-18°C
BGA 
MSB		1,700 (3912 g)
1,700 (3912 g)		10027-Oct-2004MOL4630
Gairdner-Torrens		28-Mar-2006100%-18°C
BGA130 (373.01 g)154-Nov-2009Bordervillage
Nullarbor		1-Jun-2010N/C-18°C
BGA270 (786.57 g)155-Nov-2009TST870
Nullarbor		1-Jun-2010N/C-18°C
BGA2,000 (4,660 g)27-Nov-2013KHB828
Flinders Ranges		1-Nov-2017 -18°C
Location: BGA — the seeds are stored at the Adelaide Botanic Gardens, MSB — the seeds are stored at the Millennium Seed Bank, Kew, England.
Number of plants: This is the number of plants from which the seeds were collected.
Collection location: The Herbarium of South Australia's region name.
% Viability: Percentage of filled healthy seeds determined by a cut test or x-ray.
Germination table:
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We acknowledge the contributions of the South Australian Seed Conservation Centre, the Botanic Gardens of South Australia, and the Department for Environment and Water.