Santalum lanceolatum

Santalum lanceolatum
Santalum lanceolatum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Core eudicots
Order:	Santalales
Family:	Santalaceae
Genus:	Santalum
Species:	S. lanceolatum
Binomial name
Santalum lanceolatum R.Br.

Santalum lanceolatum is an Australian tree of the family Santalaceae. It is commonly known as Desert Quandong, Northern Sandalwood, Sandalwood or True Sandalwood and in some restricted areas as Burdardu. The height of this plant is variable, from 1 to 7 metres. The flowers are green, white, and cream; appearing between January and October.

Distribution

The native range of the plant extends from north-western Victoria, northwards through New South Wales to North Queensland, westwards across The Northern Territory and into North Western Western Australia. It is a plant primarily of arid and semi-arid inland areas although its distribution reaches the coast in both Central Queensland and The Kimberley. The tree is becoming increasingly rare across much of its desert range due to destructive browsing by feral camels.

Characteristics

The family Santalacea falls within the mistletoe clade, and S. lanceolatum exhibits the parasitic mistletoe lifeform, existing as hemi-parasites which obtain some of their water and mineral nutrient requirements from the roots of other plants.

Medicinal uses

The plant is used by the people of the northwest for medicinal purposes, and is placed within the 'Burndad song cycle' of those countries.^[1] The species has a distribution throughout central Australia, becoming scattered or unusual in more southern regions.^[2] It was described by Robert Brown in Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae (1810).^[3]

Large populations of Santalum lanceolatum are recorded at Gregory Gorge, which is located at the Fortescue River. As with the related taxa, in the genus Santalum, the products of this tree have been used in a variety of ways. By processing the nut, the oil of the kernel can be utilised as a hair tonic. The antibacterial qualities of its roots, is prepared as a paste and used as a topical cream. The leaves are also used to repel insects, by burning them.^[1]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Burndud (1990). Wanggalili; Yinjibarndi and Ngarluma Plants. Juluwarlu Aboriginal Corporation. 
2. ^ "Santalum lanceolatum R.Br.". FloraBase. Department of Environment and Conservation, Government of Western Australia. http://florabase.dec.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/2357. 
3. ^ "Santalum lanceolatum R.Br.". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. http://www.anbg.gov.au/cgi-bin/apni?taxon_id=7084. 

External links