Australian Sandalwood
Australian sandalwood Santalum spicatum is a woody perennial which is distributed across the arid and semi-arid regions of Western Australia and South Australia. Like all members of the genus S. spicatum is an obligate hemiparasite, meaning it requires a host tree to survive during its earlier years. This characteristic, combined with the species' slow growth, makes cultivation a difficult, long-term investment.
Many challenges face the species throughout its lengthy lifespan. Its large seeds are thought to be primarily dispersed by the critically endangered brushtailed bettong Bettongia penicillata ogilbyi, which have been all but wiped from mainland Australia. Furthermore, the high palatability of the plants results in vulnerability to grazing pressure. Such factors may have contributed to the 'endangered' conservation status of the species in South Australia.