Santalum lanceolatum
R.Br.
Santalaceae
Common Name: Bush Plum
Tree growing on a golf course in Australia
Photograph by: Ian Sutton
General Information
Bush plum is a slender, evergreen tree growing up to 6 metres tall[
156- Title
- Useful Wild Plants in Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Cribb. A. B. and J. W.
- Publisher
- William Collins Pty Ltd. Sidney
- Year
- 1981
- ISBN
- 0-00-216441-8
- Description
- A very readable book.
]. A root hemi-parasite, it obtains water and nutrients from host plants growing close by and does not grow well in the absence of a host[
312- Title
- Traditional Trees of Pacific Islands
- Publication
-
- Author
- Elevitch. Craig. R. (Editor)
- Publisher
- Permanent Agriculture Resources, Hawaii
- Year
- 2006
- ISBN
- 0970254458
- Description
- Beautifully produced book with superb photos and detailed information on over 50 species of useful plants of the Pacific Islands.
].
The plant is a source of sandalwood oil, widely used in perfumery, soaps etc. The tree also yields an edible fruit, eaten locally.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
365- Title
- Flora of New South Wales
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/floraonline.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line resource giving a brief botanical description of all the native plants of New South Wales, their habitat and range, together with diagrams and photographs of the plants.
Range
Australia - all mainland states.
Habitat
Rocky ground, occasionally near the coast in drier areas[
152- Title
- Australian Medicinal Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Lassak. E. V. and McCarthy. T.
- Publisher
- New Holland Publishers
- Year
- 2001
- ISBN
- 1876334703
- Description
- A very good and readable guide to the subject.
]. Drier areas on sand dunes, rocky hillsides, scrub and limestone areas[
193- Title
- Wild Food Plants of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Low. T.
- Publisher
- Angus and Robertson.
- Year
- 1989
- ISBN
- 0-207-14383-8
- Description
- Well presented, clear information and good photographs. An interesting read for the casual reader as well as the enthusiast
]. Grows in a wide range of woodland communities, from sandy sites to rocky hillsides[
365- Title
- Flora of New South Wales
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/floraonline.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line resource giving a brief botanical description of all the native plants of New South Wales, their habitat and range, together with diagrams and photographs of the plants.
].
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Shrub |
| Height | 5.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
A plant of the subtropics to tropical zones.
A semi-parasitic plant, obtaining some of its nutriment from the roots of other plants[
144- Title
- Wild Food in Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Cribb. A. B. and J. W.
- Publisher
- Fontana
- Year
- 1976
- ISBN
- 0-00-634436-4
- Description
- A very good pocket guide.
]. The plant has green leaves containing chlorophyll, and is thus able to photosynthesize - it relies on host plants only for water and soil nutrients, not for sugars, which it can produce itself [
343- Title
- Growing Native Plants
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/
- Publisher
- Australian National Botanic Gardens
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A series of articles giving details of cultivation and matters of general interest (including a few plant uses) on over 250 Australian plants.
]. In a natural situation, the plant seems to rely on nitrogen fixing trees such as Acacia and Casuarina, though it is known to parasitize many other legumes, shrubs, herbs and grasses[
343- Title
- Growing Native Plants
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/
- Publisher
- Australian National Botanic Gardens
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A series of articles giving details of cultivation and matters of general interest (including a few plant uses) on over 250 Australian plants.
]. It normally has more than one host at a time[
343- Title
- Growing Native Plants
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/
- Publisher
- Australian National Botanic Gardens
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A series of articles giving details of cultivation and matters of general interest (including a few plant uses) on over 250 Australian plants.
].
Edible Uses
Fruit - raw or cooked. Sweetish[
144- Title
- Wild Food in Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Cribb. A. B. and J. W.
- Publisher
- Fontana
- Year
- 1976
- ISBN
- 0-00-634436-4
- Description
- A very good pocket guide.
,
365- Title
- Flora of New South Wales
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/floraonline.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line resource giving a brief botanical description of all the native plants of New South Wales, their habitat and range, together with diagrams and photographs of the plants.
]. A very agreeable taste[
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. The dark blue or purple fruit is 7 - 15mm long[
365- Title
- Flora of New South Wales
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/floraonline.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line resource giving a brief botanical description of all the native plants of New South Wales, their habitat and range, together with diagrams and photographs of the plants.
].
Medicinal
Antirheumatic, narcotic, purgative[
152- Title
- Australian Medicinal Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Lassak. E. V. and McCarthy. T.
- Publisher
- New Holland Publishers
- Year
- 2001
- ISBN
- 1876334703
- Description
- A very good and readable guide to the subject.
]. It is also used in the treatment of boils, sores etc[
152- Title
- Australian Medicinal Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Lassak. E. V. and McCarthy. T.
- Publisher
- New Holland Publishers
- Year
- 2001
- ISBN
- 1876334703
- Description
- A very good and readable guide to the subject.
].
Other Uses
An essential oil is obtained from the wood[
156- Title
- Useful Wild Plants in Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Cribb. A. B. and J. W.
- Publisher
- William Collins Pty Ltd. Sidney
- Year
- 1981
- ISBN
- 0-00-216441-8
- Description
- A very readable book.
]. A source of sandalwood oil, it is used in perfumes, incense, and medicines.
The leaves are burnt in campfires in order to repel mosquitoes[
156- Title
- Useful Wild Plants in Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Cribb. A. B. and J. W.
- Publisher
- William Collins Pty Ltd. Sidney
- Year
- 1981
- ISBN
- 0-00-216441-8
- Description
- A very readable book.
].
The yellowish wood is dense, close-grained, aromatic, easy to polish[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
167- Title
- A Field Guide to Australian Trees.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Holliday. I. and Hill. R.
- Publisher
- Frederick Muller Ltd.
- Year
- 1974
- ISBN
- 0-85179-627-3
- Description
- A well illustrated and very readable book, but it does not contain much information for the plant project.
]. It is used for carving, making small ornamental items etc.
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
