edible seed of the native peach (Santalum acuminatum), a small shrubby tree of the sandalwood family (Santalaceae), native to Australia. Unlike other members of this family, the native peach is grown for its fruit and nuts rather than for its wood. The nutritious, red, pulpy flesh of the fruit is used in jams, pies, and chutneys. The hard-shelled, edible nuts are customarily roasted. The native peach is a partial root parasite; in the late 20th century, botanists in Australia were attempting to develop a variety not dependent upon a host plant.