Santalum freycinetianum, an evergreen tree typically ranging from 4 to 10 meters in height (occasionally reaching up to 20 meters), often exhibits single or multiple stems and demonstrates hemiparasitic behavior on the roots of other plants. Its branches tend to droop, contributing to its distinctive silhouette. The leaves are simple and opposite, with blades that are conduplicate–falcate, narrowly elliptic, oblong, to narrowly ovate, measuring (4.1–)5.5–7.9(–10.1) cm in length by (1.2–)1.6–3.3(–4.4) cm in width. These leaves have an acute to rounded apex and a cuneate (rarely rounded) base, presenting a slightly glaucous appearance with lighter to darker green and chartaceous surfaces. It bears flowers in sparse, terminal, or axillary cymes, which are bisexual (perfect) and emit a weak fragrance. They are initially red to yellow in the bud and become light to deep pink upon maturation (occasionally white inside), are longer than wide, and rest on pedicels ranging from 1 to 4(–6) mm in length. The calyx (sepals) is absent, and four corolla lobes (occasionally five) are set upon a campanulate to cylindrical floral tube. The fruit is a drupe that turns reddish-purple to nearly black at maturity, measuring 8–17(–24) mm long and adorned with a subapical receptacular ring. The seeds are muricate, featuring a pointed beak at one end. It is found in mesic to wet forests, often thriving on slopes or ridges between 300-800 meters.