| Casuarina equisetifolia | |
|---|---|
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| Stems and leaves | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Division: | Magnoliophyta |
| Class: | Magnoliopsida |
| Order: | Fagales |
| Family: | Casuarinaceae |
| Genus: | Casuarina |
| Species: | C. equisetifolia |
| Binomial name | |
| Casuarina equisetifolia L. |
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| Subspecies | |
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C. e. equisetifolia |
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Casuarina equisetifolia is a species of she-oak of the genus Casuarina, native to Australasia, southeast Asia, and islands of the western Pacific Ocean, from Burma and Vietnam east to French Polynesia, New Caledonia, and Vanuatu, and south to Australia (north of Northern Territory, north and east Queensland, and northeastern New South Wales). It is also found in West Africa[1], where it is known as the Filao Tree[2] and is planted to prevent erosion in sandy soils. It is possibly native to Madagascar.[3][4][5] These plants are an invasive species in Florida, known as Australian pines.[6]
It is an evergreen tree growing to 6–35 m (20–110 ft) tall. The foliage consists of slender, much-branched green to grey-green twigs 0.5–1 mm (0.020–0.039 in) diameter, bearing minute scale-leaves in whorls of 6–8. The flowers are produced in small catkin-like inflorescences; the male flowers in simple spikes 0.7–4 cm (0.28–1.6 in) long, the female flowers on short peduncles. Unlike most other species of Casuarina (which are dioecious) it is monoecious, with male and female flowers produced on the same tree. The fruit is an oval woody structure 10–24 mm (0.39–0.94 in) long and 9–13 mm (0.35–0.51 in) in diameter, superficially resembling a conifer cone made up of numerous carpels each containing a single seed with a small wing 6–8 mm (0.24–0.31 in) long.[3][7]
There are two subspecies:[3][4]
- Casuarina equisetifolia subsp. equisetifolia. Large tree to 35 m (110 ft) tall; twigs 0.5–0.7 mm (0.020–0.028 in) diameter, hairless. Southeast Asia, northern Australia.[8]
- Casuarina equisetifolia subsp. incana (Benth.) L.A.S.Johnson. Small tree to 12 m (39 ft) tall; twigs 0.7–1 mm (0.028–0.039 in) diameter, downy. Eastern Australia (eastern Queensland, New South Wales), New Caledonia, southern Vanuatu.[9]
Casuarina is widely used as a bonsai subject, particularly in Southeast Asia and parts of the Caribbean. Indonesian specimens and those cultivated in Taiwan are regarded among the best in the bonsai world.
References
- ^ PLANT FOR THE PLANET: THE BILLION TREE CAMPAIGN, UNEP.
- ^ Casuarina equisetifolia: AgroForestry Tree Database, Plant Resources of South-East Asia.
- ^ a b c Flora of Australia: Casuarina equisetifolia
- ^ a b Australian Plant Names Index: Casuarina equisetifolia
- ^ Germplasm Resources Information Network: Casuarina equisetifolia
- ^ Masterson, J. "Casuarina equisetifolia (Australian Pine)". Fort Pierce: Smithsonian Marine Station. http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Casuarina_equisetifolia.htm. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
- ^ Huxley, A., ed. (1992). New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. Macmillan ISBN 0-333-47494-5.
- ^ Flora of Australia: Casuarina equisetifolia subsp. equisetifolia
- ^ Flora of Australia: Casuarina equisetifolia subsp. incana
Gallery
 Casuarina equisetifolia growing on the coast in Darwin, Northern Territory |
 Fruit of C. equisetifolia |
 Casuarina equisetifolia twigs with female flowers in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. |
 Twigs and fruit Casuarina equisetifolia Twigs and fruit in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. |
 Casuarina equisetifolia tree in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. |
 Casuarina equisetifolia fruit in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. |
 Casuarina equisetifolia bark in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. |
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