Casuarina equisetifolia

Taxobox
name = "Casaurina equisetifolia"

---

image_width = 240px
image_caption = Stems and leaves
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Fagales
familia = Casuarinaceae
genus = "Casuarina"
species = "C. equisetifolia"
binomial = "Casaurina equisetifolia"
binomial_authority = L.

"Casuarina equisetifolia" is a species of "Casuarina", native to Australasia, southeastern 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 [ [http://www.unep.org/pdf/BTC_Booklet.pdf PLANT FOR THE PLANET: THE BILLION TREE CAMPAIGN] , UNEP.] , where it is known as the Filao Tree [ [http://www.worldagroforestrycentre.org/Sea/Products/AFDbases/AF/asp/SpeciesInfo.asp?SpID=477 Casuarina equisetifolia] : AgroForestry Tree Database, Plant Resources of South-East Asia.] and is planted to prevent erosion in sandy soils. It is possibly native to Madagascar.Flora of Australia: [http://www.anbg.gov.au/abrs/abif/flora/stddisplay.xsql?pnid=238 "Casuarina equisetifolia"] ] Australian Plant Names Index: [http://www.anbg.gov.au/cgi-bin/apni?taxon_name=Casuarina%25 "Casuarina equisetifolia"] ] Germplasm Resources Information Network: [http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?9553 "Casuarina equisetifolia"] ]

It is an evergreen tree growing to 6–35 m tall. The foliage consists of slender, much-branched green to grey-green twigs 0.5–1 mm 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 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 long and 9–13 mm diameter, superficially resembling a conifer cone made up of numerous carpels each containing a single seed with a small wing 6–8 mm long.Huxley, A., ed. (1992). "New RHS Dictionary of Gardening". Macmillan ISBN 0-333-47494-5.]

There are two subspecies:
*"Casuarina equisetifolia" subsp. "equisetifolia". Large tree to 35 m tall; twigs 0.5–0.7 mm diameter, hairless. Southeast Asia, northern Australia.Flora of Australia: [http://www.anbg.gov.au/abrs/abif/flora/stddisplay.xsql?pnid=239 "Casuarina equisetifolia" subsp. "equisetifolia"] ]
*"Casuarina equisetifolia" subsp. "incana" (Benth.) L.A.S.Johnson. Small tree to 12 m tall; twigs 0.7–1 mm diameter, downy. Eastern Australia (eastern Queensland, New South Wales), New Caledonia, southern Vanuatu.Flora of Australia: [http://www.anbg.gov.au/abrs/abif/flora/stddisplay.xsql?pnid=240 "Casuarina equisetifolia" subsp. "incana"] ]

References

Gallery