Casuarina

Immature cones in situ of Casuarina cunninghamiana.

'Cones' and winged seeds.

Casuarina (common name casuarinas) is a genus of perennial shrubs and trees made up of fifteen species -monoecious or dioecious- accepted, of about 35 described.

Their slender, delicate branches with whorls of inconspicuous squamoid leaves and strobiloid infructescences give them the appearance of pine trees. However, despite what it may seem, they are not Gymnosperms but Angiosperms with very particular morphological characters and which have their own family (Casuarinaceae).

Distribution

They are native to Australia and the Pacific Islands, but are very common in tropical and subtropical regions.

Cultivation

Commonly known as roble hembra (she-oak or sheoak), palo hierro (ironwood), or palo res (beefwood), Casuarinas are commonly cultivated in tropical, subtropical, and temperate areas throughout the world.

Accepted species

• Casuarina collina Poiss. ex Pancher " Sebert
• Casuarina cristata Miq.
• Casuarina cunninghamiana Miq.
• Casuarina equisetifolia L.
• Casuarina glauca Sieber ex Spreng.
• Casuarina grandis L.A.S.Johnson
• Casuarina Junghuhniana Miq.
• Obese casuarina Miq.
• Casuarina oligodon L.A.S.Johnson
• Casuarina orophila L.A.S.Johnson
• Casuarina pauper F.Muell. ex L.A.S.Johnson
• Casuarina potamophila Schltr.
• Casuarina tenella Schltr.
• Casuarina teres Schltr.