Scientific Name: Casuarina Equisetifolia
Common Name: Coast She-oak
Indigenous Use
Used to make spears. Inner bark and sapwood shavings soaked in water and the liquid gargled for toothaches.
When to Use
The wood, inner bar and sapwood can be used all year round.
Identification
Leaves: The leaves of Casuarina equisetifolia are reduced to small, scale-like structures arranged in whorls around the jointed green branchlets. These branchlets perform the photosynthetic function and give the tree a pine-like appearance. The leaf scales are typically 0.5-1 mm long (Australian National Botanic Gardens, 2024; Plants of the World Online, 2024).
Bark: The bark of Casuarina equisetifolia is dark grey to brown, rough, and deeply furrowed. It provides protection against coastal winds and salt spray, contributing to the tree’s resilience in coastal environments (Australian National Botanic Gardens, 2024).
Flowers: The flowers of Casuarina equisetifolia are small and inconspicuous. Male flowers are borne in spikes at the ends of the branchlets, while female flowers are found in small clusters along the branchlets. Flowering can occur year-round, with peak periods depending on the local climate (Plants of the World Online, 2024).
Fruit: The fruit of Casuarina equisetifolia is a woody cone, approximately 1-2 cm in diameter. Each cone contains numerous winged seeds that are dispersed by the wind. The cones mature over several months, turning from green to brown as they ripen (Australian National Botanic Gardens, 2024; Floridata, 2024).
Ecosystems
Found in the below ecosystem/s.
Dunes and Headlands: Dunes and headlands are prominent coastal features in Queensland, providing unique and vital habitats that support a diverse range of ecosystems. Coastal dunes are characterised by their sandy soils and are often stabilised by hardy vegetation such as spinifex, coastal banksia, and casuarina, which help prevent erosion. Headlands, which are rocky coastal points, offer habitats for a variety of marine and terrestrial species, including seabirds and coastal flora adapted to the harsh, saline environment.
References
Australian National Botanic Gardens (2024). Casuarina equisetifolia. Available at: https://www.anbg.gov.au/casuarina-equisetifolia [Accessed 22 June 2024].
Plants of the World Online (2024). Casuarina equisetifolia. Available at: https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid
.org:names:598762-1 [Accessed 22 June 2024].
Floridata (2024). Casuarina equisetifolia. Available at: https://www.floridata.com/Plants/Casuarina-equisetifolia [Accessed 22 June 2024].
Isaacs, J. (2019). Bush food : Aboriginal food and herbal medicine. Australia: New Holland Publishers (Australia) Pty Ltd.
Levitt, Duclie, Plants and People: Aboiriginal Used of Plants on Groote Eylandt. Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies, Canberra. 1981
Leiper, G., Glazebrook, J., Cox, D., & Rathie, K., 2008. Mountain to Mangroves: A Field Guide to the Native Plants of South-east Queensland. Logan River Branch, Society for Growing Australian Plants.