Casuarina cunninghamiana

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Casuarina cunninghamiana
Casuarina cunninghamiana tree.jpg
In Mount Archer National Park
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fagales
Family: Casuarinaceae
Genus: Casuarina
Species:
C. cunninghamiana
Binomial name
Casuarina cunninghamiana
Male flowers of subsp. cunninghamiana Casuarina cunninghamiana in full flower.jpg
Male flowers of subsp. cunninghamiana
Immature female cones C.cunnin.-fr-1.jpg
Immature female cones

Casuarina cunninghamiana, commonly known as river oak, river sheoak [2] or creek oak, [3] is a species of flowering plant in the family Casuarinaceae and is native to Australia and New Guinea. It is a tree with fissured and scaly bark, sometimes drooping branchlets, the leaves reduced to scales in whorls of 6 to 10, the fruit 7–14 mm (0.28–0.55 in) long containing winged seeds (samaras) 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) long.

Contents

Description

Casuarina cunninghamiana is a dioecious tree that typically grows to a height of 15–35 m (49–115 ft), has a DBH of 0.5–1.5 m (1 ft 8 in – 4 ft 11 in). Its bark is finely fissured, scaly and greyish brown. The branchlets are often drooping, 100–250 mm (3.9–9.8 in) long, the leaves reduced to scale-like teeth 0.3–0.5 mm (0.012–0.020 in) long, arranged in whorls of 6 to 10 around the branchlets. The sections of branchlet between the leaf whorls (the "articles") are 4–9 mm (0.16–0.35 in) long and 0.4–0.7 mm (0.016–0.028 in) wide.

The flowers on male trees are arranged in spikes 4–40 mm (0.16–1.57 in) long, the anthers 0.4–0.7 mm (0.016–0.028 in) long. The female cones are on a peduncle 2–9 mm (0.079–0.354 in) long and sparsely covered with soft hairs. Mature cones are usually 7–14 mm (0.28–0.55 in) long and 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) in diameter, the samaras 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) long. [2] [3] [4]

Taxonomy

Casuarina cunninghamiana was first formally described in 1848 by Friedrich Miquel in his book Revisio critica Casuarinarum from specimens collected by Allan Cunningham near Moreton Bay. [5] The specific epithet (cunninghamiana) honours the collector of the type specimens. [3]

In 1989, Lawrie Johnson and Alex George described subsp. miodon in the Flora of Australia , and the name, and that of the autonym are accepted by the Australian Plant Census:

Distribution and habitat

This casuarina mainly grows in pure stands in open forest on the banks of freshwater rivers and streams in Australia and New Guinea. [3] [11] [12]

Subspecies cunninghamiana occurs from Laura, Chillagoe and Augathella in Queensland to Condobolin and Narrandera in New South Wales, and the Australian Capital Territory. [2] [3] [8] Subspecies miodon occurs between the Daly River in the north of the Northern Territory to the Gulf of Carpentaria in Queensland. [10] [13]

Uses

River oak is widely recognised as an important tree for stabilising riverbanks and for soil erosion prevention accepting wet and dry soils. The foliage is quite palatable to stock. [3]

Invasive species

Casuarina cunninghamiana is an invasive species in the Everglades in Florida [14] and in South Africa. [15]

Related Research Articles

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Casuarina equisetifolia, commonly known as coastal she-oak, horsetail she-oak, ironwood,beach sheoak, beach casuarina or whistling tree is a species of flowering plant in the family Casuarinaceae and is native to Australia, New Guinea, Southeast Asia and India. It is a small to medium-sized, monoecious tree with scaly or furrowed bark on older specimens, drooping branchlets, the leaves reduced to scales in whorls of 7 or 8, the fruit 10–24 mm (0.39–0.94 in) long containing winged seeds (samaras) 6–8 mm (0.24–0.31 in) long. It has been called ironwood, horsetair tree, beach sheoak, and Australian pine, though it is not pine despite some of its conifer like features.

<i>Casuarina</i> Genus of trees

Casuarina, also known as Australian pine and native pine, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Casuarinaceae, and is native to Australia, the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, islands of the western Pacific Ocean, and eastern Africa.

<i>Allocasuarina lehmanniana</i> Species of flowering plant

Allocasuarina lehmanniana, commonly known as dune sheoak, is a species of flowering plant in the family Casuarinaceae and is endemic to near-coastal areas of the south-west of Western Australia. It is dioecious or less commonly a monoecious shrub that has its leaves reduced to scales in whorls of six to eight, the mature fruiting cones 12–35 mm (0.47–1.38 in) long containing winged seeds (samaras) 4.0–5.5 mm (0.16–0.22 in) long.

<i>Allocasuarina torulosa</i> Species of tree

Allocasuarina torulosa, commonly known as forest oak, rose sheoak, river oak or Baker's oak, is a species of flowering plant in the family Casuarinaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a slender, usually dioecious tree that has drooping branchlets up to 140 mm (5.5 in) long, the leaves reduced to scales in whorls of four or five, and the fruiting cones 15–33 mm (0.59–1.30 in) long containing winged seeds 7–10 mm (0.28–0.39 in) long.

<i>Allocasuarina distyla</i> Species of flowering plant

Allocasuarina distyla, commonly known as scrub she-oak, is a species of flowering plant in the family Casuarinaceae and is endemic to south-eastern New South Wales. It is a dioecious shrub that has branchlets up to 350 mm (14 in) long, the leaves reduced to scales in whorls of six to eight, the fruiting cones 13–35 mm (0.51–1.38 in) long containing winged seeds (samaras) 4.0–8.0 mm (0.16–0.31 in) long.

<i>Allocasuarina luehmannii</i> Species of tree

Allocasuarina luehmannii, commonly known as buloke or bull-oak, is a species of flowering plant in the family Casuarinaceae and is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It is a dioecious tree, that has its leaves reduced to scales in whorls of ten to fourteen, and the mature fruiting cones are 5–12 mm (0.20–0.47 in) long containing winged seeds (samaras) 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) long.

<i>Casuarina glauca</i> Species of tree

Casuarina glauca, commonly known as swamp she-oak, swamp buloke, swamp she-oak, marsh sheoak, grey she-oak, grey she-oak, native pine, or guman by the Gadigal people, is a species of flowering plant that is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a dioecious tree that often forms root suckers and has fissured and scaly bark, spreading or drooping branchlets, the leaves reduced to scales in whorls of 12 to 20, the fruit 9–18 mm (0.35–0.71 in) long containing winged seeds (samaras) 3.5–5.0 mm (0.14–0.20 in) long.

<i>Allocasuarina verticillata</i> Species of plant

Allocasuarina verticillata, commonly known as drooping sheoak, is a species of flowering plant in the family Casuarinaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a small dioecious tree that has drooping branchlets up to 400 mm (16 in) long, the leaves reduced to scales in whorls of nine to thirteen, the mature fruiting cones 20–50 mm (0.79–1.97 in) long containing winged seeds 7–12 mm (0.28–0.47 in) long.

<i>Allocasuarina littoralis</i> Species of tree

Allocasuarina littoralis, commonly known as black she-oak, is a species of flowering plant in the family Casuarinaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is dioecious, or less commonly a monoecious tree or shrub, that has its leaves reduced to scales, usually in whorls of six to eight, the mature fruiting cones 10–30 mm (0.39–1.18 in) long containing winged seeds (samaras) 4.0–10 mm (0.16–0.39 in) long.

<i>Casuarina obesa</i> Species of tree

Casuarina obesa, commonly known as swamp she-oak, swamp oak or western swamp oak, or as goolee, kweela, kwerl and quilinock by the Noongar peoples, is a species of flowering plant in the family Casuarinaceae and is endemic to southern continental Australia. It is a dioecious small tree or shrub that forms root suckers, and has drooping or spreading branchlets, the leaves reduced to scales in whorls of 12 to 16, the fruit 10–20 mm (0.39–0.79 in) long containing winged seeds (samaras) 3–5 mm (0.12–0.20 in) long.

<i>Casuarina pauper</i> Species of plant

Casuarina pauper, commonly known as black oak, belah or kariku, is a species of flowering plant in the family Casuarinaceae and is endemic to southern continental Australia. It is a dioecious tree with fissured or scaly bark, waxy branchlets, the leaves reduced to scales in whorls of 9 to 13, the fruit 13–18 mm (0.51–0.71 in) long containing winged seeds (samaras) 5.5–7.0 mm (0.22–0.28 in) long.

<i>Casuarina cristata</i> Species of tree

Casuarina cristata, commonly known as belah or muurrgu, is a species of flowering plant in the family Casuarinaceae and is endemic to inland eastern Australia. It is a tree with fissured or scaly bark, sometimes drooping branchlets, the leaves reduced to scales in whorls of 8 to 12, the fruit 13–18 mm (0.51–0.71 in) long containing winged seeds (samaras) 6.0–10.5 mm (0.24–0.41 in) long.

<i>Allocasuarina inophloia</i> Species of tree

Allocasuarina inophloia, commonly known as stringybark she-oak, is a species of flowering plant in the family Casuarinaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a small dioecious tree that has finely fibrous, ribbony bark, its leaves reduced to scales in whorls of seven to nine, the mature fruiting cones 10–20 mm (0.39–0.79 in) long containing winged seeds (samaras) 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) long.

<i>Allocasuarina paradoxa</i> Species of plant

Allocasuarina paradoxa is a species of flowering plant in the family Casuarinaceae and is endemic to Victoria. It is a dioecious or monoecious shrub that has branchlets up to 150 mm (5.9 in) long, the leaves reduced to scales in whorls of seven to eleven, the fruiting cones 13–25 mm (0.51–0.98 in) long containing winged seeds 4–8 mm (0.16–0.31 in) long.

<i>Allocasuarina acutivalvis</i> Species of flowering plant

Allocasuarina acutivalvis is a species of flowering plant in the family Casuarinaceae and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It is a dioecious shrub to small tree that has erect branchlets, the leaves reduced to scales in whorls of 10 to 14, the fruiting cones 15–35 mm (0.59–1.38 in) long containing winged seeds (samaras) 6–12 mm (0.24–0.47 in) long.

<i>Allocasuarina eriochlamys</i> Species of flowering plant

Allocasuarina eriochlamys is a species of flowering plant in the family Casuarinaceae and is endemic to inland areas of Western Australia. It is a dense, erect, monoecious or dioecious shrub that has more or less erect branchlets, its leaves reduced to scales in whorls of eight to ten, the mature fruiting cones 20–45 mm (0.79–1.77 in) long containing winged seeds (samaras) 5.0–10.5 mm (0.20–0.41 in) long.

<i>Allocasuarina diminuta</i> Species of flowering plant

Allocasuarina diminuta is a species of flowering plant in the family Casuarinaceae and is endemic to eastern New South Wales. It is a dioecious or monoecious shrub or small tree that has branchlets up to 230 mm (9.1 in) long, the leaves reduced to scales in whorls of six to ten, the fruiting cones 5–20 mm (0.20–0.79 in) long containing winged seeds (samaras) 3.5–5.0 mm (0.14–0.20 in) long.

<i>Allocasuarina muelleriana</i> Species of plant

Allocasuarina muelleriana, commonly known as slaty sheoak, is a species of flowering plant in the family Casuarinaceae and is endemic to southern continental Australia. It is a dioecious, rarely a monoecious shrub that has branchlets up to 120 mm (4.7 in) long, the leaves reduced to scales in whorls of five to eight, the fruiting cones 14–30 mm (0.55–1.18 in) long containing winged seeds 6–9 mm (0.24–0.35 in) long.

Allocasuarina filidens, commonly known as the Mt Beerwah she-oak, is a species of flowering plant in the family Casuarinaceae and is endemic to a restricted area of Queensland. It is a dioecious shrub that has more or less erect branchlets up to 200 mm (7.9 in) long, the leaves reduced to scales in whorls of five or six, the fruiting cones 14–30 mm (0.55–1.18 in) long containing winged seeds (samaras) 6.5–9 mm (0.26–0.35 in) long.

<i>Allocasuarina rigida</i> Species of flowering plant

Allocasuarina rigida is a species of flowering plant in the family Casuarinaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a dioecious shrub that has branchlets up to 330 mm (13 in) long, the leaves reduced to scales in whorls of seven to ten, and the fruiting cones 8–27 mm (0.31–1.06 in) long containing winged seeds 3.0–7.5 mm (0.12–0.30 in) long.

References

  1. ↑ "Casuarina cunninghamiana". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 Wilson, Karen L.; Johnson, Lawrence A.S. "Casuarina cunninghamiana". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Boland, Douglas J.; Brooker, M. I. H.; Chippendale, G. M.; McDonald, Maurice William (2006). Forest trees of Australia. Collingwood, Victoria: CSIRO Publishing. pp. 80–81. ISBN   0-643-06969-0.
  4. ↑ "Casuarina cunninghamiana". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
  5. ↑ "Casuarina cunninghamiana". APNI. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
  6. ↑ "Casuarina cunninghamiana subsp. cunninghamiana". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
  7. ↑ Wilson, Karen L.; Johnson, Lawrence A.S. "Casuarina cunninghamiana subsp. cunninghamiana". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
  8. 1 2 "Casuarina cunninghamiana subsp. cunninghamiana". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
  9. ↑ "Casuarina cunninghamiana subsp. miodon". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
  10. 1 2 "Casuarina cunninghamiana subsp. miodon". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
  11. ↑ "Casuarina cunninghamiana". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
  12. ↑ Boxshall, Ben; Jenkyn, Tim. "River she-oak" (PDF). Department of Primary Industries. Victorian Government. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 September 2009. Retrieved 23 April 2011.
  13. ↑ "Casuarina cunninghamiana subsp. miodon". Northern Territory Government. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
  14. ↑ "Biological control of Australian native Casuarina species in the USA". Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation. 16 May 2007. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 16 September 2010.
  15. ↑ "SANBI:Declared Weeds & Invader Plants". South African National Biodiversity Institute. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
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