Casuarina equisetifolia

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Casuarina equisetifolia
Casuarina equisetifolia - Darwin NT.jpg
Subspecies equisetifolia near Darwin
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. equisetifolia
Binomial name
Casuarina equisetifolia
Subspecies
  • C. e. subsp. equisetifolia
  • C. e. subsp. incana
Synonyms [2]

Casuarina equisetifolia var. typica Domin

Subspecies incana near Rockhampton Casuarina equesitifolia tree.jpg
Subspecies incana near Rockhampton

Casuarina equisetifolia, commonly known as coastal she-oak, horsetail she-oak, [3] ironwood, [4] beach sheoak, beach casuarina, whistling tree [5] or Australian pine [6] 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 (0.4–0.9 in) long containing winged seeds (samaras) 6–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long.

Contents

Description

Habit

Casuarina equisetifolia is an evergreen tree typically growing to a height of 6–12 m (20–39 ft), sometimes to 35 m (115 ft) tall. The bark of young specimens is smooth and greyish, older trees have scaly, greyish-brown to black bark. [3] [7]

Foliage

The foliage consists of slender, drooping branchlets up to 30 cm (12 in) long, the leaves reduced to scale-like teeth 0.3–0.5 mm (0.01–0.02 in) long, arranged in whorls of 7 or 8 (occasionally 6) around the branchlets. The sections of branchlet between the leaf whorls (the "articles") are 5–13 mm (0.2–0.5 in) long and 0.5–1.0 mm (0.02–0.04 in) wide. [3] [5] [7]

Flowers

This species of Casuarina is monoecious with male and female flowers produced on the same tree, unlike most other species of its same genus which are dioecious. [7] Its male and female inflorescences are both shaped like catkins. [6] Its male flowers appear in simple spikes 0.7–4 cm (0.28–1.57 in) long in whorls of 7 to 11.5 per cm (per 0.4 in), with anthers are 0.6–0.8 mm (0.02–0.03 in) long, whereas its female flowers are 3–13 mm (0.1–0.5 in) long on short, sparsely hairy peduncles. [3] [5] [7]

Fruit

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 when mature, superficially resembling a conifer cone made up of numerous carpels. Each carpel contains a single small winged seed 6–8 mm (0.24–0.31 in) long. [3] [5] [7]

Taxonomy and naming

The genus Casuarina was first formally described in 1759 by Carl Linnaeus in Amoenitates Academicae and the first species he described was Casuarina equisetifolia. [8] [9] The specific epithet equisetifolia means 'horsehair-leaved'. [5]

In 1873, George Bentham described Casuarina equisetifolia var. equisetifolia and C. equisetifolia var. incana in Flora Australiensis , [10] and in 1982, Lawrie Johnson changed the names to subspecies equisetifolia and incana respectively, in the Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens : [11]

There is some doubt as to whether Linnaeus' publication of C. equisetifolia is valid, since he based his description solely on Rumphius's description of Casuarina litorea in Herbarium Amboinense [17] and there are no type specimens. [18]

This species is sometimes given the common name "Australian pine" because it has features that seem superficially like those of a pine, but it is not a conifer. [6]

Distribution and habitat

Casuarina equisetifolia subsp. equisetifolia grows near the sea, behind beaches and near estuaries, sometimes on rocky headlands in Australia, New Guinea, Southeast Asia and India. [2] [5] The species is native to India and Bangladesh in South Asia; Myanmar, the Andaman Islands, Nicobar Islands, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Peninsular Malaysia, the Philippines, Borneo, Java and the Lesser Sunda Islands, islands in the South China Sea, Sulawesi and Sumatra in Southeast Asia; the Carolines, Fiji, the Marianas, the Marshall Islands, New Caledonia, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu in the Pacific Ocean; New Guinea; and New South Wales, the Northern Territory, and Queensland in Australia. [2] [5] [13]

Subspecies incana grows on rocky headlands near the coasts of eastern Queensland and New South Wales as far south as Laurieton. [3] [5] [15] [19]

Casuarina equisetifolia has been introduced to many other continents and islands. [2] It is an invasive species in the United States, but biological control by insects, including by a Selitrichodes wasp and Carposinidae and Gelechiidae moths, has been effective. [20] [21] [22] It is also regarded as being invasive in South Africa. [23]

Ecology

Casuarina equisetifolia is an actinorhizal plant able to fix atmospheric nitrogen [24] through a symbiotic relationship with strains of Frankia , a actinomycete hosted in nodules on its roots. [25] : 294 

Uses

Besides its ornamental uses, Casuarina equisetifolia has also been explored for its potential in remediation of textile dye wastewater. The leaves were found to be useful as absorbent material for the removal of textile dyes such as reactive orange 16, [26] rhodamine B, [27] methylene blue, malachite green [28] and methyl violet 2B. [29] Similarly, the dried cone was also reported to be able to remove rhodamine B [30] and methyl violet 2B. [31] The bark was reported to be able to remove methylene blue. [32] Even the seed was found to be useful in dye removal of neutral red and malachite green. [33] The carbon derived from the cones of C. equisetifolia was found to be a good absorbent for landfill leachate, [34] while another laboratory also reported good absorbency for copper ions from aqueous solution. [35] Line planting of C. equisetifolia trees in coastal areas has been known to help control the force of the wind. In countries like India, it has been known as a suitable species for wasteland development.[ citation needed ]

Culture

In the Philippines, the town of Agoo is named after the tree (known as agoho or aroo in the Ilocano language). [36]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Barstow, M. (2019). "Casuarina equisetifolia". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2019 e.T16728404A16728408. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-1.RLTS.T16728404A16728408.en . Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Casuarina equisetifolia L." Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Wilson, Karen L.; Johnson, Lawrence A.S. "Casuarina equisetifolia subsp. incana". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  4. ↑ "Casuarina equisetifolia - Common Ironwood, Beach Sheoak, Horsetail Casuarina, Australian Pine, Australian Beefwood - Hawaiian Plants and Tropical Flowers". 2009-12-24. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Boland, Douglas J.; Brooker, M. I. H.; Chippendale, G. M.; McDonald, Maurice William (2006). Forest trees of Australia. Collingwood, Victoria: CSIRO Publishing. p. 82. ISBN   0-643-06969-0.
  6. 1 2 3 "Casuarina equisetifolia". Landscape Plants. Oregon State University. Retrieved 2023-10-28.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 "Casuarina equisetifolia". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  8. ↑ "Casuarina". APNI. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  9. ↑ Linnaeus, Carl (1759). Amoenitates academicae, seu, Dissertationes variae physicae, medicae, botanicae. p. 143. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  10. ↑ Bentham, George (1873). Flora Australiensis. Vol. 6. London: Lovell Reeve & Co. p. 197. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  11. ↑ Johnson, Lawrence A.S. (1982). "Notes on Casuarinaceae II". Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens. 6 (1): 79. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  12. ↑ "Casuarina equisetifolia subsp. equisetifolia". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  13. 1 2 "Casuarina equisetifolia subsp. equisetifolia". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  14. ↑ "Casuarina equisetifolia subsp. incana". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  15. 1 2 "Casuarina equisetifolia subsp. incana". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  16. ↑ William T. Stearn (1992). Botanical Latin. History, grammar, syntax, terminology and vocabulary (4th ed.). Portland, Oregon: Timber Press. p. 431.
  17. ↑ Rumphius, Georg E. (1743). Herbarium Amboinense. Vol. 3. Amsterdam. p. 86. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  18. ↑ Wilson, Karen L.; Johnson, Lawrence A.S. (1989). Flora of Australia (PDF). Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service. p. 201. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  19. ↑ "Casuarina equisetifolia" (PDF). World Agroforestry (Centre for International Forestry Research). Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  20. ↑ "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.
  21. ↑ Masterson, J (4 October 2007). "Casuarina equisetifolia (Australian Pine)". Fort Pierce: Smithsonian Marine Station. Archived from the original on 2 July 2009. Retrieved 5 May 2009.
  22. ↑ Purcell, Matthew. "Evaluating Biological Control Agents of Australian Pine". United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
  23. ↑ "SANBI:Declared Weeds & Invader Plants". South African National Biodiversity Institute. Archived from the original on 2014-10-06. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
  24. ↑ Tan, Ria (October 2016). "Rhu or Casuarina tree". Wild Singapore. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  25. ↑ Benson, David R.; Silvester, Warwick B. (June 1993). "Biology of Frankia strains, actinomycete symbionts of actinorhizal plants". Microbiological Reviews. 57 (2): 293–319. doi:10.1128/mr.57.2.293-319.1993. PMC   372911 . PMID   8336669.
  26. ↑ Bharti, Vikash; Shahi, Amrita; Geed, Sachin; Kureel, M.K. (2017). "Biodegradation of reactive orange 16 dye in the packed bed bioreactor using seeds of Ashoka and Casuarina as packing media". Indian Journal of Biotechnology. 16: 216–221.
  27. ↑ Kooh, Muhammad Raziq Rahimi; Dahri, Muhammad Khairud; Lim, Linda B.L. (2016). "The removal of rhodamine B dye from aqueous solution using Casuarina equisetifolia needles as absorbent". Cogent Environmental Science. 2 (1). Bibcode:2016SusEn...240553K. doi: 10.1080/23311843.2016.1140553 .
  28. ↑ Dahri, Muhammad Khairud; Kooh, Muhammad Raziq Rahimi; Lim, Linda B.L. (2015). "Application of Casuarina equisetifolia needle for the removal of methylene blue and malachite green dyes from aqueous solution". Alexandria Engineering Journal. 54 (4): 1253. doi: 10.1016/j.aej.2015.07.005 .
  29. ↑ Dahri, Muhammad Khairud; Kooh, Muhammad Raziq Rahimi; Lim, Linda B. L. (2013). "Removal of Methyl Violet 2B from Aqueous Solution Using Casuarina equisetifolia Needle". ISRN Environmental Chemistry. 2013: 1–8. doi: 10.1155/2013/619819 .
  30. ↑ Dahri, Muhammad Khairud; Kooh, Muhammad Raziq Rahimi; Lim, Linda B. L. (2016). "Remediation of Rhodamine B Dye from Aqueous Solution Using Casuarina equisetifolia Cone Powder as a Low-Cost Absorbent". Advances in Physical Chemistry. 2016: 1–7. doi: 10.1155/2016/9497378 .
  31. ↑ "Water remediation using Casuarina equisetifolia cone as adsorbent for the removal of methyl violet 2B dye using batch experiment method". Journal of Environment & Biotechnology Research. 6 (1): 34–42. January 2017. Archived from the original on 19 March 2017 – via ViNaNiE.
  32. ↑ "Adsorption of methylene blue by Casuarina equisetifolia bark". CNKI. Archived from the original on 2020-07-10. Retrieved 2018-02-15.
  33. ↑ "Application of microwave-treated Casuarina equisetifolia seeds in adsorption of dyes". Journal of Fundamental and Applied Sciences. 9 (7S): 458–471. 2017. ISSN   1112-9867.
  34. ↑ Alrozi, Rasyidah; Zubir, Nor Aida; Kamaruddin, Mohamad Anuar; Yusof, Siti Noor Faizah Mohd; Yusoff, Mohd Suffian (2017). "Removal of organic fractions from landfill leachate by Casuarina equisetifolia activated carbon: Characteristics and absorption mechanisms". AIP Conference Proceedings. 1885 (1): 020139. Bibcode:2017AIPC.1885b0139A. doi:10.1063/1.5002333.
  35. ↑ Muslim, A. (2017). "AUSTRALIAN PINE CONES-BASED ACTIVATED CARBON FOR ADSORPTION OF COPPER IN AQUEOUS SOLUTION" (PDF). Journal of Engineering Science and Technology. 12 (2): 280–295.
  36. ↑ Sals, Florent Joseph (2005). The History of Agoo: 1578-2005. La Union: Limbagan Printhouse. p. 80.
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