| Casuarina junghuhniana | |
|---|---|
| | |
| Casuarina Junghuhniana seen in Ambarita, Samosir | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fagales |
| Family: | Casuarinaceae |
| Genus: | Casuarina |
| Species: | C. junghuhniana |
| Binomial name | |
| Casuarina junghuhniana | |
| Subspecies | |
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| Synonyms | |
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Casuarina junghuhniana, the mountain ru or red-tipped ru, is a tree in the family Casuarinaceae that originated in Java and the Lesser Sunda Islands. The species has been introduced to Pakistan and Bangladesh. [2] [3]
Casuarina junghuhniana is an evergreen tree growing to 15–35 m (50–115 ft) tall. [4] The foliage consists of slender, much-branched green to grey-green twigs 0.8–1 mm (0.032–0.039 in) diameter, bearing minute scale-leaves in whorls of 9–11. It is dioecious and The flowers are produced in small catkin-like inflorescences. The fruit is an oval woody structure, superficially resembling a conifer cone made up of numerous carpels each containing a single seed with a small wing 4–5 mm (0.16–0.2 in) long. [5] Unlike Casuarina equisetifolia , Mountain Ru (C. junghuhniana) has a narrower canopy, small and neat branches. It has a straight and knotless trunk. [4] [6]
Like some other species of the genus Casuarina , C. junghuhniana is an actinorhizal plant able to fix atmospheric nitrogen. In contrast to species of the plant family Fabaceae (e.g., beans, alfalfa, Acacia), Casuarina harbours a symbiosis with a Frankia actinomycete. [7]
There are two subspecies: [8]
Casuarina junghuhniana is native to Java and the Lesser Sunda Islands. [1] The species has been introduced to Pakistan and Bangladesh as a restoration of degraded forest areas. [9]
Popularly grown as an ornamental plant and a windproof line. [6] The wood of this tree is used for shingles, fencing, and is said to make excellent hot-burning firewood. [10]