Casuarina pauper

Last updated

Casuarina pauper
Belah (15734166800).jpg
In Kinchega National Park
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fagales
Family: Casuarinaceae
Genus: Casuarina
Species:
C. pauper
Binomial name
Casuarina pauper
Synonyms [1]
  • Casuarina cristata subsp. pauper(Miq.) L.A.S.Johnson nom. inval.
  • Casuarina pauperMiq. nom. inval.
  • Casuarina cristata auct. non Miq.: Willis, J.H. (1973)
  • Casuarina lepidophloia auct. non F.Muell.: Black, J.M. (1924)
  • Casuarina obesa auct. non Miq.: Barker, W.R., Barker, R.M., Jessop, J. & Vonow, H. (ed.) (18 March 2005)
Branchlets and female flowers Belah female flowers (15735415969).jpg
Branchlets and female flowers
Mature cone Belah fruit (15735409869).jpg
Mature cone

Casuarina pauper, commonly known as black oak, belah or kariku, [2] 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.

Contents

Description

Casuarina pauper is a dioecious tree similar to C. cristata , that typically grows to a height of 5–15 m (16–49 ft), has a DBH of up to 0.5 m (1 ft 8 in), and sometimes produces root suckers. The branchlets are more or less erect or spreading, up to 250 mm (9.8 in) long, the leaves reduced to scale-like teeth 0.8–0.9 mm (0.031–0.035 in) long, arranged in whorls of 9 to 13 around the branchlets. The sections of branchlet between the leaf whorls (the "articles") are waxy, 8–17 mm (0.31–0.67 in) long and 1.0–1.8 mm (0.039–0.071 in) wide. The flowers on male trees are arranged in spikes 10–30 mm (0.39–1.18 in) long, the anthers 0.8–1.1 mm (0.031–0.043 in) long. The female cones are covered with rusty hairs, on a peduncle 1–14 mm (0.039–0.551 in) long. The mature cones are usually 10–22 mm (0.39–0.87 in) long and 11–15 mm (0.43–0.59 in) in diameter, the samaras 5.5–7.0 mm (0.22–0.28 in) long. [2] [3] [4]

This species is a poorer, stunted form of C. cristata , and the two species often intergrade where their ranges overlap. [2]

Taxonomy

Casuarina pauper was first formally described in 1989 by Lawrie Johnson in the Flora of Australia from a Ferdinand von Mueller's unpublished description of a plant he collected in the Flinders Ranges in 1851. [5] The specific epithet (pauper) means "scanty" or "poor", referring to the habit of the species compared to C. cristata. [6]

Johnson had previously described Casuarina cristata subsp. pauper(Miq.) L.A.S.Johnson in the journal Nuytsia , [7] based Miquel's C. pauper, but the name was not valid, because Miquel explicity did not accept von Mueller's description of Casuarina pauper, considering it the same species as C. cristata. [8] [9] [10]

Distribution and habitat

Occurrence records of Casuarina pauper within Australia. Snip20140914 2.png
Occurrence records of Casuarina pauper within Australia.

Black oak grows in red-brown soils on open woodland, sometimes with Callitris gracilis , and is widespread across southern Australia, including in the far south-west of Queensland, western New South Wales, north-western Victoria, South Australia, and inland Western Australia. [2] [3] [4] [11] [12]

This species is generally found growing in groves ranging in area from less than 1 to 10 ha (2.5 to 24.7 acres) at altitudes from 400–500 m (1,300–1,600 ft), and where the temperature ranges between 3 and 36 °C (37 and 97 °F). [4] [13]

Ecology

Casuarina pauper produces abundant viable seed, with regeneration success likely to be inhibited during periods of insufficient soil moisture. When present at low densities, plants tends to reproduce sexually, while established groves extend mostly from the fringes through root suckers, increasing the local area occupied by individual plants. [13] [14]

Related Research Articles

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

Casuarina equisetifolia, commonly known as coastal she-oak, horsetail she-oak, 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.

<i>Allocasuarina</i> Genus of flowering plants

Allocasuarina, commonly known as sheoak or she-oak, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Casuarinaceae and is endemic to Australia. Plants in the genus Allocasuarina are trees or shrubs with soft, pendulous, green branchlets, the leaves reduced to scale-like teeth. Allocasuarinas are either monoecious or dioecious, the flowers never bisexual. Male and female flowers are arranged in spikes, the female spikes developing into cone-like structures enclosing winged seeds.

<i>Casuarina</i> Genus of trees

Casuarina 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. Plants in the genus Casuarina are monoecious or dioecious trees with green, pendulous, photosynthetic branchlets, the leaves reduced to small scales arranged in whorls around the branchlets, the male and female flowers arranged in separate spikes, the fruit a cone containing grey or yellowish-brown winged seeds.

<i>Eucalyptus erythronema</i> Species of eucalyptus

Eucalyptus erythronema, commonly known as the red-flowered mallee, is a species of mallee or tree and is endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth, dark pink to red bark that is shed to reveal whitish bark, and has lance-shaped adult leaves, pendulous flower buds mostly arranged in groups of three, red or yellow flowers and conical fruit.

<i>Acacia harpophylla</i> Species of legume

Acacia harpophylla, commonly known as brigalow, brigalow spearwood or orkor, is an endemic tree of Australia. The Aboriginal Australian group the Gamilaraay peoples know the tree as Barranbaa or Burrii. It is found in central and coastal Queensland to northern New South Wales. It can reach up to 25 m (82 ft) tall and forms extensive open-forest communities on clay soils.

<i>Isopogon formosus</i> Species of shrub endemic to areas in Western Australia

Isopogon formosus, commonly known as rose coneflower, is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with divided leaves with cylindrical segments, and spherical to oval heads of pink or red flowers.

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

Allocasuarina distyla, commonly known as scrub she-oak, is a shrub or small tree of the She-oak family Casuarinaceae endemic to New South Wales.

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

Casuarina cunninghamiana, commonly known as river oak, river sheoak or creek oak, 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.

<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 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 she-oak or drooping sheoak, is a nitrogen fixing native tree of southeastern Australia.

<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 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 decussata</i> Species of tree

Allocasuarina decussata, commonly known as karri oak or karri she-oak, is a medium-sized tree, or more rarely a shrub, that is endemic to the south west of Western Australia. It is an understory tree in karri forest but also occurs as a stunted shrub in places like Bluff Knoll in the Stirling Range.

<i>Eucalyptus socialis</i> Species of plant

Eucalyptus socialis, commonly known as the red mallee, or grey mallee, is a species of mallee that is endemic to inland Australia.

<i>Eucalyptus effusa</i> Species of eucalyptus

Eucalyptus effusa, commonly known as rough-barked gimlet, is a species of mallee or small tree that is endemic to Western Australia. It has thin, rough bark on the base of the trunk, smooth bark above, linear to narrow lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds arranged in groups of seven, white flowers and cup-shaped to conical fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus pruinosa</i> Species of tree

Eucalyptus pruinosa, commonly known as silver box, silver leaf box, apple box or smoke tree, is a species of tree or a mallee that is endemic to northern Australia. The Jaminjung peoples know the tree as yarrirra or jarnbiny, the Jaru as wararn and the Wagiman as wararn. It has rough, fibrous to flaky bark on the trunk and branches, a crown composed of juvenile, glaucous, heart-shaped to broadly elliptical leaves arranged in opposite pairs, flower buds arranged in groups of seven on the ends of branches, creamy white to pale yellow flowers and cylindrical to conical fruit.

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

Allocasuarina acuaria is a species of flowering plant in the family Casuarinaceae and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia Australia. It is a dioecious shrub that has erect branchlets, the leaves reduced to scales in whorls of four on the ends of the branchlets, the fruiting cones 15–19 mm (0.59–0.75 in) long containing winged seeds (samaras) about 6 mm (0.24 in) long.

<i>Corymbia cadophora</i> Species of plant

Corymbia cadophora, commonly known as twinleaf bloodwood, is a species of small, straggly tree that is endemic to the Kimberley region of Western Australia. It has rough bark on the trunk and branches, a crown of sessile, egg-shaped or lance-shaped leaves joined in opposite pairs, flower buds mostly arranged in groups of seven, creamy white to pink or red flowers and urn-shaped to barrel-shaped fruit.

<i>Leucopogon obovatus</i> Species of plant

Leucopogon obovatus is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with hairy young branchlets, variably-shaped, simple leaves, and erect clusters of 3 to 15 white, bell-shaped flowers on the ends of branches and in upper leaf axils.

<i>Rhadinothamnus rudis</i> Species of plant

Rhadinothamnus rudis is a small shrub with needle-shaped, angular branchlets and single white flowers at the end of branches. This species and the three subspecies are endemic to Western Australia.

References

  1. 1 2 "Casuarina pauper". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Wilson, Karen L.; Johnson, Lawrence A.S. "Casuarina pauper". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  3. 1 2 "Casuarina pauper". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 Boland, Douglas J.; Brooker, M. I. H.; Chippendale, G. M.; McDonald, Maurice William (2006). Forest trees of Australia. Collingwood, Victoria: CSIRO Publishing. pp. 78–79. ISBN   0-643-06969-0.
  5. "Casuarina pauper". APNI. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  6. Sharr, Francis Aubi; George, Alex (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (3rd ed.). Kardinya, WA: Four Gables Press. p. 272. ISBN   9780958034180.
  7. Johnson, Lawrence A.S. (1972). "New species and subspecies of Casuarina in Western Australia". Nuytsia. 1 (3): 265. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  8. "Casuarina cristata subsp. pauper". APNI. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  9. Miquel, Friedrich A.W. (1859). "Stirpes Novo-Hollandas a Ferd Mullero collectas determinavit". Nederlandsch kruidkundig archief. 4 (1): 100–101.
  10. Wilson, Karen L.; Johnson, Lawrence A.S. (1989). Flora of Australia (PDF). Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service. pp. 110, 202. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  11. "Casuarina pauper Black oak". Botanic Gardens of South Australia. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  12. "Casuarina pauper - black oak". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  13. 1 2 Barritt, Andrew R.; Facelli, José M. (November 2001). "Effects of Casuarina pauper litter and grove soil on emergence and growth of understorey species in arid lands of South Australia". Journal of Arid Environments. 49 (3): 569–579. doi:10.1006/jare.2001.0808.
  14. Auld, Tony D. (1995). "The Impact of Herbivores on Regeneration in Four Trees From Arid Australia". The Rangeland Journal. 17 (2): 213–227. doi:10.1071/RJ9950213.