Casuarina glauca
Syst. Veg. 3: 803. 1826.
Trees, 8-20 m, frequently producing root suckers. Bark gray-brown, finely fissured and scaly. Branchlets drooping; segments 8-20 × 0.9-1.2 mm, glabrous, occasionally waxy; longitudinal ridges flat to slightly rounded-convex; teeth usually marcescent, 12-17, erect, 0.6-0.9 mm. Young permanent shoots with long-recurved teeth. Flowers unisexual, staminate and pistillate on different plants. Staminate spikes 1.2-4 cm, 7-10 whorls per cm; anthers ca. 0.8 mm. Infructescences rust-colored to white-pubescent, becoming glabrous; peduncles 3-12 mm; infructescence body 9-18 × 7-9 mm; bracteoles broadly acute. Samaras 3.5-5 mm.
Habitat: Commonly near brackish water
Elevation: 0-50 m
Distribution
Introduced; Fla., native, e coast Australia.
Discussion
Commonly near brackish water; 0-50 m; introduced; Fla.; native, e coast Australia.
Casuarina glauca is widely cultivated in many parts of the world. Pistillate trees are very infrequent in the flora.
It is now considered a pest species in Florida because of root suckering. Its identification may be confused by the practice of some Florida nurserymen of grafting scions of Casuarina glauca onto rootstocks from the other two species.
Selected References
None.