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Electronic Flora of South Australia genus Fact Sheet

Family: Casuarinaceae
Allocasuarina

Citation: L. Johnson, J. Adelaide Bot. Gard. 6:73 (1982).

Derivation: Greek allos, other; indicating the relationship with the genus Casuarina.

Synonymy: Not Applicable

Common name: None

Description:
Trees or shrubs.

Branchlets with 4-13 teeth per whorl.

Cones with thick convex fruiting bracteoles often with a more or less separate angular or divided or spiny dorsal protuberance; samaras dark-brown to black, shining.

Distribution:  About 46 species, all endemic to Australia.

Biology: No text

Key to Species:
1. Teeth (leaves) 4, 2-5 mm long, almost pungent
A. decaisneana 1.
1. Teeth (leaves) 5-13, less than 2 mm long, not pungent
 
2. Teeth 9-13
 
3. Cones 1-1.5 cm long, diameter greater than length; articles 8-18 mm long, of even diameter throughout their length; phyllichnia smooth; male spikes c. 2.5 cm long
A. luehmannii 3.
3. Cones 2.5-5 cm long, length greater than diameter; articles 1-4 cm long, of greater diameter at the upper end below the teeth; phyllichnia toughened; male spikes 4-10 cm long
A. verticillata 10.
2. Teeth 5-8
 
4. Cone with several protuberances on the back of the bracteole; dry cone with a smooth outline (bracteoles not protruding); branchlets waxy
A. helmsii 2.
4. Cone with a single protuberance on the back of the bracteole; dry cone with an uneven outline (bracteoles protruding); branchlets not waxy (occasionally glaucous in A. pusilia)
 
5. Branchlets and phyllichnia markedly angular; teeth pale, not marcescent
A. muelleriana 4.
5. Branchlets rounded or subangular; teeth brownish (pale in C. pusilla but then branchlets not angular) and/or marcescent
 
6. Phyllichnia with a central groove; cone bracts prominent
A. paludosa 5.
6. Phyllichnia rounded or subangular, without a central groove; cone bracts not prominent
 
7. Cones on peduncles 3-12 mm long; male bracteoles deciduous; anthers golden-brown when fresh
A. striata 9.
7. Cones sessile or on pedicels less than 2 mm long; male bracteoles persistent; anthers reddish-brown
 
8. Teeth 0.3-0.5 mm long, erect; branchlets glaucous; phyllichnia not obviously ridged; male spikes 0.8-2 cm long; anthers 0.7-1 mm long
A. pusilla 7.
8. Teeth 0.6-1.5 mm long, spreading (at least on young shoots); branchlets not glaucous; phyllichnia strongly ridged; male spikes 2-6 cm long; anthers 1-1.3 mm long.
 
9. Teeth-bases overlapping; male spikes dense, with 8-10 whorls per cm
A. paradoxa 6.
9. Teeth-bases not overlapping; male spikes less dense, with 5-9 whorls per cm
A. robusta 8.

Author: Not yet available


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