Casuarinaceae
Read about Casuarinaceae in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture
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Casuarinaceae (from the genus Casuarina, derived from the resemblance of the branches to the feathers of the bird cassowary). Casuarina Family. Fig. 14. Shrubs, or much-branched trees, with the habit of the horse-tail (Equisetum) or Ephedra: branches whorled, jointed, striate: leaves replaced by striate, many-toothed sheaths: flowers monoecious or dioecious, the staminate in spikes, the pistillate in heads; perianth of the staminate flower of 2, rarely 1, bract-like parts; stamen 1; perianth of the pistillate flower 0; ovary 1-celled, rarely 2-celled, 2-4-ovuled; stigmas 2: fruit dry, often samaroid, inclosed by the woody valve-like bracts; seeds 2, or 3-4, orthotropous, ascending. A single genus containing about 20 species occurs in Australia and the neighboring islands, extending to Madagascar and to southeast Asia. The family is very distinct and its relationships are in doubt. It is placed here in the system because of the simple flowers. The peculiar habit, reduced staminate flowers, and peculiar fruit are characteristic. The wood of Casuarina equisetifolia is very hard, and called ironwood. It is used in ship-building, and by the Indians for war-clubs; the powdered bark is used to dress wounds, or for diarrhea. A brown dye is obtained from the same plant. A few species of Casuarina (Beefwood, She Oak) are cultivated in the South for timber and ornament.CH
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References
- Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963
External links
- w:Casuarinaceae. Some of the material on this page may be from Wikipedia, under the Creative Commons license.
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