Casuarina pauper facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Casuarina pauper |
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| Scientific classification | |
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Casuarina
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| Species: |
pauper
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Casuarina pauper is a type of tree that belongs to the Casuarinaceae family. It grows naturally in the drier, inland parts of southern Australia. People sometimes call it black oak or belah. This tree is often seen as a smaller, less developed version of its close relative, Casuarina cristata.
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What Does Casuarina pauper Look Like?
Casuarina pauper is a tree that can grow from 5 to 15 meters (about 16 to 49 feet) tall. Its trunk can be up to 0.5 meters (about 1.6 feet) wide. If it grows in an open space, it often has a thick, bushy top, called a crown. When many of these trees grow close together, their main trunk tends to be straight for more than half of their height.
Its Unique "Leaves"
What looks like leaves on this tree are actually special jointed branches. These branches do the job of leaves. The real leaves are tiny, like small teeth. They stick out from around the top of each joint on the branches. These "leaves" are quite waxy and have tiny hairs.
Bark and Wood
The bark of the Casuarina pauper is hard and dark brown to almost black. It looks scaly and tight. The wood just under the bark, called sapwood, is wide and creamy. The inner wood, called heartwood, is reddish-brown and very dense.
How it Grows: From Seedling to Adult
When the tree is a young seedling, it has branches that look similar. These branches have tiny leaf-teeth in groups of four, pressed close to the branch joints.
As the tree grows into an adult, it has two types of branches that look quite different. Some branches are temporary; they are robust and dark olive-green to grey. These branches hang down and are shed after about two to three seasons. They have groups of 9 to 16 leaf-teeth that stand upright.
Flowers and Fruits
Casuarina pauper trees are dioecious. This means that male and female flowers grow on separate trees. Male flowers are found on small, thin spikes at the ends of the temporary branches. Female flowers grow in groups of 9 to 16. These groups eventually form a cone. The cones are grey, round or oblong, and measure about 1.5 to 3 cm long and 1.5 to 2.5 cm wide. The fruits inside are dull yellow-brown, flat, and up to 7 mm long.
The Name of the Tree
The name 'casuarina' comes from the Malay word kasuari, which means cassowary. This is because the tree's drooping branches look a bit like the feathers of a cassowary bird. The word 'pauper' comes from Latin and means "poor" or "small." This refers to how this tree is smaller and less developed compared to C. cristata.
Other Names for Casuarina pauper
Over time, this tree has had several scientific names. Some of its common names include Black Oak, Inland Sheoak, and Belah.
Where Does Casuarina pauper Grow?
Casuarina pauper is found across a wide area of southern Australia. This includes parts of western New South Wales, northwestern Victoria, inland South Australia, Central Australia, southwestern Queensland, and southern inland Western Australia.
These trees often grow in small groups, or groves, that can be from less than 1 hectare to 10 hectares in size. They are tough trees that can grow in compact clay soils and even in very alkaline (salty) soils.
They usually grow at heights of 400 to 500 meters above sea level. They can survive in places where the hottest month is 32–36 °C and the coldest month is 3–7 °C. They can handle moderate frosts. Generally, they are found in areas that get about 200–350 mm of rain each year.
How Casuarina pauper Reproduces
Casuarina pauper produces many seeds that can grow into new trees. However, these seedlings need enough moisture in the soil to survive. The seeds have a thin, papery wing, which helps them travel. They can be spread by wind, by water runoff, and even by animals like ants and emus.
This tree can also grow new plants from shoots that sprout from its base. These new shoots often survive well. However, both seedlings and new shoots are very tasty to rabbits and kangaroos. This means their survival rate is very low if these animals are around. When there are only a few Casuarina pauper trees, they tend to reproduce using seeds. But in established groves, they mostly spread by sending out new shoots from the edges, making the grove bigger.
Uses of Casuarina pauper
Casuarina pauper grows quickly and helps make the soil better. Its roots have special bacteria that can take nitrogen from the air and put it into the soil. This process is called biological nitrogen fixation. This allows Casuarina trees to grow well even in poor soils, like sandy areas or rocky outcrops.
These trees are helpful for farms. They provide great shade and shelter for animals and crops. They also help prevent soil erosion. In times of drought, they can even be a limited source of emergency food for livestock.
The wood from Casuarina pauper is hard and strong. It's good for building fences, for woodturning projects, and for firewood.
Traditional Uses by Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australian people have traditionally used the hard wood of Casuarina trees for many tools. These include boomerangs, spears, clapping sticks, digging sticks, shields, and clubs. Young shoots and branches can be chewed to help reduce thirst. The cones can also be eaten. If you soak Casuarina cones in water, they can make a drink that tastes like lemon!
Conservation Status
Casuarina pauper is not considered a rare or endangered species.
