Scrub she-oak facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Scrub she-oak |
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| Developing fruit | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Allocasuarina
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| Species: |
distyla
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
| Synonyms | |
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Casuarina distyla Vent. |
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The Allocasuarina distyla, often called the scrub she-oak, is a type of shrub or small tree. It belongs to the She-oak family. This plant grows naturally in New South Wales, Australia.
What it Looks Like
This scrub she-oak is usually a shrub or a small tree. It can grow up to about 4 meters (13 feet) tall. If the soil is very good, it might even reach 7 meters (22 feet). You can find it in coastal areas of New South Wales and southern Queensland.
This plant is very tough! It can grow well even when conditions are difficult, like during a drought. Its branches stand straight up and can be as long as 35 centimeters (14 inches). These branches have ridges that can be sharp or rounded.
The scrub she-oak has separate male and female plants. This means that male flowers grow on one tree, and female flowers grow on a different tree. This is called being dioecious.
The male flowers grow in spikes that are about 1 to 5 centimeters (0.4 to 2 inches) long. The female flowers develop into cones after they are pollinated. These cones can be up to 12 millimeters (0.5 inches) long. The seeds, called samaras, are a very dark brown.
This plant usually flowers between July and September. However, the exact time can change depending on how much rain it gets.
How it Got its Name
The name Allocasuarina distyla has a special meaning. In Greek, 'allos' means 'other'. 'Casuarina' is a comparison to the plant's leaves, which look a bit like the feathers of a Cassowary.
The second part of the name, 'distyla', also comes from Greek. 'Di' means 'two', and 'stylos' means 'column'. These words describe some features of the plant.
Scientists first described this plant in 1802. A botanist named Étienne Pierre Ventenat gave it the name Casuarina distyla. Later, in 1982, another scientist, Lawrence Alexander Sidney Johnson, reclassified it. He moved it into a new group, or genus, called Allocasuarina. This is how it got its full scientific name, Allocasuarina distyla.
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