Casuarina equisetifolia L. 木麻黃
Introduction
Family Name: Casuarinaceae
Common Name: coastal she-oak, 短枝木麻黃，木賊葉木麻黃，麻黃
Native Distribution: Southeast Asia to Australia and the Pacific Islands
Native Habitat: Terrestrial (Coastal Forest), Shoreline (Backshore, Sandy Beach)
Preferred Climate Zone: Tropical, Sub-Tropical / Monsoonal
Often used in coastal windbreaks and street trees: resistant to drought, strong winds, and salt winds, it is currently the main coastal windbreak and sand-blocking tree species.
Morphology of the plant
Stem
The plant is a 20-35 meter tall tree with a 40-60 cm trunk diameter, characterized by its scaly bark and drooping branchlets.
Leaf
The true leaves are reduced to tiny scales held in whorls, surrounding grey-green needle-like twigs.
Root
Larger tree roots will form a plank shape.
Flower
Flowers are either dioecious (male and female flowers on separate plants) or monoecious. The male flowers are tiny, inconspicuous spikes borne on the ends of green twigs, while the female flowers are small brownish heads on the swollen ends of brownish twigs, forming a head-like inflorescence and are purplish-red in color.
Fruit
The fruits are flattened winged nuts in cone-like clusters that split open when ripe, relying on the wind for dispersal.
How does this plant adapt to an aquatic environment?
Casuarina equisetifolia L. adapts to aquatic and coastal environments through salt tolerance, an extensive and deep root system, wind-dispersed fruits for colonization, and structural adaptations like drooping branchlets and reduced leaf surface area to minimize water loss and withstand high winds and salt spray.
Allelopathy
Casuarina equisetifolia L. exhibits allelopathy, a biological phenomenon where the plant releases chemicals into the environment that inhibit the growth of nearby vegetation.
