Western sheoak (Allocasuarina fraseriana)
Description
In ideal conditions, Western Sheoak grows to a height of about 15 metres (49 ft). Where exposed to salty coastal breezes, however, it is usually somewhat smaller. It usually has a diameter of 0.5 to 1 metre (1.6 to 3.3 ft) at breast height.As with other Allocasuarina species, its "foliage" consists of slender green branchlets informally referred to as "needles" but more correctly termed cladodes. The cladodes are segmented, and the true leaves are tiny teeth encircling each joint. Male trees have small brown flower spikes at the end of branchlets. Flowering is prolific, giving male trees a rusty brown hue during flowering in late winter and early spring. Female trees bear small flowers on short branchlets of their own. Fertilised flowers develop egg-shaped cones from 1½ to 3½ centimetres in diameter.
Taxonomic tree
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Domain: Eukarya
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Kingdom: Plantae
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Phylum:
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Class: Magnoliopsida
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Order: Fagales
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Family: Casuarinaceae
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Genus: Allocasuarina
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