Species: Casuarina equisetifolia
English Name: Horsetail Tree
Chinese Name: 木麻黃
Family: Casuarinaceae
Description:
Trees monoecious, to 35 m tall, not suckering from roots. Trunk straight, to 70 cm d.b.h.; crown conical; bark scaly, adaxially red-brown on old trees. Ultimate branchlets usually pendu-
lous, grayish green, 10-27 cm × 0.8-0.9 mm; articles (2.5-)4-9 mm. Leaves erect and appressed to branchlets, (6 or)7(or 8) per whorl, lanceolate or triangular, 1-3 mm. Male inflorescences 1-4 cm. Cones ellipsoid, 1.2-2.5 cm, grayish green or yellowish brown tomentose when young, glabrous at maturity, base and apex truncate to obtuse; apex of bracteoles slightly obtuse or acute. Samaras 5-8 mm including wing. Fl. Apr-May, fr. Jul-Oct. 2n = 18, 20*.
Photos used under a Creative Commons license
References:
– Wu ZY, Raven PH, Hong DY (eds) (1994). Flora of China, Volume 4: UCycadaceae through Fagaceae. Science Press, Beijing, and Missouri Bot Garden Press, St. Louis