Allocasuarina huegeliana, commonly known as rock sheoak[3] is a species of flowering plant in the family Casuarinaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a dioecious tree that has its leaves reduced to scales in whorls of eight to ten, the mature fruiting cones 14–35 mm (0.55–1.38 in) long containing winged seeds (samaras) 5–7 mm (0.20–0.28 in) long.
Description
Allocasuarina huegeliana is a dioecious tree that typically grows to a height of 4–10 m (13–33 ft) and has dark, fissured bark. Its needle-like branchlets are up to 400 mm (16 in) long, the leaves reduced to scale-like teeth 0.5–0.7 mm (0.020–0.028 in) long, arranged in whorls of eight to ten around the branchlets. The sections of branchlet between the leaf whorls (the "articles") are mostly 8–13 mm (0.31–0.51 in) long and 0.8–0.9 mm (0.031–0.035 in) wide. Male flowers are arranged in spikes 20–100 mm (0.79–3.94 in) long, in whorls of 4.5 to seven per centimetre (per 0.39 in.), the anthers 0.8–1.2 mm (0.031–0.047 in) long. Female cones are borne on a peduncle 3–5 mm (0.12–0.20 in) long. Flowering occurs from May to December or January, and the mature cones are 14–35 mm (0.55–1.38 in) long and 10–14 mm (0.39–0.55 in) in diameter containing dark brown to black samaras 5–7 mm (0.20–0.28 in) long. This species is similar to A. verticillata.[3][4][5]
A. huegeliana is a moderate to fast growing tree that is nitrogen fixing. It can be grown as a windbreak. The species thrives in well-drained soils but will do poorly in saline or poorly drained areas. The attractive and dense wood from the tree is used to make specialty furniture while the foliage is used by grazing stock as fodder. The species is drought and frost tolerant but will be killed by fire. Trees can live up an age of over 15 years.[10]
^"Allocasuarina huegeliana". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
^"Allocasuarina verticillata". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
^Sharr, Francis Aubi; George, Alex (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (3rd ed.). Kardinya, WA: Four Gables Press. p. 219. ISBN9780958034180.