Young persistent branchlets usually but not always distinguished from the deciduous branchlets; furrows deep, concealing the stomates as in Casuarina. Teeth 4–14(-17) per whorl.
Male flowers in simple shortish to long spikes, which in the flowering region are usually distinctly different from the vegetative branchlets. Female inflorescences as in Casuarina.
Cones often pubescent at least when young, sessile or pedunculate; bracts thin in the exposed portion; bracteoles considerably thickened and [often] divided so that the dorsal portion forms one or more distinct protuberances. Body of mature samara brown to black, shining, glabrous [or hairy].
Usually grows on soils markedly deficient in nutrients.
See notes under family description about the differences between fresh and dried material, especially when using the key. Polyploidy occurs in some species (tetraploids are fertile). Hybridization occurs occasionally. Several species include apomictic plants.
| | Key to the species | |
| KEY TO MALE SPECIMENS | |
| 1 | Article ridges with a minutely roughened surface; male bracteoles not persistent. | 2 |
| Ridges smooth; male bracteoles persistent except in A. gymnanthera. | 4 |
| 2 | Articles coarse, (8 mm long, (0.7 mm diam.; furrows pubescent; teeth 9–13; anthers (1.0 mm long; bark furrowed. | 3 |
| Articles slender, <8 mm long, <0.7 mm diam.; furrows glabrous; teeth 7–9; anthers 0.5–0.8 mm long; bark very ribbony-fibrous. Male spikes 2–4 cm long; 7–14 whorls per cm.
Back to 1 | Allocasuarina inophloia |
| 3 | Teeth erect; ridges flat or slightly rounded-convex; male bracteoles shed individually; branchlets ascending. Male spikes 1.5–4.5 cm long; 5–8 whorls per cm; anthers 1.0–1.3 mm long. | Allocasuarina luehmannii |
| Teeth spreading; ridges rounded-convex (often only slightly so); male bracteoles often falling as a unit with the 1 or 2 male tepals; branchlets drooping. Male spikes 3–12 cm long, 2.5–4 whorls per cm; anthers 1.2–2.5 mm long.
Back to 2 | Allocasuarina verticillata |
| 4 | Ridges with median groove along whole length. | 5 |
| Ridges without median groove or groove present only near base of article (in A. brachystachya).
Back to 1 | 6 |
| 5 | Anthers 0.7–1.1 mm long; teeth (0.5 mm long, 6–8; articles (5 mm long, (0.7 mm diam.; dioecious or monoecious. Male spikes not moniliform, 1–2.5 cm long; 7–9 whorls per cm. | Allocasuarina paludosa |
| Anthers 0.3–0.6 mm long; teeth (0.5 mm long, 5–7; articles (5 mm long, (0.7 mm diam.; monoecious usually. Male spikes occasionally moniliform, 0.5–1.7 cm long; 9–16 whorls per cm.
Back to 4 | Allocasuarina brachystachya |
| 6 | Furrows pubescent (pubescent and glabrous furrows sometimes mixed in A. simulans). | 7 |
| Furrows glabrous.
Back to 4 | 13 |
| 7 | Male bracteoles not persistent; male spikes moniliform, 2.5–6 cm long; 3–5 whorls per cm. | Allocasuarina gymnanthera |
| Male bracteoles persistent; male spikes not or occasionally moniliform, other details vary.
Back to 6 | 8 |
| 8 | Tree 5–20 m high; bark corky or furrowed. | 9 |
| Shrub 0.5–3 m high; bark smooth or slightly fissured.
Back to 6 | 10 |
| 9 | Teeth 4 or 5. Male spikes 0.5–3 cm long; 7–12 whorls per cm; anthers 0.5–0.6 mm long. | Allocasuarina torulosa |
| Teeth 6–8. Male spikes 0.5–5 cm long; 6–12.5 whorls per cm; anthers 0.4–0.8 mm long.
Back to 8 | Allocasuarina littoralis |
| 10 | Ridges flat or slightly rounded-convex; anthers <0.7 mm long; male spikes 0.7–1.7 cm long; >8 male whorls per cm, dioecious or monoecious. | 11 |
| Ridges angular to strongly rounded-convex; anthers 0.8–1.3 mm long; male spikes 1.5–9 cm long; <7 male whorls per cm; dioecious.
Back to 9 | 12 |
| 11 | Dioecious usually; articles 5–6 mm long, often with a waxy bloom; ridges without median groove. Male spikes 5–10 cm long; 16–20 whorls per cm. | Allocasuarina nana |
| Monoecious usually; articles 2–5 mm long, not waxy; ridges often with median groove near base of article. Male spikes occasionally moniliform.
Back to 10 | Allocasuarina brachystachya |
| 12 | Articles pale yellow-green; ridges rounded-convex to angular; usually parts more slender than in A. distyla. Male spikes 1.5–4 cm long; c. 4 whorls per cm. | Allocasuarina simulans |
| Articles darker blue-green; ridges angular to rounded- convex. Male spikes occasionally moniliform, 1.5–5 (rarely to 9) cm long; 4.5–6.5 whorls per cm.
Back to 10 | Allocasuarina distyla |
| 13 | Ridges and teeth flat to slightly rounded-convex at least near their apex (may be more convex towards base); articles of same diam. throughout their length; male spikes moniliform usually (but see A. brachystachya). | 14 |
| Ridges angular to strongly rounded-convex, with rib or convexity continued onto teeth; articles mostly of greater diam. near their apex; male spikes moniliform or not.
Back to 12 | 18 |
| 14 | Teeth overlapping. | 15 |
| Teeth not overlapping.
Back to 8 | 17 |
| 15 | Male bracteoles shed; male spikes >2.5 cm long; anthers 0.8–1.4 mm long. | Allocasuarina gymnanthera |
| Male bracteoles persistent; male spikes <2.5 cm long; anthers 0.7–0.9 mm long.
Back to 14 | 16 |
| 16 | Articles blue-green, 6–8 mm long; spikes 0.4–1 cm long. | Allocasuarina defungens |
| Articles yellow-green, 5–11 mm long; spikes 0.2–2.5 cm long.
Back to 15 | Allocasuarina glareicola |
| 17 | Anthers 0.3–0.6 mm long; 9–16 male whorls per cm; articles ≤ 5 mm long. Male spikes occasionally moniliform. | Allocasuarina brachystachya |
| Anthers 0.7–0.8 mm long; c. 5 male whorls per cm; articles ≥ 5 mm long.
Back to 16 | Allocasuarina glareicola |
| 18 | Teeth withering, recurved to spreading, very broad- triangular; articles 10–25 mm long. Male spikes 1–10 cm long; 3.5–6.5 whorls per cm; anthers 0.7–1.2 mm long. | 19 |
| Teeth not withering, erect to slightly spreading (if spreading then narrow-triangular); articles 5–12 mm long.
Back to 16 | 20 |
| 19 | Articles 0.7–1.5 mm diam., ridges angular to rounded-convex; male spikes rarely moniliform; widespread northern species. | Allocasuarina rigida |
| Articles 0.8–1.0 mm diam., ridges rounded-convex to somewhat angular; male spikes moniliform; rare species confined to Sydney Harbour N.P.
Back to 14 | Allocasuarina portuensis |
| 20 | Teeth overlapping. | 21 |
| Teeth not overlapping.
Back to 19 | 22 |
| 21 | Teeth very broad-triangular, very convex-sided; articles not waxy. Male spikes 1–2.5 cm long; 7.5–8 whorls per cm; anthers 0.7–0.8 mm long. | Allocasuarina rupicola |
| Teeth broad- to narrow-triangular, ± straight-sided; articles often with a waxy bloom. Male spikes 0.5–5 cm long; 5–10 whorls per cm.
Back to 19 | Allocasuarina diminuta |
| 22 | Articles of same diam. throughout their length, not waxy; male spikes moniliform. | Allocasuarina glareicola |
| Articles of slightly greater diam. at apex than towards base, often with a waxy bloom; male spikes usually not moniliform.
Back to 21 | 23 |
| 23 | Anthers 0.8–1.2 mm long; teeth narrow-triangular. Male spikes 1–2.5 cm long; c. 6 whorls per cm. | Allocasuarina ophiolitica |
| Anthers 0.5–0.8 mm long; teeth broad- to narrow-triangular. Male spikes 0.5–5 cm long; 5–10 whorls per cm.
Back to 21 | Allocasuarina diminuta |
| KEY TO FEMALE SPECIMENS | |
| 1 | Article ridges with a minutely roughened surface; dioecious.. | 2 |
| Ridges smooth or rarely minutely pubescent; dioecious or monoecious. | 4 |
| 2 | Articles coarse, 8–40 mm long, 0.7–2.0 mm diam.; furrows pubescent; teeth 9–14, usually withering, 0.5–1.2 mm long; branchlets to 40 cm long; cone bracteoles with 1 protuberance; bark fissured. | 3 |
| Articles slender, 4–7 mm long, 0.5–0.6 mm diam.; furrows glabrous; teeth 7–9, not withering, 0.3–0.5 mm long; branchlets to 21 cm long; cone bracteoles usually with 2 or 3 protuberances; bark very ribbony-fibrous.
Back to 1 | Allocasuarina inophloia |
| 3 | Teeth erect, slightly overlapping; ridges flat or slightly rounded-convex; branchlets ascending; cone diam. (8–14 mm) greater than length (5–12 mm); samara 4.5–5.0 mm long, red-brown. | Allocasuarina luehmannii |
| Teeth spreading, not overlapping; ridges rounded-convex (often only slightly so); branchlets drooping; cone length (20–50 mm) greater than diam. (17–30 mm); samara 7.0–12.0 mm long, very dark brown.
Back to 2 | Allocasuarina verticillata |
| 4 | Cones warty or tessellated, with cone bracteoles divided into 3–12 small pyramidal bodies. | 5 |
| Cone bracteoles with a single pyramidal dorsal protuberance (usually shorter than the bracteole body).
Back to 1 | 6 |
| 5 | Cones recurved to spreading, on slender peduncle 8–30 mm long; slender tree 5–20 m high with drooping branchlets and corky bark; samara 7.0–10.0 mm long, mid- to dark brown. | Allocasuarina torulosa |
| Cones erect, peduncle 0–3 mm long; low spreading shrub 0.5–2 m high with stiff ascending or spreading branchlets and smooth or finely fissured bark; samara 4.0–6.0 mm long, very dark red-brown to black.
Back to 4 | Allocasuarina nana |
| 6 | Ridges with median groove along whole length. | 7 |
| Ridges without median groove or with groove present near base of article (in A. brachystachya).
Back to 4 | 8 |
| 7 | Teeth 0.5–0.9 mm long, 6–8; articles 5–14 mm long, 0.7–1.0 mm diam.; cone body 7–13 mm diam.; dioecious or monoecious. | Allocasuarina paludosa |
| Teeth 0.2–0.5 mm long, 5–7; articles 2–5 mm long, 0.4–0.7 mm diam.; cone body 5–8 mm diam.; monoecious usually.
Back to 6 | Allocasuarina brachystachya |
| 8 | Furrows pubescent (pubescent and glabrous sometimes mixed on same individual in A. simulans). | 9 |
| Furrows glabrous; branchlets ascending.
Back to 6 | 14 |
| 9 | Shrubs or rarely small trees, 0.5–5 m high; bark smooth or somewhat fissured towards base of big individuals; branchlets ascending. | 10 |
| Tree 5–15 m high; bark fissured; branchlets ascending or drooping.
Back to 8 | Allocasuarina littoralis |
| 10 | Ridges and teeth flat to slightly rounded-convex at least near apex of article (may be more convex towards base). | 11 |
| Ridges angular to strongly rounded-convex, with ridge or convexity continued onto basal half of teeth
Back to 9 | 12 |
| 11 | Cone body 7–14 mm long, 5–8 mm diam.; teeth not overlapping; monoecious usually; samara 2.5–4.0 mm long, dark brown to black. | Allocasuarina brachystachya |
| Cone body 14–40 mm long, 9–12 mm diam.; teeth usually overlapping at least when young; dioecious; samara 4.5–7.0 mm long, very dark brown to black.
Back to 10 | Allocasuarina gymnanthera |
| 12 | Branchlet articles 3–10 mm long, 0.5–0.9 mm diameter (at mid-length); teeth thin-textured, not overlapping, 0.3–0.7 mm long; cone body 12–25 mm long | Allocasuarina thalassoscopica |
| Branchlet articles (10-)15–22 mm long, 0.8–1.5 mm diameter (at mid-length); teeth thick-textured,slightly overlapping at base at least when young, 0.5–1.2 mm long; cone body (15-)30–50 mm long
Back to 10 | 13 |
| 13 | Cones slender, 9–12 mm diam., on slender peduncle c. 2 mm diam.; articles pale yellow-green | Allocasuarina simulans |
| Cones large, 11–22 mm diam., on stout peduncle 2–4 mm diam.; articles darker blue-green
Back to 12 | Allocasuarina distyla |
| 14 | Ridges flat to slightly rounded-convex at least near apex of article (may be more convex towards base) | 15 |
| Ridges angular to strongly rounded-convex, with rib or convexity continued onto teeth
Back to 8 | 19 |
| 15 | Cone body 14–40 mm long, 9–12 mm in diameter | Allocasuarina gymnanthera |
| Cone body 7–14 mm long, 5–8 mm in diameter
Back to 14 | 16 |
| 16 | Teeth overlapping | 17 |
| Teeth not overlapping
Back to 15 | 18 |
| 17 | Mature samaras dark brown; cone body 5–7 mm in diameter | Allocasuarina defungens |
| Mature samaras mid-brown; cone body 7–8 mm in diameter
Back to 16 | Allocasuarina glareicola |
| 18 | Articles 2–5 mm long; mature samaras dark brown to black | Allocasuarina brachystachya |
| Articles 5–11 mm long; mature samaras mid-brown
Back to 16 | Allocasuarina glareicola |
| 19 | Teeth withering, recurved to spreading, very broad-triangular | 20 |
| Teeth not withering, erect to slightly spreading, or if spreading then narrow-triangular
Back to 14 | 21 |
| 20 | Articles 0.7–1.0 mm diam., ridges angular to rounded-convex; widespread northern species | Allocasuarina rigida |
| Articles 0.8–1.0 mm diam., ridges rounded-convex to somewhat angular; rare species, confined to Sydney Harbour N.P
Back to 19 | Allocasuarina portuensis |
| 21 | Teeth overlapping | 22 |
| Teeth not overlapping
Back to 19 | 23 |
| 22 | Teeth very broad-triangular, very convex-sided; articles not waxy | Allocasuarina rupicola |
| Teeth broad- to narrow-triangular, more or less straight-sided; articles often with a waxy bloom
Back to 21 | Allocasuarina diminuta |
| 23 | Articles of same diameter throughout length, not waxy | Allocasuarina glareicola |
| Articles of slightly greater diameter near their apex, often with a waxy bloom
Back to 21 | 24 |
| 24 | Teeth narrow-triangular; mature samaras mid-brown; cones on peduncles 6–15 mm long; teeth 7–9, 0.5–1.3 mm long | Allocasuarina ophiolitica |
| Teeth broad- to narrow-triangular; mature samaras dark brown; cones on peduncles 2–10 mm long; teeth 6–10, 0.3–0.8 mm long
Back to 23 | Allocasuarina diminuta |
