Allocasuarina litoralis
Plant Number: 9
Common Name: Black Wattle
Scientific Name: Allocasuarina litoralis
Derivation of name
Allocasuarina – Greek 'allos' meaning 'other' and 'Casuarina', the closely related genus from which Allocasuarina were split in 1982 which was named after the cassowary, Casuarius casuarius, in allusion to the resemblance of the foliage to the cassowary's plume.
littoralis – of or belonging to the seashore
Description
- Tree to six metres
- Dark green twig like needles, easily broken at joints
- True leaves are small, pale triangles at the joints which don't photosynthesise
- Male and female flowers on separate trees (dioecious)
- Male – masses of rusty brown flower spikes at end of needles from June-August
- Female – bright red flowers; no petals from April-October; dark woody cones
Human uses
Indigenous Australians used the gum (exudate) mixed with warm water to form a jelly to eat.
Acknowledgment: Mangroves to Mountains, Etymonline