Dilip Walse Patil

Scientific Name : Casuarina equisetifolia L.

Category : Angiosperms

Status : Alive

Habit : A large and handsome tree with brown rough, fibrous bark peeling in vertical stripes, wood yellowish-pink to reddish-brown, very hard. Stem : Drooping branches, internodes short and furrowed. Leaves : In whorls of 6-8, scales-like. Inflorescence : Flowers monoecious; male flowers in terminal spikes usually numerous at the ends of the same branches on which the females are borne lower down. Flowers : Flowers are in whorls. Each male flower in the axil of a bract which with other bracts at the node form a sheath protecting the young flowers. There are 2 bracteoles and 2 small median hood-shaped perianth leaves of which rarely only the posterior is present. Stamen one, anther 2-celled, large. Female flowers are crowded at the ends of short lateral branches. Each stands singly in the axil of a bract with a pair of bracteoles, perianth 0. Ovary 1-celled composed of two carpels, ovules 2, parietal, ascending, style with 2 filiform stigmas. Fruit : Winged nut. The whole ripe female catkin resembles a small cone which is formed by the bracteoles becoming woody and form five valves enclosing the compressed nut like winged fruits. Flowering and Fruiting Time : August-November Significance : Wood is used for house pots, rafters, electric poles, mine props and masts of country craft. The bark is astringent and is useful in diarrhea and dysentery. A lotion of it is reported to be efficacious in beriberi. A decoction of the leaves is used in colic and powdered seeds are applied as plaster in headache.