In Praise of Casuarinas

Names and misnomers

There are many interesting Australian woods that are not generally available commercially, and most casuarinas (sheoaks) fall into this category. ‘Sheoaks’ were once all lumped under the one generic name of casuarina, but have been recently split into three different genera. The ones that are familiar to many of us have now mostly become Allocasuarina (Allo means different).

Many books and reference sources have not yet caught up with the name changes, so I will use casuarinas as a lumping term, and Allocasuarina for the botanical name where I’m reasonably sure it is the currently accepted name. Incidentally, the name casuarina comes from the Latin name for cassowaries (Casuarius spp.) because the drooping foliage (photo 1) looks like the feathers of a cassowary.

The ‘acorns’ or ‘cones’ as they are often called, are actually woody fruits and a useful guide to species. Many look similar to the untrained eye, but some are strikingly different (photo 2)

Calling casuarinas ‘oaks’ is a misnomer, although they do actually belong to the same family (Fagaceae). The common name derives from the large medullary rays which reminded early colonists of ‘true’ oaks (Quercus spp.). These rays form very prominent lines on the cut ends .