Allocasuarina torulosa

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Rosids
Cladus: Eurosids I
Ordo: Fagales

Familia: Casuarinaceae
Genus: Allocasuarina
Species: Allocasuarina tortiramula
Name

Allocasuarina tortiramula E.M.Benn.

Allocasuarina tortiramula, commonly known as the twisted sheoak, is a shrub of the genus Allocasuarina native to a small area in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia.[1]

Typical Size

The shrub typically grows to a height of 1.7 metres (6 ft).
Habitat

It is found in loam soils over granite.
References

"Allocasuarina tortiramula". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.

Allocasuarina torulosa, the rose she-oak or forest oak, is a tree which grows in sub-rainforest (just outside the main forest area) of Queensland and New South Wales, Australia.[3] There, it is typically found on coastal footslopes, hills, and plains.[4] Originally described as Casuarina torulosa by William Aiton, it was moved to its current genus in 1982 by Australian botanist Lawrie Johnson.[5] It is the type species of the genus Allocasuarina.

A. torulosa is an evergreen tree that typically reaches 12-18 metres (40-60 feet) tall and 4.5-7.5 metres (15-25 feet) wide.[3] It appears to have needle-like leaves, but these are actually twigs; the real leaves are actually in the joint of the needles and appear in whorls of four.[6] These needles have a weeping, pendulous appearance, and turn reddish-brown in the winter.[7] The tree produces warty cones 15-33 millimeters long and 15-15 millimeters in diameter.[8] Its bark is thick and corky.[9]

The timber is reddish pink to brown.[10] It is prized by woodworkers and woodturners as a rare and exotic timber, often used in wood turnings, knife handles and other specialist items.[9] The rose she-oak has the largest contraction along the grain (12%) of any Australian wood and needs to be dried carefully to get full value as a useful timber.[11]

It grows from seed,[12] and cut or broken trees will often regenerate from the trunk.

This is a low-maintenance tree that will grow in a variety of soils and tolerate light frosts.[12] In the US, it is suitable for USDA hardiness zones 8–11. It may be susceptible to Armillaria and Phytophthora.[13]

The seeds have been found to be a food source for the Yellow-tailed black cockatoo.[4]
Foliage and fruits
References

IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group.; Botanic Gardens Conservation International; et al. (BGCI) (2020). "Allocasuarina torulosa". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T177363617A177375942. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T177363617A177375942.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
"The Plant List". Retrieved 26 April 2021.
"Allocasuarina torulosa, Forest Oak, Tree, [Casuarina torulosa]". www.smgrowers.com. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
"Allocasuarina torulosa". plantselector.botanicgardens.sa.gov.au. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
"Allocasuarina torulosa". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
F.A.Zich; B.P.M.Hyland; T.Whiffen; R.A.Kerrigan (2020). "Allocasuarina torulosa". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants Edition 8 (RFK8). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), Australian Government. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
"Allocasuarina torulosa - Rose She-oak TUBESTOCK". The Native Shop. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
"PlantNET - FloraOnline". PlantNET (The NSW Plant Information Network System). Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Sydney. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
"Allocasuarina torulosa Forest Sheoak Tree -". www.daleysfruit.com.au. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
"Rose sheoak | The Wood Database - Lumber Identification (Hardwood)". Retrieved 26 April 2021.
"She-Oaks in a Rural Landscape" (PDF). Glossy Black Conservancy. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 February 2019. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
Stewart, Angus. "Allocasuarina torulosa -- Forest she-oak". Gardening with Angus. Archived from the original on 21 September 2020. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
"UFEI - SelecTree: A Tree Selection Guide". selectree.calpoly.edu. Retrieved 26 April 2021.