Allocasuarine

Allocasuarina littoralis . A botanical illustration of Edward Minchin , from Joseph Maiden , “The Flowering Plants and Ferns of New South Wales - Part 6,” 1897.

Known for long, segmented branches called cladodes , resembling pine needles, although in fact it is a flowering plant. The leaves themselves are reduced to small scales surrounding each joint of the branch. Fallen treasures form a dense, soft cover on the soil that prevents the growth of undergrowth.

Another characteristic feature is a prickly "bump" the size of an acorn, but the structure is more like a conifer cone.

Like legumes , the roots of this plant possess nodes containing symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria , together with high adaptability to droughts, allows allocasuarins to thrive on very poor soil and in semi-arid areas. Due to its ability to develop powerful root systems on poor or sandy soils, this species is often used to fix dunes or soil in erosion zones.

Allocazuarins are also used as an ornamental plant , although the dense cover of fallen "needles" can be a big nuisance.

They are worse than eucalyptus , withstand forest fires .

Fossils of closely related species were found in layers dating back to Gondwana .

Solid wood and good texture make allocasuarines popular for carpentry.

Allocazuarins are known as excellent firewood because they burn with a little ash.

According to the database of The Plant List , the genus includes 61 species ^[2] :