Casuarina
Schachtelhalmblättrige casuarina ( Casuarina equisetifolia ), branches with inflorescences.
Casuarina ( Casuarina ) are a genus of the order of the book -like ( fagales ). Occasionally the German term casuarina is however also used for also belonging to the genera Allocasuarina Kasuarinengewächsen and Gymnostoma. This is mainly due to the fact that earlier all about 70 species of the family Kasuarinengewächse this genus have been assigned.
Description
Vegetative Description
The Kasuarien are growing trees, remember the branches of horsetails in forests or arid areas. Photosynthesis was mainly transferred to the shoot axis, the leaves are greatly reduced. The fine leaves are in whorls of five permanent stems to 20 leaves, they are easy to grow together, sitting and membranous. The leaf margins are smooth. Stipules absent.
Inflorescences and flowers
There are both hermaphrodite and unisexual flowers formed, there are monoecious ( monoecious ) and dioecious ( dioecious ) species. Pollination is accomplished by the wind. Are formed eared or kopfige inflorescences. Pure male inflorescences are simple, elongated ears, female inflorescences are on short side branches, whose appearance is different from the vegativen branches. The fruit bunches are conical.
Among the small flowers sit high and covers. A perianth of one to two scales is stunted in the male flowers to be found in the female flowers it is missing altogether. The Andrözeum is unbranched, but tends to divide. It consists exclusively of fertile stamens. The anthers are fixed to the base, they open via longitudinal slits. Two carpels are fused into a two-chambered ovary, with a pointed stylus and two scars. The carpel exist two adjacent ovules that are not covered by a seed coat and grow upright.
Fruit and seeds
The fruits are dry wing nuts that are fueled at the top. The fruits do not jump on the fruits of adjacent flowers combine to form a multiple fruit. The fruits of this part collecting fruit are not grown. The seeds contain no endosperm, the embryo is fully developed and unbent has two oily cotyledons.
Dissemination
The species of the genus are native to Australia and the islands north of it. Individual species can be found pantropisch today.
System
Selection of species:
- Casuarina cunninghamiana Miq.
- Schachtelhalmblättrige casuarina ( Casuarina equisetifolia L.)
- Casuarina glauca Spreng.
- Casuarina obesa Miq.
- Casuarina pauper L.A.S.Johnson