Allocasuarina muelleriana explained

Allocasuarina muelleriana, commonly known as slaty sheoak,^[1] is a species of flowering plant in the family Casuarinaceae and is endemic to southern continental Australia. It is a dioecious, rarely a monoecious shrub that has branchlets up to long, the leaves reduced to scales in whorls of five to eight, the fruiting cones long containing winged seeds long.

Description

Allocasuarina muelleriana is dioecious, rarely a monoecious shrub that typically grows to a height of high and has smooth bark. Its branchlets are more or less erect and up to long, the leaves reduced to scale-like teeth long, arranged in whorls of five to eight around the branchlets. The sections of branchlet between the leaf whorls are long, wide and are often waxy. Male flowers are arranged in spikes long and often appear like string of beads, the anthers long. Female cones are cylindrical, sessile or on a peduncle up to long. Mature cones are cylindrical long and in diameter, containing black, winged seeds long.^{[2] [3]}

Taxonomy

Slaty sheoak was first formally described in 1856 by Friedrich Anton Wilhelm Miquel who gave it the name Casuarina muelleriana in the journal, Nederlandsch Kruidkundig Archief from specimens collected in the Mount Lofty Ranges by Ferdinand von Mueller.^{[4] [5]} In 1982, Johnson transferred the species to Allocasuarina as A. muelleriana in the Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens.^{[6] [7]}

Johnson described three subspecies of A. muelleriana in the Flora of Australia and the names are accepted by the Australian Plant Census:

• Allocasuarina muelleriana subsp. alticola L.A.S.Johnson^[8] has the sections of branchlet between the leaf whorls long and wide, the mature cones sessile or on a peduncle up to long.^[9]
• Allocasuarina muelleriana (Miq.)L.A.S.Johnson subsp. muelleriana L.A.S.Johnson^[10] has the sections of branchlet between the leaf whorls long and wide, the mature cones usually on a peduncle long.^[11]
• Allocasuarina muelleriana subsp. notocolpica L.A.S.Johnson^[12] has the sections of branchlet between the leaf whorls long and wide, the mature cones on a stout peduncle long.^[13]

Distribution and habitat

Allocasuarina monilifera grows in heath and scrub. Subspecies muelleriana occurs from Ceduna and the Flinders Ranges, including Kangaroo Island in South Australia to Bendigo in Victoria. Subspecies alticola is found in the north-eastern part of the species' range from the Freeling Heights to Wilpena Pound and subsp. notocolpica is restricted to Kangaroo Island.

External links

• Occurrence data for Allocasuarina muelleriana from The Australasian Virtual Herbarium

Notes and References

1. Web site: Allocasuarina muelleriana . Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra . 26 June 2023.
2. Web site: Allocasuarina muelleriana . State Herbarium of South Australia . 26 June 2023.
3. Web site: Entwisle . Timothy . Stajsic . Val . Allocasuarina muelleriana subsp. muelleriana . Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria . 26 June 2023.
4. Web site: Casuarina muelleriana. APNI. 26 June 2023.
5. Miquel . Friedrich A.W. . Stirpes Novo-Hollandas a Ferd Mullero collectas determinavit. . Nederlandsch Kruidkundig Archief . 1856 . 4 . 1 . 99–100 . 26 June 2023.
6. Web site: Allocasuarina muelleriana. APNI. 26 June 2023.
7. Johnson . Lawrence A.S. . Notes on Casuarinaceae II. . Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens . 1982 . 6 . 1 . 77 . 26 June 2023.
8. Web site: Allocasuarina muelleriana subsp. alticola. Australian Plant Census. 26 June 2023.
9. Web site: Allocasuarina muelleriana subsp. alticola . Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra . 26 June 2023.
10. Web site: Allocasuarina muelleriana subsp. muelleriana. Australian Plant Census. 26 June 2023.
11. Web site: Allocasuarina muelleriana subsp. muelleriana . Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra . 26 June 2023.
12. Web site: Allocasuarina muelleriana subsp. notocolpica. Australian Plant Census. 26 June 2023.
13. Web site: Allocasuarina muelleriana subsp. notocolpica . Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra . 26 June 2023.