Swamp Oak. 



(Casuarina glauca, Sieb.) 



As the common name implies, this tree, which attains a considerable height, with a 

 corresponding diameter, occurs in the river swamps of the coast, and does not extend far inland. 

 The flitches have limited dimensions, but nevertheless of sufficient sizes to be utilised in many ways 

 in cabinet work, either in the solid or veneers. It is a particularly hard, close-grained wood, and the 

 medullary rays , being well pronounced, show a ' ' flower ' ' when cut on the quarter ; but what gives an 

 additional value to the figure is the dark, almost black duramen or heartwood, which is peculiar 

 to this species amongst " She Oaks." It takes a good polish, but is rather difficult to dress by 

 hand, but this slight defect does not obtain when machine prepared. When one sees how 

 the English Oak was used so extensively in the past, and even now, for furniture, this timber 

 could certainly be used for some of the purposes to which that noble timber has been utilised. It 

 should make, in the solid, beautiful hall stools, benches, tables, dining chairs ; and in veneer, 

 many are the directions in which it could be used, as well as for coachbuilding in various ways. 

 Such a wood certainly deserves more appreciation in the directions here particularised than has 

 been bestowed upon it in the past, but is only used at present for firewood. 



Description of the Tree. A very fair-sized tree found growing in water-courses or 

 banks of the streams that flow east in the coastal district, but always near salt water. 

 The bark is very compact and hard, and fairly rough. Branchlets slender and wiry, 

 drooping. The leaves are very slender and adnate to the branchlets on one side, the 

 upper free end being called teeth or scales. These leaves vary in number and length, 

 according to the species, and give the branchlets a ribbed appearance ; in this case the 

 number varying from nine to sixteen. Flowers unisexual, the males in cylindrical spikes, 

 i to i inch long, the females in globular or ovoid spikes or cones, both sexes sessile and 

 solitary in the axils of the whorled leaf tips. Fruit a short cylindrical compact cone, 

 flat topped, about inch in diameter, made up of numerous whorls of woody bracts. 

 Seed compressed laterally, smooth and shining, produced at the apex in to a membraneous 

 wing. 



Geographical Range. Coastal districts of South Australia, Victoria, New South 

 Wales, and Queensland. 



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