Native to Assam, Bangladesh, Borneo, Cambodia, Caroline Is., Fiji, India, Jawa, Lesser Sunda Is., Malaya, Marianas, Marshall Is., Myanmar, New Caledonia, New Guinea, New South Wales, Northern Territory, Philippines, Queensland, Samoa, Solomon Is., South China Sea, Sulawesi, Sumatera, Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Vietnam; introduced into 65 botanical countries across Europe, Africa, Temperate Asia, Tropical Asia, Pacific, Northern America, and Southern America (source: POWO). Flora of the World documents 5 occurrences across 4 countries.
As seen in 4 occurrences, in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa; Analamanga and Diana, Madagascar; and Hawaii, United States (plus 1 in botanic gardens): Trees were observed in low scrub, open fields, and open grassy landscapes in Analamanga, and leaning over sandy beaches or beside rocky ground in Hawaii. Foliage consists of slender, needle-like green jointed branchlets with leaves reduced to whorled scales or teeth at the nodes. Terminal cylindrical male spikes were recorded in KwaZulu-Natal, Diana, and Hawaii, while dense rounded female inflorescences bearing protruding thread-like styles were documented in Hawaii. Woody, cone-like infructescences composed of packed bracteoles were observed in Analamanga, Diana, and Hawaii, varying from green when immature to dry brown with open valves. Twigs and branches have rough, fibrous grey-brown bark in Analamanga and Hawaii.
Male inflorescences terminal, elongate, cylindrical brownish spikes densely covered in whorls of flowers.
Location
Madagascar, Analamanga (Anjozorobe)
-18.398889, 47.937222
Location Remarks
East of Anjozorobe. Near village of Antsahabe. Humid forest. Specimens preserved in alcohol.
Collectors
No collectors specified
Location
Bolivia, La Paz, Franz Tamayo (Durban Botanic Gardens)
36.728611, 2.194444
Location Remarks
70 St. Thomas Road, Durban
Collectors
No collectors specified
Location
South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal (Hibiscus Coast NU)
-31.006667, 30.177222
Location Remarks
Umtamvuna Nature Reserve, west of Port Edward. Rock outcrop in grassland along the south rim of the gorge.
Collectors
No collectors specified
Location
United States, Hawaii
Location Remarks
W Maui DT Fleming St Beach Park
Collectors
No collectors specified
Location
Madagascar, Diana, Antsiranana (Ambatozavavy)
-13.413056, 48.335556
Location Remarks
Nosy Be, SE corner of island in Lokobe Forest. Along sandy beach. Specimens preserved in alcohol.
Collectors
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fagales
Family
Casuarinaceae
Genus
Casuarina
Specific Epithet
equisetifolia
Authorship
L.
What is EDGE?
Evolutionary distinctiveness
Lower
ED 3.1
Part of a well-represented branch of the plant tree of life, with many close relatives.
Threat status
IUCN Red List
EDGE score
0.2
Global rank
#221,724 of 335,497
Top 67%
Extinction probability
6%