Casuarina
9.9
A tree or shrub with thin, feathery leaves often found near coasts
- noun
- /ˌkæʒəˈriːnə/
- Specialized
:
casuarina
- The coastal landscape is characterized by tall casuarinas swaying gently in the breeze.
Examples
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Many parks in the area have planted casuarinas because they provide excellent shade.
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Three steps and the speckled sky, and the low moon tangled up in the casuarina tree.
Fiction book (1994) -
Birds often nest in the branches of casuarinas, making them a vital part of the local ecosystem.
Synonyms
9.9
A tree from Australia with thin jointed branches and needle-like leaves
is a genus of trees and shrubs naturalized in the southern US and West Indies
Compounds
Casuarina equisetifolia
- Specialized
9.9
A tropical tree with thin, needle-like leaves and hard reddish wood often planted near coasts
Surface Forms
Casuarina singular
Casuarinas plural
Etymology
Casuarina gets its name from the big bird cassowary because the tree's thin, jointed twigs look like the bird's stiff 'feathers'. So, thinking of a cassowary's feathers is an easy way to remember that Casuarina is a tree with feathery, pine-like branches.
