Austral English Part 183
River-O.-- Callistemon salignus, De C., N.O. Myrtaceae; Casuarina cunninghamii, Miq.; C. distyla, Vent.; C. stricta, Ait.; C. torulosa, Ait.
Scrub Silky-O.-- Villaresia moorei, F. v. M., N.O. Olacineae.
Called also Maple.
She-Oak:--
Coast S.-O.-- Casuarina stricta,
Desert S.-0.-- C. glauca, Sieb.
Erect S.-O.-- C. suberosa, Otto and Diet.
River S.-O.-- C. glauca, Sieb.
Scrub S.-O.-- C. cunninghamii, Miq.
Stunted S.-O.-- C. distyla, Vent.
Shingle-O.-- Casuarina stricta, Ait.; C. suberosa, Otto and Diet.
Silky-O.-- Stenocarpus salignus, R. Br., N.O. Proteaceae; called also Silvery-Oak. See also Grevillea and Silky-Oak.
Swamp-O.-- Casuarina equisetifolia, Forst.; C. glauca, Sieb.; C. suberosa, Otto and Diet.; C. stricta, Ait.; called also Salt.w.a.ter Swamp-Oak.
White-O.-- Lagunaria patersoni, G. Don., N.O. Malvaceae.
Botany-Bay Oak, or Botany-Oak, is the name given in the timber trade to the Casuarina.
The `Melbourne Museum Catalogue of Economic Woods' (1894) cla.s.ses the She-Oak in four divisions--
Desert She-Oak-- Casuarina glauca, Sieb.
Drooping S.-O.-- C. quadrivalvis, Labill.
Shrubby S.-O.-- C. distyla, Vent.
Straight S.-O.-- C. suberosa, Otto.
1770. Captain Cook, `Journal,' Sunday, May 6 (edition Wharton, 1893, pp. 247, 248):
"The great quant.i.ty of plants Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander found in this place occasioned my giving it the name of Botany Bay... . Although wood is here in great plenty, yet there is very little Variety; ... Another sort that grows tall and Strait something like Pines--the wood of this is hard and Ponderous, and something of the Nature of America live Oak."
1770. R. Pickersgill, `Journal on the Endeavour' (in `Historical Records of New South Wales'), p. 215:
"May 5, 1770.--We saw a wood which has a grain like Oak, and would be very durable if used for building; the leaves are like a pine leaf."
1802. Jas. Flemming, `Journal of Explorations of Charles Grimes,' in `Historical Records of Port Phillip' (edition 1879, J. J. Shillinglaw), p. 22:
"The land is a light, black-sand pasture, thin of timber, consisting of gum, oak, Banksia, and thorn."
[This combination of timbers occurs several times in the `Journal.' It is impossible to decide what Mr. Flemming meant by Oak.]
1839. T. L. Mitch.e.l.l, `Three Expeditions,' vol. i. p. 38:
"We found lofty blue-gum trees (Eucalyptus) growing on the flats near the Peel, whose immediate banks were overhung by the dense, umbrageous foliage of the casuarina, or `river-oak'
of the colonists."
1845. J. O. Balfour, `Sketch of New South Wales,' p. 38:
"The river-oak grows on the banks and rivers, and having thick foliage, forms a pleasant and useful shade for cattle during the heat of the day; it is very hard and will not split. The timber resembles in its grain the English oak, and is the only wood in the colony well adapted for making felloes of wheels, yokes for oxen, and staves for casks."
1846. C. Holtzapffel, `Turning,' p. 75:
"Botany-Bay Oak, sometimes called Beef-wood, is from New South Wales... . In general colour it resembles a full red mahogany, with darker red veins."
1860. G. Bennett, `Gatherings of a Naturalist,' p. 323:
"The Casuarina trees, with their leafless, thin, thread-like, articulated branches, have been compared to the arborescent horse-tails (Equisetaceae), but have a much greater resemblance to the Larch-firs; they have the colonial name of Oaks, which might be changed more appropriately to that of Australian firs. The dark, mournful appearance of this tree caused it to be planted in cemeteries. The flowers are unis.e.xual; the fruit consists of hardened bracts with winged seeds. The wood of this tree is named Beef-wood by the colonists."
1862. H. C. Kendall, `Poems,' p. 56:
"The wail in the native oak."
1878. W. R. Guilfoyle, `First Book of Australian Botany,'
p. 54:
"It may here be remarked that the term `oak' has been very inaptly--in fact ridiculously--applied by the early Australian settlers; notably in the case of the various species of Casuarina, which are commonly called `she-oaks."
1880. Fison and Howitt, `Kamilaroi and Kurnai,' p. 252:
"They chose a tall He-oak, lopped it to a point."
1885. J. Hood, `Land of the Fern,' p. 53:
"The sighing of the native oak, Which the light wind whispered through."
1892. A. Sutherland, `Elementary Geography of British Colonies,' p. 27:
"A peculiar cla.s.s of trees, called by the scientific name of Casuarina, is popularly known as oaks, `swamp-oaks,'
`forest-oaks,' `she-oaks,' and so forth, although the trees are not the least like oaks. They are melancholy looking trees, with no proper leaves, but only green rods, like those of a pine-tree, except that they are much longer, and hang like the branches of a weeping-willow."
tree.
1862. G. T. Lloyd, `Thirty-three Years in Tasmania and Victoria,' p. 32:
"The small apple of this tree (she-oak) is also dark green ...
both apple and leaf are as acid as the purest vinegar.