casuarina Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun any of various trees and shrubs of the genus Casuarina having jointed stems and whorls of scalelike leaves; some yield heavy hardwood

NL., supposed to be named from the resemblance of the twigs to the feathers of the cassowary, of the genus Casuarius.

(Bot.) A genus of leafles trees or shrubs, with drooping branchlets of a rushlike appearance, mostly natives of Australia. Some of them are large, producing hard and heavy timber of excellent quality, called beefwood from its color.