Allocasuarina muelleriana (Slaty Sheoak)

Distribution: Found in the southern part of South Australia, except on Kangaroo Island, growing in scrub and heath on rocky siliceous soils. Also found in Victoria.

Status: Native. Common in South Australia with exception to Yorke Peninsula where it is rare. Common in Victoria.

Plant description: Dioecious or rarely monoecious shrub to 3 m high with smooth bark. Stem (looks like leaves) are ascending to 12 cm long with stem segments to 8 mm long and 0.8 mm diameter, usually angular, waxy, margins adjacent to furrows often raised (when dry), with 5 or 6 teeth (reduced leaves) to 0.5 mm long at segment junction. Male spikes resemble a necklace of beads, orange-brown. Female flowers singular, red. Cones on peduncle to 8 mm long with cone body to 28 mm long and 12 mm diameter. This subspecies differ from the other two subspecies found in South Australia which have thicker stems (0.7–1.1 mm diam.), flat rib margins and usually larger cones. Allocasuarina muelleria ssp. alticola is endemic to the northern Flinders Ranges, have cones which are sessile or on a short peduncle to 3 mm long and 2.5 mm diameter, whereas A. muelleria ssp. notocolpica is endemic to Kangaroo Island and have cones with peduncles to 17 mm and 4.5 mm thick. Flowers throughout the year.